Four First Nations men showed off their hats at a variety of First Nation functions over the past couple of months, including Martin Tuesday at the opening of a youth centre in Thunder Bay, Roy Thunder at the NAN Special Chiefs Assembly and Eabametoong Chief Harry Papah at the NAN Special Chiefs Assembly.
Traditional diet advocate Bossy Ducharme is planning to restart his diet on Dec. 1 after successfully completing his first 16 months of eating only traditional First Nations food last January.
“Right now I’m on the Paleo (paleolithic) diet, which is about 80 per cent of my (traditional diet),” Ducharme said during a Nov. 13 presentation for youth in Thunder Bay. “It’s better being on the native diet, for me, and Dec. 1 can’t come soon enough.”
About 170 Aboriginal artisans are expected to exhibit their artwork at the 11th Annual Aboriginal Fine Arts and Crafts Christmas Gift Show in Thunder Bay.
Grand Council of Treaty #3 and the Anishinabek Nation have signed a Unity Protocol to work together on areas of mutual interest.
“I see this as an opportunity to build on our relationship and work through issues that impact both Nations,” said Treaty #3 Grand Chief Warren White. “In discussions with Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief (Patrick Wedaseh) Madahbee, we’ve agreed that we share the same vision in areas of child welfare and lands and resources.”
A stained glass window commemorating the legacy of Indian residential schools has been permanently installed in the Centre Block on Parliament Hill.
Two Dennis Franklin Cromarty First Nations High School students are looking forward to creating a Crime Stoppers video for their school.
“We’ll have to brainstorm to get a clear idea of what we’re going to do,” said DFC student Moses Patawanick during a Nov. 30 Thunder Bay District Crime Stoppers training session with students from across the Thunder Bay area. “Get all the steps in place first and do it right.”
Ideas to deal with gambling, alcohol and drug abuse issues were shared between workers of the National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program (NNADAP) during a three-day Creating Opportunities for Change staff retreat in Thunder Bay.
Aroland First Nation staff recently met in Thunder Bay to streamline band processes to improve band office operations for community members.
“We’re here to get together and talk about some of our administration policies,” said Mark Bell, Aroland’s economic development officer. “We’re looking at streamlining some of our processes and try to make our band office run a lot smoother.”
All of the community’s band staff, including band councilors and employees working on water issues, economic development and health, met on Nov. 29.
Shibogama’s Margaret Kenequanash has emphasized that First Nations will not be the only ones affected by cuts to tribal council funding — businesses across the north will also suffer.
When I was a boy growing up in my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast, I was deathly afraid of looking at the full moon.
I grew up...
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...