Native community excels in the areas of performing and communication

Page

Tantoo Martin Cardinal was recently awarded the "Best Actress Award" at the Alberta Motion Picture Industries Association (AMPIA) presentations, held in Edmonton, March 21.

Tantoo acted in the movie "Loyalties" produced in Lac La Biche, Alberta, which also won the best drama over 30 minutes.

From British Columbia another movie, made on the Alkali Lake Reserve, touched the hearts of many here in Alberta. The movie based on alcohol problems on the reserve to where it became almost completely "dry" in the span of 10 years, was portrayed, using Native actors who actually lived the lives of alcoholics, quit drinking, and turned the reserve around to a positive road back to recovery.

Could it be that Native communications is on the rise, in so far as acting, directing and producing Native film is concerned?

Native people have always been known to be articulate. They seem to shine when it comes to music, the art of sculptures and paintings, acting and behind the scene work, in the art world. Communications has come a long way.

In Alberta it is seen quite vividly, especially in the last two years.

In the print media, Native newspapers such as Windspeaker, Kainai News, and Hobbema's Bear Hill News, have drawn on many Native writers and production staff, that have imagination and talent.

Actor's such as talented Tantoo Cardinal and "yes" Tom Jackson, after yeas of hard work, are now being awarded with main character roles.

Branching out in the art world are new faces such as Brian Clark, Morris Cardinal and Windspeaker's Kim McLean.

In television, Beyond the Bend of the River, a documentary based on the life of Indian performer Harry Rusk, won the "Special Jury Award" at the recent AMPIA awards. Other Native television shows nominated were "Music of the Metis" and "Native Nashville North," these films all done with the input of AMMSA.

In radio the "Native Perspective" employs Native people to operate a first "Native broadcasting" across northern Alberta.

Native communications is definitely on the rise and one of the reasons is that Indian and Metis people are now brining with them the forefront, their professionalism and talents.

From one of the founding individuals of Native communications, Eugene Steinhauer, to a group of Native students at the Ben Calf Robe School, who last year did a production called "Which Way Home," Native communications, in all its fields, is here to stay and grow.