Awards night honors Tootoosis

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The Second Annual Aboriginal Film Awards were presented at the Sixth Annual Dreamspeakers Festival, which ran from May 26 to June 1 in Edmonton. The film awards were hosted this year by Tantoo Cardinal. The guest of honor special award recipient at the ceremonies was Gordon Tootoosis, who plays Albert Golo in the CBC drama North of 60. He has acted for theatre, film, television and radio. The member of the Poundmaker's First Nation, who now lives west of Saskatoon, was surrounded by friends and peers at the banquet held in his honor.

Nearly 500 people attended the banquet held in the Mayfield Inn in the west side of Edmonton.

"Thanks for honoring me with this," said Tootoosis. "It's a feeling I can't put into words, especially in the English language."

Tootoosis dedicated his award to his mentor the late Chief Dan George, who was probably one of the best known Aboriginal actors in the world.

"He adopted me as his son, in the Indian way," said Tootoosis.

He then explained how important his family was to him becoming an actor, even though his father, John Tootoosis, wanted Gordon to pursue academic studies and not acting. He thanked his wife, Irene, for supporting him all these years and regretted that she couldn't be at the ceremony.

"My family is absent but my colleagues are like family," he said.

A standing ovation followed. Close friends and colleagues then came up and each offered their personal congratulations to Tootoosis.

The former social worker made his acting debut in the film Alien Thunder in 1972, co-starring with Donald Sutherland. He is currently filming his fifth season with North of 60. He has been given many other accolades during his career, including Gemini and ACTRA awards nominations as well as receiving a First American in the Arts Award and the 1995 NFB-Alanis Obomsawin Best Actor award.