Welcome to AMMSA.COM, the news archive website for our family of Indigenous news publications.

Windspeaker Publication

Windspeaker Publication

Established in 1983 to serve the needs of northern Alberta, Windspeaker became a national newspaper on its 10th anniversary in 1993.

  • May 9, 2016
  • Compiled by Debora Steel

May 9, 2016

A historic rock art conference that will bring together the leading Indigenous rock art scholars in British Columbia, as well as  scholars from Spain, France and New Zealand, will be hosted for the first time ever by Indigenous people.

Participants will learn about the latest international and local research on pictographs (rock paintings) and petroglyphs (rock…

  • May 6, 2016
  • Drew Hayden Taylor, Windspeaker Columnist

The Urbane Indian

 

The
northern Ontario community of Attawapiskat is only too familiar with
tragedy—flooding, chronic housing shortages, government disregard, flagrant
misspelling of its name. And now a frighteningly high rate of suicide and
suicide attempts amongst the youth there.

It
would be enough to break their hearts,…

  • May 6, 2016
  • Shari Narine Windspeaker Contributor PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, Man.

 May 5, 2016.
 
Cora Morgan is hopeful that, even though the new Cabinet under the newly-elected Progressive Conservatives does not include a children’s services ministry, the interest shown by the PCs while in opposition to improve services delivered to First Nations children will carry through.

“It’s a little concerning but hopefully there’s more to it than we know and they…

  • May 5, 2016
  • Shayne Morrow Windspeaker Contributor

A scathing report on the mining industry by B.C. Auditor General Carol Bellringer is being received by First Nations with cautious optimism. It’s their hope that it will bring positive changes to protect the environment in their traditional territories.

In her May 3 report, “An Audit of Compliance and Enforcement of the Mining Sector,” Bellringer concluded that both B.C.’s Ministry of…

  • May 5, 2016
  • Compiled by Debora Steel

The Canadian Nurses Foundation is excited to announce its One Million in One Year campaign, with the goal to double the number of scholarships it currently funds for Indigenous nurses.

The aim is to raise $1 million to help support Indigenous nursing and education.

"CNF, in collaboration with stakeholders, is committed to make change happen through its support of Indigenous…

  • May 5, 2016
  • Andrea Smith Windspeaker Contributor

In honour of the one-year anniversary (June 2) of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s release of its calls to action report, a group called Kairos Canada is planning special  events, called the Blanket Exercise, across the country.

Kairos will bring the exercise, a favorite, quick and easy method for teaching material about colonialism in Canada, to the lawns of legislature…

  • May 3, 2016
  • Nigel Irwin Windspeaker Contributor TORONTO

These are exciting times to live in with Indigenous people expressing themselves through art, music and literature in ways that have never been seen before.

A great example of this is Anishnaabe playwright Frances Koncan, who is finding her own unique voice in Canadian theater.

She’s telling a historically Indigenous story, but in a way that perhaps hasn’t been considered before…

  • May 2, 2016
  • Andrea Smith Windspeaker Contributor

Musician Kristi Sinclair and some of her musical friends are ready to embark on the sixth annual Red Ride Tour, starting May 4 at Nipissing First Nation.

Sinclair, who organizes the tour, as well as plays in the shows, says they’re hitting smaller venues this year.

“I booked a lot more off-the-grid kinds of shows, and I wanted to go to more remote communities… Going to the…

  • April 29, 2016
  • Andrea Smith Windspeaker Contributor VANCOUVER

“We’re not hiding our culture anymore… We’re sharing it, we’re celebrating it, we’re honoring it… Racism is ‘I don’t understand your religious beliefs; then I fear you, and hate the color of your skin.”

The voice of Salish artist Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun, whose lifetime of work will be displayed at the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia in May, echoes the…

  • April 29, 2016
  • Andrea Smith Windspeaker Contributor WINNIPEG

The Urban Shaman Contemporary Aboriginal Art Gallery in Winnipeg is celebrating its 20th year in business.

In honor of the occasion, they’ll be holding a special exhibit beginning May 6 and ending June 30, which opens with a reception party, followed by a two-day symposium with artist-led discussion panels and a gala ceremony.

Daina Warren, the gallery director, tailored the…

  • April 28, 2016
  • Shari Narine Windspeaker Contributor OTTAWA

The Indigenous Affairs critic for the federal NDP says the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has put Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada under third party management with the new orders it delivered on child welfare April 26.

“They’ve made it very clear. They don’t trust the department of Indigenous Affairs to put children first. They’re effectively putting them under a form of third-…

  • April 28, 2016
  • Sam Laskaris Windspeaker Contributor YELLOWKNIFE

Project North officials are once again anticipating huge success for their Arctic Tour.

For the second straight year, members of the organization will be among those bringing hockey equipment to Inuit children in some of Canada’s most remote northern communities.

But like last year it won’t just be some equipment making the trip to the far north. A pair of former National Hockey…

  • April 27, 2016
  • Shayne Morrow Windspeaker Contributor WILLIAMS LAKE, B.C.

The six Chiefs of the Tsilhquot’in Nations of the B.C. Interior are calling on government to help in dealing with a recent increase in the level of violence in Williams Lake and surrounding communities.

Three separate shooting incidents have rocked the community in the past five weeks, beginning with the fatal targeted shooting of a 20-year-old man on March 20.

On April 25, area…

  • April 27, 2016
  • Shari Narine Windspeaker Contributor BIGSTONE CREE NATION, Alta.

Strong words from Bigstone Cree Nation Chief Gordon Auger calling the Calgary Herald out on its claim that First Nations need to be monitored for every dollar spent of the $8.4 billion allotted to them in the March federal budget.

Those words have earned the Alberta chief accolades from his band members.

On Wednesday April 27, Auger had his letter, titled by the Calgary Herald “…

  • April 27, 2016
  • Shari Narine Windspeaker Contributor EDMONTON

 

April 27, 2016.

“In my life I have thought about suicide,” said Elder Francis Whiskeyjack.

Whiskeyjack sat alongside Child and Youth Advocate Del Graff on Monday as they shared the disturbing report of seven Aboriginal youth, who killed themselves over an 18-month period beginning in June 2013.

 

Elder Francis Whiskeyjack (right) with Child and…