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At sunrise on the morning of Sept. 23, the first day of autumn was greeted with a sunrise ceremony on the banks of the Fraser River. Following the ceremony, a totem pole was unveiled.

Coast Salish artist George Price carved the pole, which is titled Coming Home. It's purpose is to honor his father and mother, as well as to show respect and recognition to all Aboriginal women who married non-Native men and the children that suffered discrimination under Indian Act provisions that stripped them of their First Nations status.

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At sunrise on the morning of Sept. 23, the first day of autumn was greeted with a sunrise ceremony on the banks of the Fraser River. Following the ceremony, a totem pole was unveiled.

Coast Salish artist George Price carved the pole, which is titled Coming Home. It's purpose is to honor his father and mother, as well as to show respect and recognition to all Aboriginal women who married non-Native men and the children that suffered discrimination under Indian Act provisions that stripped them of their First Nations status.

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The beautiful ciqaa (prayer chant) sung by Jessie Stephens and Linda Watts floated above the noise of machinery and construction as the two main roof beams of the Tseshaht longhouse were lowered into place.

Weighing 10 tonnes each, the two 70-foot long fir poles were placed on top of the cedar support beams during a community celebration on Sept. 13.

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The beautiful ciqaa (prayer chant) sung by Jessie Stephens and Linda Watts floated above the noise of machinery and construction as the two main roof beams of the Tseshaht longhouse were lowered into place.

Weighing 10 tonnes each, the two 70-foot long fir poles were placed on top of the cedar support beams during a community celebration on Sept. 13.

Page 12

The community celebrated as the newest Conayt Friendship Society-backed initiative, a centre that will provide services to First Nations youth, opened its doors in downtown Merritt.

The Spirit of the Youth centre will provide programs for young people looking to improve their education, looking for work, or looking to just play a game of pool and get together with one another, explained Conayt director, Dennis Francis.

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The community celebrated as the newest Conayt Friendship Society-backed initiative, a centre that will provide services to First Nations youth, opened its doors in downtown Merritt.

The Spirit of the Youth centre will provide programs for young people looking to improve their education, looking for work, or looking to just play a game of pool and get together with one another, explained Conayt director, Dennis Francis.

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Literacy programs in British Columbia receive $700,000 a year to help the province's adult population learn to read and write. A total of 33 provincially-funded literacy projects operate across the province, even in the farthest regions of British Columbia.

On the Queen Charlotte Islands in Masset, the Haida Gwaii Adult Literacy Program is funded to provide help to 20 individuals.

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Literacy programs in British Columbia receive $700,000 a year to help the province's adult population learn to read and write. A total of 33 provincially-funded literacy projects operate across the province, even in the farthest regions of British Columbia.

On the Queen Charlotte Islands in Masset, the Haida Gwaii Adult Literacy Program is funded to provide help to 20 individuals.

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BURNABY-Kathleen Dixon never completed Grade 7.

Divorced at age 21, she had three children, no job, no education, and very little hope.

"There were many things to worry about-family, home, extended family. I had always wished I could have more education, but the opportunity never presented itself," recalled Dixon, a long-time Comox Valley resident of Metis heritage.

She always found her lack of education a barrier to finding a decent job.

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BURNABY-Kathleen Dixon never completed Grade 7.

Divorced at age 21, she had three children, no job, no education, and very little hope.

"There were many things to worry about-family, home, extended family. I had always wished I could have more education, but the opportunity never presented itself," recalled Dixon, a long-time Comox Valley resident of Metis heritage.

She always found her lack of education a barrier to finding a decent job.