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Attendance records were shattered at the twelfth annual Silver Birch Rodeo, held August 9 to 12 on the Kikino Metis Settlement, 185 kilometres northeast of Edmonton. Close to 6,000 people passed through the gates over the four days of the event, more than six times the number who live there. "It was just about double" the attendance in previous years, said settlement administrator Roger Littlechilds. "We just blew it away."

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Alejandro promised if I surrendered myself, I would be touched. Considering the day I had had, I was willing to give myself up to anything that would provide relief.

I had come a long way, two hours out of my way, in fact, and was well behind schedule. Time only to wolf down something greasy, throw on a pair of shoes that I had forgotten pinched my toes, limp over to the Eric Harvie Theatre to sit in an oven-hot room and fight the urge to swoon out of consciousness.

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Alejandro promised if I surrendered myself, I would be touched. Considering the day I had had, I was willing to give myself up to anything that would provide relief.

I had come a long way, two hours out of my way, in fact, and was well behind schedule. Time only to wolf down something greasy, throw on a pair of shoes that I had forgotten pinched my toes, limp over to the Eric Harvie Theatre to sit in an oven-hot room and fight the urge to swoon out of consciousness.

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It was an entertaining evening in support of inner city youth and up-and-coming Aboriginal talent. The WhiteStone Project's Giving Back to the Children and Youth second annual fundraiser was held at the University of Alberta Campus' Horowitz Theatre on Aug. 17.

Entertainment was provided by several Aboriginal performers.

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It was an entertaining evening in support of inner city youth and up-and-coming Aboriginal talent. The WhiteStone Project's Giving Back to the Children and Youth second annual fundraiser was held at the University of Alberta Campus' Horowitz Theatre on Aug. 17.

Entertainment was provided by several Aboriginal performers.

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Even though the Indian Summer Music Festival at Telus Field wasn't successful Sept. 1, its producer wants to do it again.

Only 110 people bought tickets said producer Leon Anthony. Showoff Productions, which organized the festival, gave out 1,200 complimentary tickets; about 300 people came.

If the price was lower (tickets sold through TicketMaster for $48) people would be more eager to come, said James Piche, one of the few who spent his cash. He also said he didn't know about the show until the night before.

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Even though the Indian Summer Music Festival at Telus Field wasn't successful Sept. 1, its producer wants to do it again.

Only 110 people bought tickets said producer Leon Anthony. Showoff Productions, which organized the festival, gave out 1,200 complimentary tickets; about 300 people came.

If the price was lower (tickets sold through TicketMaster for $48) people would be more eager to come, said James Piche, one of the few who spent his cash. He also said he didn't know about the show until the night before.

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Clifford Calliou, 75, is the 2001 Citizen of the Year at the Kikino Metis Settlement. The honor was awarded in conjunction with the Aug. 12 annual Kikino Celebration Days and Silver Birch Rodeo.

Calliou said the award came as a total surprise. He was at the rodeo grounds on Saturday morning, Aug. 11, when was told he had won the award and was needed at the hamlet to lead the parade.

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Clifford Calliou, 75, is the 2001 Citizen of the Year at the Kikino Metis Settlement. The honor was awarded in conjunction with the Aug. 12 annual Kikino Celebration Days and Silver Birch Rodeo.

Calliou said the award came as a total surprise. He was at the rodeo grounds on Saturday morning, Aug. 11, when was told he had won the award and was needed at the hamlet to lead the parade.

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Dwight Dorey, the chief and president of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples (CAP), wants to introduce some new ideas to the First Nations governance debate.

"Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples' recommendations envisioned reducing the number of First Nations from 633 to 70 or 80 across the country," he said. "The 55 or so Mi'kmaq bands in Eastern Canada are not First Nations. There's only one First Nation and that is the Mi'kmaq Nation."