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This year, I?m going back to school for the first time in two years. Ever since I graduated from high school in 1999, I?ve been hard at work with Gen-X Magazine, publishing issues and working hard to meet deadlines. Now I?m taking that big step from high school to university, and I must say I?m more prepared than Tom Green going into surgery for testicular cancer. It?s been a great summer. I went on the powwow trail, played basketball and in late August I?ll be going to New York City for a youth conference.

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Long a leading innovator in First Nations education in Saskatchewan, Thunderchild First Nation is close to realizing a dream in the early days of the new millennium.

The Saskatchewan First Nation has a clear vision, the funding and the political clout to develop a comprehensive education package that will include a new, state-of-the-art school and a fresh approach that integrates modern methods with the old ways, based on the cultural and social initiatives implemented by Chief Delbert Wapass and his band council.

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One of the most important cultural events and competitions on the Canadian powwow trail took place July 17 to 20, as the Onion Lake International Powwow once again welcomed visitors from all over the world.

The new Onion Lake chief, Henry Lewis, and the first lady of Onion Lake, Arlene Lewis, welcomed all the guests and artists, noting that the annual celebration of song, dance, music and ceremony comes full circle every year only after a lot of hard work and planning by the Onion Lake powwow committee, the arena director and staff.

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The gigantic Tunguska blast of 1908 should have made headlines around the globe, but there were no intrepid reporters combing the wilds of Siberia to record what has been called the biggest celestial event in recent history. Only a few nomadic tribesmen tending their herds of reindeer were witnesses to a mystery that remains unsolved to this day.

Saskatchewan Native playwright Floyd Favel wants to set the record straight with a new stage production called The Tunguska Project.

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?Theatre is like church. Theatre will save your soul; it saved mine. When I was in my denial period ? ?I am not an Indian? ? I acquired a lot of masks which allowed me to survive in the world. What theatre did was forcibly remove those masks until there was nothing left but a heartbeat, which was me.?

Raised by his grandparents, Gladys and William Moose, on the Fox Lake Reserve in Northern Manitoba, Michael G. Lawrenchuk grew up fluent in Cree and totally immersed in the oral storytelling traditions of his people.

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Very few employers are understanding with their employees when they want to take about a month off all at once during the year. Luckily for John Fitzgerald, the sports and recreation co-ordinator at the Prince Albert Grand Council, his bosses are more than slightly understanding. After all, it is an Olympic year, and his services are required in Sydney, Australia next month.

?I?ve been working with the (Canadian) national team for about 20 years,? said Fitzgerald.

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For three weeks in July, the Aboriginal Role Models Hockey School was open for three one-week sessions in Moosimin, Sask., Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and Edmonton. Hundreds of Aboriginal kids ? ranging in the ages of six to 16 years ? attended.

The school was founded by National Hockey League scout Ron Delorme and Kevin Tootoosis.

Years ago, the two men were talking about hockey and decided to start up the school.

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The Standing Buffalo Dakota First Nation had a little bit more to celebrate recently than the first anniversary of its personal care home.

In early July, the band and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada ended a long-running funding dispute over the operation of Lakeview Lodge, the first personal care home built on a Saskatchewan reserve, said Standing Buffalo Chief Mel Isnana.

This means INAC will reimburse Lakeview Lodge?s owner ? the band ? about $83,000 that had been held up in the dispute.

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There have been many community celebrations across Saskatchewan to mark the sod-turning of a new hospital, but few ever proceeded like the ceremonies to mark the construction of the new Fort Qu?Appelle Indian Hospital.

Following a morning of prayers and blessing from Elders from area First Nations, the first of many shovels full of dirt to be moved for the new Fort Qu?Appelle Indian Hospital left the ground recently.

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While Saskatchewan?s Metis Nation celebrates with numerous gatherings and festivities, a new addition to Metis pride prepares to reveal itself on Sept. 1.

The Metis: Our People, Our Story CD-ROM will be released during the Prince Albert Metis Fall Festival by the Gabriel Dumont Institute (GDI).

?It has been quite some time in the making,? said Darren Prefontaine, GDI curriculum development officer. ?We finally put the finishing touches on it and are looking forward to releasing it.?