Indigeneity, a Calgary-based Aboriginal arts collective, was recently featured at The Works & Design Festival, in Edmonton.

The theme for the 13 day event, which ran from June 21 – July 3, was Energy II Collaboration.

For the first time in a decade an Alberta-based charity will be offering teachers from across the country tours of oil sands operations in the province.

Inside Education, which has been around since 1985, usually operates a couple of tours each year for Alberta-based teachers.

But this summer, from July 9-14, it will operate tours for 40 high school teachers from across Canada. Half of these teachers will be from Alberta while the other 20 will be coming in from various parts of the country.

Several never-seen-before drawings and paintings by Aboriginal artist Alex Janvier are now on display at the Art Gallery of Alberta.

A three-month exhibit, simply titled Alex Janvier, opened at the Edmonton-based gallery on May 18 and will continue until Aug. 19.

The exhibit features more than 90 pieces of work, displaying Janvier’s talents as an artist during the past 50 years.

Among the items on display are three paintings and 16 drawings that members of the public have never seen before.

Blackfoot Elder Francis First Charger does not take lightly his role to deliver the traditional blessing, which kicked off the fourth annual Lethbridge Aboriginal Week.

“Years ago things like this never happened. It’s nice to be recognized by the city. When you are asked to take part, and depended upon, it is a great honour,” said First Charger.

Like many cities across the province, Lethbridge held a week-long celebration to mark the contributions of Aboriginal people to everyday life.

Habitat for Humanity Edmonton has been recognized by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation for its contributions to Aboriginal housing.

The Edmonton chapter of the international organization received the CMHC Award for Outstanding Contribution to Habitat for Humanity Aboriginal Housing for its role in helping Aboriginal families in the Edmonton area achieve home ownership.

For Kyra Brown, the opportunity to reconnect with her past was one drawing point to learning Cree.

Brown’s mother was fluent in Cree. She passed away when Brown was 16.

“After that my aunt used to say it was frowned upon to be Aboriginal,” Brown said. “To talk Indian at that time was not okay.

Brown, a 44-year-old Métis who lives in Edmonton, was one of 31 people, both Cree and non-Aboriginal, to sign up for Cree language classes for adults offered by the Centre for Race and Culture.

The Be Brave Ranch, a facility for the treatment and healing of survivors of child sexual abuse, is one giant step closer to reality with the announcement of a $600,000 contribution from the Yachimec Auto Group.
Little Warriors is working to raise $3.4 million to establish the ranch just outside Edmonton. The partnership with the Yachimec group will bring the tally to $1.1 million to date, so there is still considerable work to do.

It was an “international stew” at this year’s Rubaboo Festival.

“It’s quite incredible how much the festival is growing,” said Ryan Cunningham, artistic director and one of two founding members of Alberta Aboriginal Arts, which hosts the event. It is the Rubaboo Festival’s fourth year. Rubaboo is a Métis word meaning a stew full of life that fills the soul.

Shining Mountains Living Community Services is turning its attention outwards with the goal of creating a plan that will help reduce violence against women.

The organization, which for the past 17 years has provided shelter and support to women fleeing domestic violence in central Alberta, recently received $300,000 from the Status of Women to undertake a longer term plan.

Shining Mountains, which is run by Aboriginal women, is partnering with Blackfalds Neighbourhood Place in a three-year project to create a community plan to address violence against women.

Anita Crowshoe helped merge literary culture with rodeo in Wild Wordfest providing a lunch hour of entertainment.

Stories of the West