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It took a while to get going, but once the Ontario South entry got on track, it was impossible to derail.

And for the second straight year, the Ontario South women's side captured the gold medal at the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships.

This year's tournament, which featured six entrants in the women's division, took place in Akwesasne from April 27 to May 3. The inaugural national tourney for Native players, held last year, had also been staged in Akwesasne.

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A pair of teams think they earned the right to be called champions, but in the end, it was only one, the Saskatchewan club, that was awarded gold medals following the men's final in the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships.

The tournament, which featured eight men's teams, was held in Akwesasne from April 27 to May 3.

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The Tiny Warrior

A Path to Personal Discovery and Achievement

D. J. Eagle Bear Vanas

Andrew McMeel Publishing (Kansas City)

63 pages, $9.95 US (s.c.)

You've seen the child struggle through his teen years. You've tried in your own way to give him guidance, but some young people refuse to hear another point of view.

You've seen the choices he makes lead him down difficult, even dangerous, roads. Now, as a young adult, he's troubled, frustrated, down on himself and the world, angry about his past and pessimistic about the future.

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Cindy Scott

CD: This Northern Girl

Song: I Will Carry You

Label: Homestead Records

Producers: Barry Allen and Gordie Matthews

This Northern Girl is the first professional recording released by Cindy Scott, and it earned her nominations for a 2002 Prairie Music Award for outstanding Aboriginal recording, as well as nominations in the Best Songwriter and Best Female Artist categories at the 2002 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards.

Scott has a beautiful voice, and nothing gets in the way of enjoying the sound of it on this CD.

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NASIVVIK

The first generation of Inuit who experienced formal education learned some amazing things.

Among them, the history of Canada taught from the Qallunaat (white man's) point of view.

In this version, Qallunaat, who pioneered the European conquest of North America, are highly regarded, some even revered, as discoverers and founders of unknown lands. They live in history books as courageous pioneers and trailblazers who opened up a continent.

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Music Biz 101

The music industry is fiercely competitive. As such, music marketing plans include promotional activities to publicize your music to your target audience and to get your product in the hands of these music buyers.

It may come as a surprise to some that an artist is considered a product, much like the actual CD they have produced. We only have to look at the mega-success of Shania Twain and her much talked about belly button to see how this works. Think of other artists and why they appeal to certain demographics.

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Pro Bono

Dear Tuma:

When is it illegal for an abortion? Why?

Curious

Dear Curious:

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Medium Rare

I've just watched some really good television. It's got a strong plot, good characters, a surprising hero, a mysterious villain, lots of dramatic tension and-best of all-it's real. That's right. Reality TV!

Who produces the show? CBC? CTV? APTN? Are you daft? It's CPAC, the Cable Public Affairs Channel. That's right-CPAC. Surprised? Even people who work there say the network's ratings double if 10 people watch. But guess what? The show's good.

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The Urbane Indian

I just got back from L.A. ( I love saying that) where one of my plays, The Buz' Gem Blues, opened (I love saying that too). While there, I learned two important things, the first being that NBC has finally shot what they call "a showcase of a pilot" for an Aboriginal sitcom.

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The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Confederacy was scheduled for May 6 to 8, but finished ahead of time on the second evening.

Addressing about 200 people, National Chief Matthew Coon Come broached the subject of Bill C-7, saying the First Nations governance act "hangs like a shadow over all our confederacies and assemblies," but said the chiefs had other important work to do.