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Big Bear, the movie, a Canadian mini series aired in 1998, will soon be followed by the publication a new play of the same name, reinterpreted for the stage by playwright Michael C. Lawrenchuk and presented by the Centre For Indigenous Theatre in Toronto.

Lawrenchuck, chief of the Fox Lake reserve in Manitoba and a classically trained actor, has written Big Bear as an epic play about courage, betrayal, passion and politics - a classic tragedy that tells the real life story of the Plains Cree leader Big Bear.

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More than 2,700 people jammed Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Theatre in celebration of this year's 14 National Aboriginal Achievement Award winners, six of whom hail from British Columbia, the host province.

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The Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) is launching a half-hour First News show April 16 at 7 p.m.

The newscast with anchor Carol Adams will be broadcast weekly until Labour Day, according to senior news producer, Bruce Spence. After Labour Day it will become a daily program.

"We have correspondents, freelancers and networks across country who will be contributing news items," Spence said on March 16. On that date staff were already producing dry runs of news casts to test their technology and polish their journalistic presentation skills.

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Eleven-year-old Chastity Staats of Ohsweken, Ont. is a busy girl, and has added even more activities to her agenda for the coming months.

Chastity is this year's "Tammy" for Brant County, acting as ambassador for the area's 2000 Easter Seals campaign. Funds raised through the campaign are used to provide services to children with physical disabilities.

Bruce Williamson is chairman of Easter Seals Campaign 2000 for Brantford and Brant County.

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Words of condolence, loss and praise were issued by leaders from across the country at the news of the passing of Chief Joe Mathias.

Mathias, hereditary chief of the Squamish First Nation, died March 10 in Vancouver at the age of 56.

A long-time proponent of Aboriginal rights, Chief Mathias dedicated much time and effort towards the goal of having those rights recognized.

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Dudley George's friends and relatives should have been celebrating his 43rd birthday with their loved one. Instead, they were among the hundreds of people who turned out for a human rights meeting commemorating the slain activist's life. George was shot to death by Ontario Provincial Police during a peaceful demonstration in Ipperwash Provincial Park protesting for the protection of Native burial sites located in that park.

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A young grey whale that apparently drowned after becoming entangled in a net pond was towed to Ahousaht, B.C. on March 9. A traditional prayer chant was performed to honor the life of the whale and seven Makah from Neah Bay, Wash. were on hand to teach the community how to butcher the whale. The Makah made international headlines last year for reviving their tradition of harveting whale, despite environmentalists' anti-whaling activities designed to interupt their hunt.

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A young grey whale that apparently drowned after becoming entangled in a net pond was towed to Ahousaht, B.C. on March 9. A traditional prayer chant was performed to honor the life of the whale and seven Makah from Neah Bay, Wash. were on hand to teach the community how to butcher the whale. The Makah made international headlines last year for reviving their tradition of harveting whale, despite environmentalists' anti-whaling activities designed to interupt their hunt.

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The south-central Skeetchestn Indian band has announced plans to appeal a recent B.C. Supreme Court decision regarding Aboriginal title at Six-Mile Ranch.

According to information provided by the Skeetchestn Indian band, the B.C. Registrar of Lands had previously refused to register notice of the band's Aboriginal title as an interest in the land at Six-Mile Ranch. In January, the B.C. Supreme Court upheld that decision, indicating that, under the B.C. Lands Act, Aboriginal title cannot be registered as an interest in land.

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Two guests of the Co-ordinating Committee in Support of Mapuche People in Chile visited Edmonton in the first week of March during a month-long North American tour to gain support for the Mapuche in their struggle to regain their land, culture and human rights. Other stops were Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Oakland, Calif.