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.
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The Whitefish Lake (Atikameg) band members overwhelmingly voted to go dry and support a bylaw prohibiting alcohol from the reserve.
The decision was made after more than 100 band members signed a petition requesting a dry reserve earlier in the year. The band members' public outcry against booze was heard by the chief and council who decided to settle the issue with a…
Before Johnny Samson, of Hobbema's Samson band was born, his grandfather told his mother her child would be a boy.
"He told her 'you have two choices to name him-Standing Eagle or Eagle Stem.' My mother chose Standing Eagle and it means my trail has no endI will have a long life," says Samson.
The name has so far proven true. At 76, Samson is still going strong. Though he…
As you know, it was not long ago that the north was not developed. It was just after the Second World War that the government started to develop this country. Before that, we, the Dene were in love with the land, we traveled all over the land for game and mostly lived in tents. Therefore, some of the Elders went through hardship in their lives. Let me go back a bit to see what their life…
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The world is changing and now is the time to reveal much of what was once considered secret.
So says Peigan Elder and spiritual leader Joe Crowshoe, who conducted the blessing of the Oldman River on the Peigan reserve last month. The respected gentleman allowed non-Native and non-band members to watch as he performed the sacred pipe ceremony and unfurled the holy…
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Interest in the Lubicon Lake land claim issue is growing on the University of Alberta campus.
In the past few weeks the chief of the landless band has met with U of A students and has been invited into the classrooms of Native Studies and sociology. Teachers taking their practicums have also asked for information about the band.
A student support group at the…
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Somewhere, there's a little five-year-old girl who's angry, sad and confused.
She's wandering why she's been taken from her foster parents. She's worried about what's going to happen next because her life has been topsy-turvy for some time now.
It all started when she was taken away from home by someone called a social worker to live with this new 'mom and dad' for…
Alkali Lake Band, British Columbia
Lack of economic opportunities is just an excuse for widespread alcoholism, says Charlene Belleau, former chief of the Alkali Lake band in British Columbia.
"Most places I travel to, our leaders still blame high unemployment, poor housing, low education as the reason why their people drink," said Belleau, urging that Natives accept…
Ottawa, Ontario
An Ottawa think tank says those with the strongest claim to self-government are the people in the Far North whose ties to the land go back thousands of years.
"Canadian will be judged for the condition of Inuit society-and judged harshly if that previously vigorous and self-reliant society disintegrates under the weight of social problems arising from the impact…
Cornwall, Ontario
Mohawk Chief Mike Mitchell was arrested and charged with violating the Customs Act as he drove his pickup truck, loaded with blankets, groceries, clothes and a washing machine, into Canada without paying customs duties.
"Sorry, I ain't gonna pay the taxes and the duties," Mitchell told a customs officer at the border station on the band's St. Regis reserve.…
Northwest Territories
Former N.W.T. cabinet minister Tagak Curley was found in good condition by an RCMP search party who feared he may have died in a two-day blizzard which separated him from a hunting party last March 17.
Curley survived the Arctic white-out and four days in the tundra. He was found near his base camp on the northwest shore of the Hudson Bay.
An…
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Bernard Meneen is the new chief of the Tall Cree band for the next five years.
Two councilors, Eugene Kotash and Ronald Loonskin were also voted in for five year terms at the March 7 election.
Meneen was voted in with a total of 61 votes out of 119.
North and South Tall Cree has a combined population of 424 band members and is located about 800 km north of…
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A society has been formed to right the wrongs in history books about Aboriginal culture and language.
The Multi-Indigenous Studies Program (MISPA) includes board members from Alberta and other parts of North America, says acting director Buff Parry, who adds that an advisory council is also being formed.
"We have signed the papers with the lawyers and right now we…
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Barbara Laboucan, 23 and a single mother, is trading in her janitor's job for a typewriter.
She is one of 15 students enrolled in a basic job readiness program, instituted by the Whitefish Lake band. Her past jobs have involved janitorial work and cooking but her new goal is to work in an office after completing a secretarial arts program.
Laboucan says her lack of…
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The film Foster Child, by Edmonton Metis Gil Cardinal, was honoured with a special jury award for excellence at this year's AMPIA (Alberta Motion Pictures Industry Association) awards.
Directed by Gil Cardinal, who was the main subject of the film which was a high caliber competitor in its category. Along with Shooting Stars, the winning film, and Frozen in Time: The…
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A new federal bill which would authorize bands to levy taxes on reserves and lease land to outsiders is a "touchy issue" for bands in this province, says the president of the Indian Association of Alberta.
Gregg Smith fears the taxation bill is being viewed by the federal government as an Indian self-government issue, "in order to justify their desire to get out of trust…