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The main lobby of Alberta Vocational College came alive on Oct. 9 with the sounds of traditional Native drumming and singing and with students in search of books. The students and staff at AVC were drawn to a book giveaway by the sound of Thundering Echo, a Native drum group who helped AVC make a unique connection for its students who were celebrating literacy during Reading Week.

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How appropriate it seemed that one of Canada's finest state-of-the-art Aboriginal schools was officially opened on the warmest and sunniest day of the fall.

Just as warm were the greetings and congratulations from adults and children alike as the Samson Cree Nation at Hobbema cut the ribbon to officially open the Nipisihkopahk Secondary School on Oct. 22.

Built at a cost of $11.2 million with more than 4,400 sq. m of space, the facility is believed to be the largest on-reserve high school in Canada

Model appearances

Northern Styles is a production and promotions company based in Edmonton. The group of youth entrepreneurs produce shows featuring performers, artists and fashion plays.

Northern Styles most recent show took place Sept. 11 at Edmonton's Hyland's Club.

The dinner show featured five-year-old singing sensation Jared McAllister, Native flute player Eagle Child, and the fashion designs of Coyote Crossing and US Designs.

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A small group of irate First Nation members met with Reform Party MP Myron Thompson in Airdrie on Sept. 18 to give him a letter calling for Indian Affairs Minister Jane Stewart's resignation. Jane Stewart is the main foe for the Wildrose MP and the group from Alberta and Saskatchewan First Nations he met with.

Thompson admits the letter is only a symbolic gesture representing the frustration of First Nation people who are trying to achieve accountability from their chiefs and councils.

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Terrying About

Tansi!

Now that the summer powwows have come and gone, we are fast entering the fall-winter and season, and that of course means round dances and more round dances.

? One of the first to kick into gear was the Oct. 2 Red Road Healing Society Round Dance in Edmonton which drew a capacity crowd that enjoyed the evening. It included a feast and giveaway as well as raffles and 50/50 sales to help the organization generate some extra capital for its programming.

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People and Places

Oki.

I haven't done too much traveling lately, but I did go to the Drumheller Institution to attend their 30th annual powwow.

I didn't know what to expect. I was nervous, but as soon as I arrived, they gave me the royal treatment.

They had 30 dancers at the powwow. The drummers were inmates. The attendance was the most they had ever had. They had invited Elders and a lot of the support from people on both sides of the prison walls.

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Alberta lost what is believed to have been its last traditional chief when Harry Gabriel Chonkolay passed away on July 30 in the Dene Tha community of Chateh (Assumption) in the northwestern part of the province.

In 1938, Chonkolay was selected by community Elders to be chief of his people. He was selected for his courage, honesty and strong work ethic. He remained chief until 1994 when, due to poor health, he stepped down from office after 55 years of service.

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The subject of capitalism is not what you'd expect to hear at a lecture on Aboriginal health care.

But John Kim Bell, the president of the Aboriginal Achievement Foundation, did just that in his guest lecture to University of Alberta students in the Aboriginal Health Care Careers Program in the Faculty of Medicine and Oral Health Sciences on Sept. 28.

"In Aboriginal culture, capitalism is not prevalent," said Bell.

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If you ever want proof that hard work and a little luck pays off, just ask Joseph Sillito. The 26-year-old Metis Grant MacEwan Community College student was recently awarded with a $1,500 scholarship from CN Rail. The generous assistance is his third scholarship.

In addition to CN's Native Educational Awards Program scholarship which supports Native students pursuing post secondary training relating to careers in transportation, Sillito has received funding from Amoco and Alliance Pipeline for scholarships of $2,000 and $1,600 respectively.

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Jed Roberts, a nine-year veteran with the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos uses just as much energy wrangling with monster-sized football players on the line of scrimmage as he does teaching Native youth about the importance of self worth and education.

#Roberts, a defensive lineman has traveled to hundreds of schools and community centres across the province making presentations to his younger fans.

Roberts, who has some Sioux blood cursing through his towering frame, said he owes much of his desire to help people to his father.