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From thousands of years ago to a few hundred, one animal has shaped the environment for North America's Indigenous people. The importance of the animal and the affect it had are seen and described in one of the first displays seen inside the Syncrude Galleries of Aboriginal Culture at the Provincial Museum of Alberta.

It's Summer on the Plains, 9000 years ago. There is no smog, no ozone depletion, no aerosols, and no PCBs. The environment is clean and survival is simple.

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There's something new in the air in southern Alberta. Transmitting from a field somewhere near Fort McLeod, CFWE Radio The Native Perspective is your newest radio station. You can find it at 89.9 FM.

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The 7th annual Dreamspeakers Festival, running from May 29 to June 3, is going to be very hard to miss this year. Events associated with the showcase of Aboriginal performing and traditional arts, crafts and culture are scheduled to take place across Edmonton, from Hawrelak Park to the Citadel Theatre and the Eaton Centre downtown.

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Parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, friends, teachers and the occasional hockey player or Spice Girl were the inspiration for young public speakers at the Treaty Six First Annual Speech Competition, held in the confines of the Provincial Museum auditorium on Wednesday, April 29.

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The family of a Samson Cree Nation woman and her son who were killed by a police shotgun blast on the Tsuu T'ina reserve near Calgary, say they are being treated poorly in what they believe is fast becoming a political minefield.

Since Connie Jacobs and her son Ty were shot and killed after a confrontation with the Okotoks RCMP at a home on the Tsuu T'ina Reserve on March 22, the family has heard little information from Tsuu T'ina band officials, the RCMP or the Assembly of First Nations.

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Scrutiny of a trial taking place over 100 years ago could bring Metis people across the prairies some long overdue justice.

The present-day family of Louis Riel is pressing for a bill which would exonerate the former Metis leader, and label the man as a Father of Confederation.

Leo Teillet, a great grandson of Riel, is one of seven family members to publicly issue their support in principle of a draft private members bill, prepared by Manitoba Liberal MP Reg Alcock and Quebec Liberal Denis Coderre.

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Natives in uniform

A new exhibit will open on April 30 at the Calgary Museum of the Regiments and will chronicle the contribution of Aboriginal people in the Canadian forces from colonial times to the Korean War. Paintings, photographs and other memorabilia will be on display at the exhibit which is called Aboriginals in the Service of the Peace.

Bovar agreement

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Terrying About

Tansi!

Whoo-ee! Great weather is back and many are taking advantage of it by spending time in the great outdoors, including yours truly.

Heart Lake: This community, in cooperation with Beaver Lake and Lac La Biche is joining forces to coordinate a July 31 to August 2 powwow in La Biche.

Heart Lake is building a new health centre that is tentatively scheduled to open by mid-summer. The reserve has also constructed three new homes with another eight to go before the year is out.

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People and Places

Oki.

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This will be a busy spring for the Athabasca Native Friendship Centre, thanks to a $150,000 grant from the National Association of Friendship Centres. Under the Urban Initiatives Program, the centre has been given approval to offer a log building construction course and in the process build a new friendship centre.

The goal of the program is to create sustainable employment. It is hoped that trainees will use the skills they gain in log construction to create their own businesses.