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After four years of planning, hard work and the inspiration of "King Eagle" from Piapot First Nation, the new Native healing centre at the General Hospital was officially opened Dec. 10 by Regina Health District staff and members of the Aboriginal community. Even though it was a long time coming, the late Elder Emil Piapot of the Native Counselling Services would have approved.

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Heart disease is at the top of the list in chronic health risk survey results posted on the Assembly of First Nations' internet pages. The data, from the First Nations and Inuit Regional Health Survey report, which the AFN helped produce, says that eight per cent of First Nations and Inuit adults surveyed in 1997 reported heart problems. Worse still, heart disease rates for all ages in the surveyed Aboriginal communities are three times the Canadian average. Nationally, that's three times higher for Aboriginal men and 2.9 for Aboriginal women.

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Heart disease is at the top of the list in chronic health risk survey results posted on the Assembly of First Nations' internet pages. The data, from the First Nations and Inuit Regional Health Survey report, which the AFN helped produce, says that eight per cent of First Nations and Inuit adults surveyed in 1997 reported heart problems. Worse still, heart disease rates for all ages in the surveyed Aboriginal communities are three times the Canadian average. Nationally, that's three times higher for Aboriginal men and 2.9 for Aboriginal women.

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Every powwow poses its own challenges and needs someone well versed in protocol to smooth out the bumps, keep the momentum going, and help organize the flow. That is where the job of an experienced arena director comes in.

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Every powwow poses its own challenges and needs someone well versed in protocol to smooth out the bumps, keep the momentum going, and help organize the flow. That is where the job of an experienced arena director comes in.

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The force immortalized by American movies as "Dudley Do-rights" who "always get their man" gave themselves a public relations party this summer.

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The force immortalized by American movies as "Dudley Do-rights" who "always get their man" gave themselves a public relations party this summer.

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The Saskatchewan Aboriginal population is still far less educated and still less inclined to stay in school than non-Native students, according to the Department of Education's Indicators 99 report, released in January.

The report concluded that Saskatchewan's public confidence in the K- to-12 education system remained consistently strong. But it points out the challenges facing the province's Aboriginal population are significant.

Some of the highlights:

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The Saskatchewan Aboriginal population is still far less educated and still less inclined to stay in school than non-Native students, according to the Department of Education's Indicators 99 report, released in January.

The report concluded that Saskatchewan's public confidence in the K- to-12 education system remained consistently strong. But it points out the challenges facing the province's Aboriginal population are significant.

Some of the highlights:

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Mel Gervaise calls himself "pure Metis, right back to the Red River."

A Native Studies teacher/cultural liaison in the Catholic School System in Lloydminster, Gervaise is very serious about joining two strands of his Metis heritage - Catholicism and Native spirituality - something he sees as a natural fit.

It was during a visit to Edmonton's Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples that Gervaise first got to know and admire the work of Rev. James Holland.