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A national conference focusing on injury prevention in First Nation and Inuit communities is being planned for Winnipeg from June 9 to 12.

Towards Community Action on Aboriginal Injuries is the theme of the conference, which will bring together health workers from across Canada.

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The chiefs of the Assembly of First Nations heard that the number of houses required in First Nation communities as quoted by the national chief in his Getting Results Strategy paint too rosy a picture and the situation is bleaker than Phil Fontaine has stated.

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Just days before he was called on to perform a cleansing ceremony for Prime Minister Paul Martin during his swearing in ceremony at Rideau Hall Dec. 12, Elder Elmer Courchene slammed the federal government's treatment of residential school survivors.

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It was a clear night on the great prairies of what is now western Canada when, in 1816, a young boy was born to a family of Plains Cree, or Nehiyawak.

The sky above was thick with stars, and so the boy was given the name Star Blanket. In Cree, he was called Ahtahkakoop.

As Ahtahkakoop grew from boy to man, he learned the traditions of his people, the way things had always been done. He learned to hunt and the ways of battle. He learned the stories and the ceremonies. And he learned respect for the Creator and for all living things.

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"Now, it is perfectly natural for human beings to share and blend cultures, but let us face a hard reality: 20th century white society is culturally addicted to exploitation.

Cultivate an awareness of your own personal motivations. Do not simply take and consume. If you are white and you find yourself drawn to Native American spirituality, Middle Eastern religion, African drumming, Asian philosophies, or Latin rhythms, make an effort to maintain some kind of balance.

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THE URBANE INDIAN

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When the list of recipients of the 2004 National Aboriginal Achievement Awards was announced on Jan. 13, Dr. Lee Wilson became the latest in a long line of award winners with a Saskatchewan connection.

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Editor's note: One of the most respected powwow men in North America paid Buffalo Spirit a surprise visit in January. Boye Ladd is preparing to move back to the United States after 25 years of living in Canada. He said he wanted to leave behind a few ideas for people to think about until he sees us again. He left us with a lot of material that we will use over the coming year. For now, however, here is a part of his message:

Coming Home Laughing

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For 10 years, Health Canada has covered room and board fees for First Nations treaty clients attending addictions treatment at residential centres operated by the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC). Now the feds have had a change of heart. They won't to pay the fees, and Nick Hossack, director of prevention and promotion overseeing the National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program (NNADAP) is taking the heat.

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Don Kelly - Director of Communications, Assembly of First Nations

Recommends:

Guns, Germs, and Steel:

the Fates of Human Societies

By Jared Diamond

Random House-1997

Bold new theories of history, science and nature often come not by answering complex questions, but by posing questions so simple no one thought to ask.