Welcome to AMMSA.COM, the news archive website for our family of Indigenous news publications.
Established in 1983 to serve the needs of northern Alberta, Windspeaker became a national newspaper on its 10th anniversary in 1993.
Page 22
At the age of 34, Alex Augier has achieved his simple yet big dream: to read and write like other people, and to get a high school diploma.
He went back to school six years ago to pick up where he left off at the age of 14 when he was almost illiterate.
"Before when I watched people write, I used to watch them and just admire people like that because it was like…
Page 21
The Manitoba Aboriginal Youth Career Awareness Committee (MAYCAC) has demonstrated the huge importance of role models in the lives of youth. Located in Winnipeg, the organization was formed in 1987 by a group of dedicated individuals who were concerned by the need to put positive Aboriginal role models before Aboriginal youth. It has a solid history of success in achieving its…
Page 19
A government, a university and a college have teamed up to give teachers in the Yukon Territory a bachelor of education degree that is unique in Canada. The Yukon Native Teacher Education Program (YNTEP) is administered through Yukon College through a special funding arrangement with the Department of Education of the Yukon territorial government. The University of Regina…
Page 18
The Nikanihaw Aboriginal Leadership Aquatic Program in Edmonton is training 20 Aboriginal youth between the ages of 16 to 25 to be swimming instructors.
Held at the Grand Trunk Fitness & Leisure Centre every Wednesday evening, the program is funded by the City of Edmonton, Canadian Heritage and the Amiskwaciy Academy.
Classes include water rescue, water safety…
Page 17
The Metis people of Canada will soon be able to turn on their televisions and see themselves, their history and their culture represented on the screen, when the Metis Michif Television Network (MMTN) hits the airwaves.
The new network was approved by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) on Nov. 6. Ken Schaffer, the main force behind the…
Page 16
For the past 10 years, the Canadian Museum of Civilization (CMC) has been opening its doors to Aboriginal people wanting to learn more about museum practices, through the Aboriginal Training Program in Museum Practices, or ATPMP.
Each year, five participants are selected from among all those who apply, and those five will then spend eight months at the museum being…
Page 15
When stone carver Jason Noel practices his art, each of the steps he takes is part of an unbroken circle of creation.
Keeping that circle whole is important to Noel. That is why, whenever possible, he goes out, finds the raw stone and digs it out of the ground himself, giving thanks to mother earth as he does so.
It is also one of the reasons he tends to shun the…
Page 14
There are two kinds of music publishers: the independent publisher (including self-publishing) and the record label publisher.
The music publisher is involved in the creative, financial and administrative aspects of a songwriter's copyright.
The creative work involves development of a songwriter's career to market demos in the hopes of getting a record deal.…
Page 12
For years, the Saskatoon-based Yanke Group of Companies has been trying to increase the number of Aboriginal people it employs, but with little success. So now, the company is trying a new approach.
Instead of trying to reach out to individual Aboriginal people to interest them in positions with the company, Yanke is working to develop partnerships with tribal councils…
Page 11
More than 800 people attended the ninth annual Knowing Our Spirits Conference on Nov. 27 to 29 in Edmonton, bustling from workshop to workshop devoted to health and healing.
Conference director Bernie Makokis said participants were impressed not only with the diversity of the workshops available, but also with the number of communities represented.
"We had…
Page 10
Not that long ago, I remember reading a quote in an article written by an incensed mixed blood Maori woman (who's name unfortunately escapes me) who had just been asked how much actual Maori blood she had.
"I have just as much blood as any other Maori woman," she said defiantly. Unfortunately, not everybody understands that simple concept. Today, what can be accepted as…
Page 9
A special team will be established at Assembly of First Nations headquarters in Ottawa to lead the fight to stop the First Nations governance act and other legislation proposed by the minister of Indian Affairs.
A resolution was passed by the chiefs on Dec. 12 to focus political action on lobbying to stop the suite of legislation put forward by Minister Robert Nault.…
Page 7
Darren Bonaparte is a first term councillor on the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne. He believes the local councils have become overly dependent on government money.
"I saw first hand how our particular council has this PR front, that we're one of the most advanced First Nations in Canada. We've got our own justice system; we've got control of our own health. We've got a huge…
Page 6
Wilmer Nadjiwon, 81, was recently honored with a lifetime achievement award by the Union of Ontario Indians (UOI), an organization he helped found in 1969 and of which he was the first chief.
Remarkably vigorous for a man of his years, he operates a commercial wood-carving business and also runs a thriving Native-theme camp ground for tourists in Tobermorey, Ont. He was…
Page 6
Robert Corbiere, the deputy chief of the Wikwemikong Unceded Nation made a long speech about his concerns about the national First Nations agenda.
"In terms of energy, we're completely drained out. There's no more wind in our sails. We're just floating at the whim of the federal government and we don't know where we're going to end up. And what's missing in all these…