Canadian Aboriginal Festival a hit with the kids

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As children poured out of the big yellow school buses that carried them to the SkyDome Nov. 26, many craned their necks and pointed skyward to the spectacle of the CN Tower that loomed large nearby. This was going to be an exciting day.

Inside the famed building, home to the Grey Cup champion Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League and major league baseball's Toronto Blue Jays, the young people chattered loudly while jostling for a position that would take them through the turnstiles and onto centre field. There wasn't a football game scheduled, or a baseball game. They were there to see some Indians; North American Aboriginal peoples that is.

It was education day at the Canadian Aboriginal Festival (held Nov. 26 to 28 in Ontario's capital city), with 7,000 young students attending and their teachers and chaperones in tow.

On the agenda were classes about powwow regalia, the meaning of the Metis sash, the significance of a braid. Children ran the corridors between tradeshow booths, collecting pens and posters, temporary tattoos, pins and pamphlets; anything that was free.

"May I have a balloon? A bag? Where's the bathroom?"

Frantic adults kept busy counting heads.

"Don't touch. Stay with the group. Where's Matt?"

Things became calmer when it was time for the dance demonstrations, with hundreds upon hundreds of children sitting quietly in class groups as the jingle dress, fancy shawl, men's fancy and men's traditional dances of the powwow were explained. Then a smoke dance for the teachers to learn. Then a round dance for a few lucky children. A cameraman with a link to the Jumbotron overhead captured the smiling faces of the students as they clasped hands with dancers dressed in feathers and beads and trotted by.

Education day is an annual event, and this year as always a successful beginning to an exciting weekend in Toronto.

The 11th annual Canadian Aboriginal Festival attracted thousands of people over the next two days. Dancers and drummers from across the Americas competed for prizes. Musicians from folk, rock, hip hop and country genres demonstrated their talents. Movie stars and political leaders mingled with the masses. Traditional Aboriginal fare was prepared and shared. Vendors pushed product and propaganda from every quarter. And for the sixth year in a row, the highlight of the event was the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards held Nov. 26 at the John Bassett Theatre.

It was the rock groups that scooped up the lion's share of the awards that night, but it was the traditional group performances that rocked the audience throughout the evening.

Alberta's Grammy-award winning Northern Cree Singers blew the roof off the place with a polished and energetic performance of two songs, including the hand drum favorite Lovesick Blues. Northern Cree left the theatre with two awards, best powwow contemporary for Rezonate and best hand drum album for Honoring Singers and Songmakers. The group's second win was dedicated to a 29-year-old member of the group who had recently suffered a stroke at the drum and who "the Creator saw fit to give him his strength back."

You haven't heard jig music until you've heard JigBand out of Manitoba. Their enthusiastic performance led into a virtuoso performance by Manitoba's Clint Dutiaume who won in the best fiddle album category for his CD Fiddle Extravaganza. Dutiaume played a mean mandolin that night, as well as guitar and fiddle. He had the audience on side from the first slide of his bow across the strings.

The award show was launched with a prayer song from Angaangaq, an Inuk from Greenland whose name means The Man Who Looks Like his Uncle. Angaangaq's powerful voice resonated against a large northern-style hand drum held up to the side of his face as he sang. His blessing reverberated throughout the theatre and set the tone for an evening of outstanding performances by the likes of Mike Gouchie, Wayne Lavallee, and Susan Aglkark, who dedicated her award as best female artist to the Alberta students she worked with this year in her Healing Season project.

The handsome co-star of Hollywood's blockbuster film Windtalkers, Adam Beach, presented Aglukark with her award.

Vancouver singer Kinnie Starr presented the best male artist award to Gouchie, who also won in the best country album category for his CD One of a Kind.

In his second acceptance speech of the night, Gouchie thanked his mom and dad and dedicated the win to his grandmother who passed away the week before. Gouchie said she suffered from Alzheimer's, but kept a picture of him on her fridge so she could remember him.

Best album of the year went to Wayne Lavallee for Green Dress. He was doubly-blessed in November with the win and the birth of a baby. He thanked the community for their "huge support" of the album.

Eagle and Hawk cleaned up at the awards show with wins in the best songwriter, best song single and best rock album categories.

Best producer/engineer went to Danny Schur for his work on Healing Jane. Jane Cartrand, the inspiration behind the CD, was presented with the Keeper of Tradition award.

Other awards went to The Wolf Pack (Blind Man River) in the best group or duo category, Spirit of the Nations (Spirit of the Nations) for best instrumental album, the Pappy Johns Band for best blues album (Full Circle with Murray Porter), Team Rezoffical in the best rap or hip hop album category (The Foundation) and Taima in the best folk album and best album design categories. New this year was an award for best Aboriginal music radio program, which went to Elaine Bomberry for the Aboriginal Music Experience (Part II Rez Blues). The Lifetime Contribution to Aboriginal Music Award went to Errol Ranville who thanked his big brother and mentor Brian and the C-Weed fans of 39 years. The Music Industry Award went to Ness Michaels of Sweetgrass Records and Beartraxx.com.

Burnt Project 1 was named a Galaxie RisingStar and was awarded with $2,000 and promotional opportunities.

Lorne Cardinal, best known for the role of Constable Davis in the CTV sitcom Corner Gas and actor/singer Cheri Maracle hosted the award show ceremony.