Migisi Sahgaigan (Eagle Lake) First Nation, held its 34th Annual Powwow on July 29-31. The event drew over 1000 people, who came to camp by the lake, enjoy the sunny weather and catch up with friends. The Powwow grounds saw over 400 dancers of all ages in colourful, traditional regalia and over 120 drummers.
Photos by Geoff Shields
The quality of drinking water in many First Nations communities has long been a health hazard affecting all citizens. Recently the Minister for Indigenous and Northern Affairs Carolyn Bennett announced a grant of 11.6 million toward the construction of a new Water Treatment Plant as part of the Trudeau government’s budget pledge of 1.8 billion investment addressing the safety hazards, health, water and infrastructure issues in First Nations communities to Slate Falls First Nation where since 2004 the 280 community members have undergone nine boil water advisories.
The town of Sioux Lookout was the setting for a visit by the Governor General His Excellency David Johnston and his wife Her Excellency Sharon Johnston on March 30th as part of a tour they are conducting throughout northern Ontario.
This was the message handed down to the infection ravaged Kashechewan First Nation by Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott in response to media questions after QP in the House of Commons on March 21.
Q. You were asked about the treatment of the infected baby whose pictures have been posted in local articles.
Steven Chapman, 52 from Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation, has for the past one and a half years suffered from kidney failure. For this period of time due to the remoteness of his community he has had to travel to Thunder Bay so as to be able to obtain his dialysis treatment. Now thanks to the perseverance of fellow KI citizens all this has changed, and no longer will he have to take journeys that take him away from home, family and friends.
Lac Seul celebrated its 26th annual Traditional Powwow, which was held in the community hall at Frenchmans Head.
It was attended by just over 100 people that included 30 dancers who dressed in traditional regalia and were accompanied by nine drums. The Powwow presented a kaleidoscope of colour as they danced and weaved their way around the circle.
At the end of each day all were invited to partake in a traditional feast and take the opportunity to relax and talk to family and friends old and new.
Chris Southwind Master of Ceremonies shared:
On December 14, 2015, the United Nations Conference on Climate Change was held in the Le Bourget suburb of Paris. Representatives of the Canadian Government were present at the talks, however the fact that there were no representatives of the First Nations peoples was of great concern to Ontario Regional Chief Isadore Day.
Day expressed his concern in a letter sent on November 23rd 2015 to the Prime Minister and Provincial Ministers prior to the meeting.
Patricia Ningewance is well known for her work in keeping First Nations languages alive and well by publishing a number of books dealing with the subject, notably Talking Gookom’s Language. She was in Thunder Bay with Wawatay radio announcer and translator Jerry Sawanas on December 19 -20 to launch the latest of four pocket phrase books (the previous three are in Ojibwe, Swampy Cree and Inuktitut) dealing with the Oji-Cree language.
The Ring of Fire is a name that has been given to a planned mining chromite project (The Iron Chromium Oxide extracted from it is used in chrome plating and in the production of stainless steel) in the Northern Ontario James Bay Lowlands. Until mineral deposits were discovered a decade ago the area was and still is largely a place for hunters and trappers who live in nine scattered remote First Nations communities the inhabitants of whom remain mainly depend on traditional food for nourishment.
On Monday, 30th of November dignitaries and members of the Lac Seul and Sioux Lookout communities gathered on the 3rd floor of the town Centennial Centre to honour a well respected Lac Seul citizen Garnet Angeconeb as he received an Insignia for the Order of Canada from the hands of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell.
I’m happy to see the ongoing support and assistance in our northern remote communities to help our people cope with so many lifelong and generational issues...
I was happy to see our First Nation youth continue to speak out against proposed mining development in the far north in the so-called Ring of Fire region....