Alberta Sweetgrass

Ghost River Rediscovery is looking for 12 young professionals to fill internship placements in Austria, Bolivia, Dominica, Finland, Guatemala, Guyana, India, Sri Lanka and Sweden. Application deadline is May 15. The placements present an opportunity for career-related international work experience. Applicants must be between 18 and 30, have a degree or diploma and to have not worked in their…

Violet John, a First Nations woman from Kehewin Cree Nation, is the new Miss Indian World after winning a pageant at the Gathering of Nations powwow in Albuquerque, N.M. in April. The gathering is North America's largest powwow and craft fair and thousands of participants from around the world attend. This year's pageant saw 26 contestants. Participants are judged on essay writing, public…

There are 11 men from British Columbia now facing 105 charges in the killing and mutilation of bald eagles. The charges stem from an investigation by British Columbia Conservation Officers and agencies in Canada and the U.S. into the slaughter of 50 of the birds, many of which were found buried on the Burrard First Nation reserve in February 2005. Burrard First Nations Elder Leonard George has…

The National Day of Healing and Reconciliation is celebrated each year in Canada on May 26. The day provides the opportunity for individuals, organizations and communities to move past injustices towards healing. Each year communities, religious groups and cultural organizations choose to commemorate the day through events and activities meaningful to their members.
The City of Edmonton,…

Hopes raised. Hopes dashed. That's the story of the Kelowna Accord as of federal budget day May 2. Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Phil Fontaine said he was disappointed with the Conservatives' first budget presented to the House of Commons by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty. He said the $5.1 billion deal made by the Liberal government at the First Ministers Meeting last year was…

It's been more than five months since the November 2005 announcement that an agreement-in-principle had been reached to pay former residential school students compensation for their experiences within the residential school system.

Finally, on April 25, Jim Prentice, minister of Indian Affairs, announced that all parties involved-government, the Assembly of First Nations, the lawyers…

When Margaret Cardinal was a little girl living on the Saddle Lake reserve, she had never heard of an automobile. She was learning plenty from her mother about food preparation, clothes making, bead work and other interesting things. But with no television, no telephone, no books and no nearby roads, she had very little knowledge of the world outside of her community.

"I used to hear…

A video entitled Meeting the Health Careers Challenge, was officially released on March 31 by the Treaty 7 Management Corporation in conjunction with the Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations. The video features current students enrolled in health professional programs from the Treaty 6 and Treaty 7 regions.

Treaty 7 health careers co-ordinator Bonnie Healy said the video is geared…

The Congress of Aboriginal Peoples and the Native Women's Association of Canada signed a political protocol in Ottawa that allows for joint endeavors in policy development, communications and political strategy. The agreement aims to build on the efforts of both organizations to work with the new Harper Conservative government as it sets out to reshape Canada's Aboriginal Affairs policy.

The Aboriginal Women's Professional Association (AWPA) is set to host the third in a series of speakers' luncheons on April 29. The upcoming event will focus on Aboriginal women in leadership.

Since February the association has been organizing these networking events to attract Aboriginal women from the Edmonton area to gather. The speakers offer teachings that encourage Aboriginal…

When Margaret Cardinal was a little girl living on the Saddle Lake reserve, she had never heard of an automobile. She was learning plenty from her mother about food preparation, clothes making, bead work and other interesting things. But with no television, no telephone, no books and no nearby roads, she had very little knowledge of the world outside of her community.

"I used to hear…

For the second straight year an Aboriginal basketball tournament will be held in Calgary on Canada Day.

The second annual Aboriginal Youth Hoops Tournament is scheduled for July 1.

The inaugural event was held at Calgary's Millennium Park. But this year's tournament is moving indoors and will be staged at the Rundle Community Association.

The name of the event is somewhat…

Alberta's representatives are hoping for some improved performances at this year's National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC). The Canadian tournament, which begins on April 30, will be held in Kahnawake, Que.

Alberta will once again be sending two clubs-one girls', one boys' -to the NAHC.
As was the case at last year's national tournament held in Miramichi, N.B., this year's…

Hank Williams First Nation, a film shot primarily on the Woodland Cree First Nation in the Peace River Country and financed in part by that community, has been nominated for Alberta Film and Television Awards in the categories of Best Picture, Best Screenwriter (Aaron James Sorensen), Best Director (Sorensen), Best Actor (Bernard Starlight) and Best Actress (Stacy DaSilva). The ceremony takes…

Young people from the Kipohtakaw Education Centre on the Alexander First Nation skipped their way to a total of $2,000 for charity on March 1.

"The Alberta Heart and Stroke Foundation just couldn't believe that we raised that much, especially since we're a small community," said Tracy Matkea, a Grade 6 teacher at the school.

The Alexander High Hoppers rope skipping team raised…