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Crossing the Somass River was a powerful moment for Martha Joseph. The river that once served as a natural boundary preventing Joseph, the child, from going home was now a welcome sight at the end of the long journey she took as an adult seeking justice.

Joseph, the only female plaintiff in the group of 31 Alberni Indian Residential School (AIRS) survivors who took the government and United Church of Canada to court in 1998, is now looking to heal wounds reopened during the three-year-long trial.

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According to Lorna Arcand, the Chef de Mission for Team Saskatchewan, the work needed to be done to get Team Saskatchewan ready for the next North American Indigenous Games is 75 per cent done.

"There's lots of things going on," Arcand said.

The 2002 North American Indigenous Games will be held in Winnipeg from July 25 to Aug. 4.

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The number of Aboriginal people attending universities and other post-secondary institutions has never been greater. While this growing participation in higher learning is expected to lead to more Aboriginal employment in a broader range of higher paying fields, for many Indigenous students, attending university is an intimidating and isolating experience.

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The ninth annual Saskatchewan Book Awards, at the Centre of the Arts, was an impressive event celebrating Saskatchewan's remarkable storytellers, researchers and publishers.

Joyce Wells, coordinator of the event, said a record number of more than 400 guests came to the gala. She also noted that this was the first time a new award-the Reader's Choice Ballot Award -was given to the favorite nominated book. Four awards were given out this year to authors or publishers who created books with First Nations content.

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Nothing ruins the joyous spirit of the holiday season like a tragedy. Over the Christmas and New Year's period, people's minds are on family and friends, festivities and frivolity, fine food and faith. However, it only takes one small mistake, one hastily made decision, for all such pleasant thoughts to dissipate like so much wind-born snow.

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The fashion runways of Europe may seem a world away from the hallways of the Nakota Oyate Education Centre, but it looks like soon Desarae Eashappie will be dividing her time between both worlds.

Desarae, a 15-year-old from Carry the Kettle First Nation, has been on the receiving end of a lot of attention from modeling agents in fashion centres like Milan, Paris, New York, Los Angeles and Miami, and has had offers of runway work in Barcelona, and print work in Toronto.

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Just Another Indian

A Serial Killer and Canada's Indifference

By Warren Goulding

Fifth House Publishing, Calgary

219 pages

$22.95 (sc)

Page 10

The third annual Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards ceremonies were held at Casino Rama in Orillia, Ont., Nov. 26.

It was a christening event for the casino's new entertainment centre, and as you walked in the positive energy was contagious. Some of Canada's best and brightest Native singers and musicians gathered for a night of celebration. The awards honored their efforts in keeping alive the most expressive gift Native people were given-the gift of song. And sing they did, well into the night.

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Ever wonder whether Febreeze works?

What exactly makes up Cheeze Whiz?

And Blossom breast enhancers ... should we even ask?

Somebody has to find out about these things. Connie Walker does just that. And that's what helped the television show she co-hosts win two major awards recently.

For the past two years the Okanese First Nation member and Balcarres High School graduate has been the co-host of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's consumer affairs show for youth, Street Cents.