All photos: Leisha Grebinski

Photo Captions:
Top: Healing & Policy Initiative – Individual Award, Warren Isbister

Centre: Youth & Adolescent Award recipient, Jamiee Marks

Lower: Amateur Athlete Award, Michael Linklater

It was a night to celebrate the success of some of Saskatchewan’s most outstanding First Nations people.
The 2010 Circle of Honour Awards, hosted by the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN), recognized the achievements of 26 people from across the province.

Photo captions:

During a speaking engagement at the University of Saskatchewan on women’s rights, Governor General Michaëlle Jean was given a Cree name, “Great Woman Who Leads” (Kihcokimaskwew Kanikanit) and presented with a ceremonial Cree blanket by Elders Walter and Maria Linklater (far right) as well as the university’s Special Advisor to the President on Aboriginal Initiatives Joan Greyeyes (left).

Major funding received
It’s a win-win situation for British Columbia’s Scowlitz First Nation. It was announced in early August that the Scowlitz First Nation, located northeast of Chilliwack, will receive $300,000 in funding through the Recreational Infrastructure Canada program, which is a major job-creating investment from the country’s Economic Action Plan.

It’s official.
There will be no North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) in 2011.

But the Aboriginal Sport Circle (ASC), the governing body for Aboriginal sports in Canada, has stepped up and offered to help organize a variation of the games in 2012.

The 2011 NAIG had originally been awarded to Milwaukee, but the host organization announced in late June that it was withdrawing as host. As a result, members of the NAIG Council held a meeting in Winnipeg from Aug. 11 to 14 to determine their next steps.

The Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) held an Admissions Information Session on Aug. 16 for Aboriginal students who may be interested in pursuing a career in medicine.

The session focused on Aboriginal people who are interested in applying to medical school, and highlighted some of the services and resources the school makes available to them. It also included information about the application process and some of the important deadlines students must meet in order to be considered for admission.

Photo: SUPPLIED BY SAULT STAR

Though Ojibway Obediah Johnny Yesno had a name his peers made fun of in high school, his self-confidence remained intact, and, along with his natural good looks, served him well in a career that played out in the public eye.

Some might remember him as an actor starring alongside Chief Dan George in the Canadian movie Cold Journey, a part that led to other stage and film productions, including the Walt Disney classic “King of the Grizzlies.”

Photo Caption: The Somass River sockeye run in the Alberni Inlet topped one million fish, but despite the great return, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans failed to reach an agreement for the commercial sale of salmon with one area First Nation, and walked away from an agreement with another. The Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District said DFO’s failure cost the local economy dearly. Still, First Nations harvested their food fish allocations and took part in a road-side sale of fish despite threats of prosecution.

Artist—Wayne Lavallee
Song—Trail of Tears
Album—Trail of Tears
Written by—Wayne Lavallee
Label—Independent

Windspeaker: What one quality do you most value in a friend?

Eekwol: Humility. I love people who are talented and gifted, but don’t go around bragging with a big ego. I have a couple of friends like that and I respect them for being humble. It’s very Indigenous of them!

W: What is it that really makes you mad?
E: The impact of colonization on our Indigenous communities and how difficult it is to wake up and smell the reality. We need more awareness of the history of this land in order to heal and create a healthy and positive environment for our people.

On July 20, 2010, at the Assembly of First Nations Annual General Meeting in Winnipeg, , AFN National Chief Shawn Atleo gave a keynote address entitled “It’s Our Time: a Vision for the Future”.

The speech, filled with passion and determination, is a call to action for all Canadians to work to improve the lives and future of Canada’s First Nation people, and encourages First Nation people to step forward and “turn words into action and ideas into clear results.”