This past month, I was happy to attend two Pow Wows I hadn't been to in years. I attended the Mattagami First Nation Pow Wow and the Matachewan First Nation...
I was happy to see my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast announce the opening of the new St Francis Xavier Parish Church on August 25....
Fort Albany community members laid out a pathway for a healthier community through healthier food during a workshop in January 2011 and concerns about food costs and availability were raised during the Oct. 25-27 Nishnawbe Aski Nation 2011 Food Symposium.
Riley Barkman’s 700-kilometre walk to raise donations for the Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre CT scanner fund earns him Wawatay’s male newsmaker award.
Barkman was overwhelmed with the final tally of more than $205,000 raised during the walk, which began March 28 on the winter road at Sachigo Lake and finished April 13 in Sioux Lookout.
“It’s crazy,” said the 20-year-old Sachigo Lake band member. “I wasn’t expecting that amount at all.”
Jordan Wabasse’s death while attending high school in Thunder Bay is Wawatay’s second news story of the year.
“It’s been very hard for the family and the community of Webequie,” said Matawa First Nations CEO David Paul Achneepineskum shortly after Wabasse’s body was found May 10 in the Kaministiquia River. “At the same time, now that they know what has happened to Jordan, I think it will start to bring some closure to the families and to the community of Webequie and especially to his classmates at the Matawa Learning Centre. It has been a hard couple of months for them.”
Most classes at Pikangikum’s Eenchokay Birchstick School were closed Jan. 9 due to mould in the teacher’s living quarters.
Twenty-five of the school’s 31 teachers left the community after mould was found in their accommodations during an air quality assessment conducted by an independent consultant. The assessment was called for after a teacher became ill.
“I gave them the green light on (Jan. 6),” said Kyle Peters, Pikangikum’s director of education. “They’ve been slowly going home and a couple of teachers are still here. They need time to pack up.”
Fresh bannock topped off a surprise Christmas dinner served to 49 Elders in Mishkeegogamang.
“My wife made fresh bannock the day we delivered the meals,” said Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service Senior Constable Mel Coles, who organized the preparation and delivery of the meals along with his wife Bonnie Coles.
“It was a very traditional Christmas meal; everything was made fresh right at the (Mishkeegogamang) band office.”
Wasaya Group Inc. has a car deal for you, or more accurately, DFC.
For every vehicle purchased from three car dealerships in Winnipeg, $300 will be donated to Wasaya Wee-Chee-Way-Win Inc. to provide programs and initiatives for Dennis Franklin Cromarty First Nations High School students in Thunder Bay.
“We made the first sale last week,” said Wasaya Group president and CEO Tom Kamenawatamin, noting the first customer was a police officer from Sioux Lookout. “We will be looking at all of our subsidiary companies to get their vehicles from there.”
KWG Resources Inc. is looking to help raise funds for the founding of student residences at Dennis Franklin Cromarty (DFC) First Nations High School in Thunder Bay.
The company, involved in a drilling program at Cliffs Natural Resources Ring of Fire chromite deposit, plans to have investors donate flow-through shares to the United Way of Thunder Bay, for use by DFC students.
Nishnawbe Aski Nation chiefs will be meeting Jan. 31- Feb. 2 in Thunder Bay to discuss energy needs, share challenges and develop an energy strategy.
“We’re bringing in the key players from the Aboriginal-First Nations side to help us connect the dots on what does the blueprint look like for energy development for NAN territory,” said Grand Chief Stan Beardy. “We’re trying to bring in all the players in one room and come up with a plan.”
National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo raised the growing awareness of First Nation realities after visiting Attawapiskat just before Christmas.
This past month, I was happy to attend two Pow Wows I hadn't been to in years. I attended the Mattagami First Nation Pow Wow and the Matachewan First Nation...
I was happy to see my home community of Attawapiskat on the James Bay coast announce the opening of the new St Francis Xavier Parish Church on August 25....