Taos Pueblo Powwow, Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, July 8-10, 2011

The Taos Pueblo Powwow is one of the few outdoor powwows left. It is held north of Taos Pueblo in a natural arbour of buffalo grasslands. “It’s centrally located between the Plains and Southwest tribes,” said Debbie Lujan, co-coordinator of the powwow. This event marks the 26th year. The powwow was cancelled in 2003 because of a large fire just prior to the powwow’s dates.

Manitoulin Country Fest, Low Island Park in Little Current, Aug. 4-7

Country music star Crystal Shawanda will once again perform at this year’s Manitoulin Country Fest, which will be staged Aug. 4-7 at Low Island Park in Little Current. Shawanda, who lives in Nashville, will be a crowd favourite not only because of her musical talents but also because she’s from the neighbouring Wikwemikong First Nation. This marks the fifth year of the festival.

A Winnipeg lawyer who overbilled 26 residential school survivors for his services could face disbarment.

“This is certainly a case which is serious and, yes, I would say there is a potential for (disbarment). I don’t know yet what the appropriate penalty would be and what the panel would decide but (disbarment) is certainly not off the table,” said Allan Fineblit, CEO with the Law Society of Manitoba.

The lawyer, who cannot be named because of a pending disciplinary hearing, has until May 30 to repay $388,477 into a trust account.

Freda Ahenakew: Inspiring Elder was an internationally respected scholar

When Brenda Ahenakew was in Grade 12, her mother Freda jumped on the bus with her and joined her in all of her classes.

“I’m sure there were some eyebrows raised in the little town of Marcelin where we went to school, but we didn’t care,” Brenda said. There were 10 of Freda’s children on the bus.

So Indian Affairs is no more in Ottawa. Instead, the Prime Minister’s Office, affectionately known in government circles as the PMO, blindsided bureaucrats by changing the name of the ministry without consultation or notice. There’s a shock.

On May 18, while introducing the Conservative majority government’s new Cabinet, MP John Duncan was named minister of Aboriginal Affairs. The employees of the department of Indian and Northern Affairs had to learn about the name change via television. Nice.

Wildfires that began surging through the Treaty 8 traditional territory in mid-May have left over 9,700 people displaced, with easily one-third of those being First Nations or Métis.

The first mandatory evacuation orders were issued on May 15. Although the town of Slave Lake with its 7,000 population-base was the largest centre to be impacted, many First Nations’ communities surrounding the town and north were also evacuated, whether voluntary or mandatory.