Community helps kick off centennial celebrations

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The city of Edmonton will be bustling with celebrations for Alberta's 100th anniversary during the May long weekend. Not only will the Queen will be in town, but so will Aboriginal artists and artisans.

Martha Campiou, the co-ordinator of the Edmonton Urban Aboriginal Centennial Festival, says everyone is invited to partake. The event is free and celebrates Aboriginal culture and Native achievement in Edmonton over the past 100 years. Activities will take place at Sir Winston Churchill Square on May 23.

"We're helping Alberta celebrate ... Also, we want to constantly remind Albertans that ... we have roots. Our roots are connected to our ancestors who have been here for many years, many centuries prior to Alberta becoming recognized as a province," said Campiou, a member of the Driftpile First Nation.

The timing is right for Aboriginal celebrations, said Campiou.

"We looked at taking the opportunity to make this happen when there'll be tourists and visitors in the city for the purpose of visiting the Queen, offering them the opportunity to come and take part in our celebrations of what we've got to offer as Aboriginal people," explained Campiou.

The day will showcase Aboriginal achievements in art, craft, drama, song, dance, storytelling and modern technology.

On the main stage is scheduled local performers Fran Sinclair, Jess Lee, Celeste LaRondelle, the Metis cultural dancers, the Sun and Moon Visionaries dance group and others. The festival will also highlight young talent with the performances of the junior fiddlers and dancers from Metis Child and Family Services.

Festival goers will be able to check out the tipi village, where there will be cultural displays about Aboriginal cultures in Edmonton and area, and activities for children such as hand games, putting together bead necklaces and bracelets, and the historical art of face painting.

Storytelling is another integral part of the tipi village, where children and history buffs will have the opportunity to listen to local legends. There will also be a Red River cart town to represent Metis culture and display Metis regalia, artifacts and information about the Metis crossing. You'll be able to buy Metis, Inuit and First Nations arts and crafts from local artists.

The festival will have a modern look at the accomplishments of Aboriginal people in Edmonton. A trade show will demonstrate the evolution of Aboriginal participation in modern technology and will provide Aboriginal businesses and organizations to show how they have grown in the past 100 years.

The tipi village, Red River cart town and trade show will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Performances on the main stage will end at 9 p.m.

You can also tickle your taste buds with delectable Aboriginal cuisine. Buffalo burgers, stew, bannock and fry bread are just some of the food items you'll be able to pick up at the concession, said Campiou. This day-long festival is only a sample of what's to come. The festival committee is planning a three-day festival over the September long weekend to showcase Aboriginal achievement in Alberta during the last century.

The Native Seniors Centre and the Sun and Moon Visionary Youth Organization are co-hosting the festival.