Esquao night is near

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The public is being asked to forward their nominations for Aboriginal women who they see as being role models for other Aboriginal women in the community. The selected women will be honored at a special gala and banquet later this spring.

The Third Annual Esquao Awards Banquet will be held on May 15th, at the Chateau Louis in Edmonton. The gala event is again sponsored by the Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women (IAAW).

Each year five Aboriginal women are recognized and rewarded for their work in the Aboriginal community. The women are selected for their leadership roles, their continuing education and awareness roles within the Aboriginal community and their commitment to increasing the awareness of Aboriginal women in society's leadership roles.

Last year's Esquao Award recipients were Edmonton's Eva Bereti and Delia Gray, Fort McMurray's Evelyn Webb, Theresa Whiskeyjack from the Bonnyville area and Florence Parenteau from the Fishing Lake area.

This year, as well as the anticipated awards ceremony, an array of Aboriginal women's fashion designers will be highlighted along with the recognition and accomplishments of all Aboriginal women in 1997.

This year, organizers say they will be giving more emphasis to honouring Aboriginal women who have helped other women and girls in their community.

In conjunction with the awards IAAW will be holding a conference on violence against Aboriginal women, their annual general meeting and a reunion of The Voice of Alberta Native Women (VANW's).

Since the last awards banquet, IAAW has embarked upon a province-wide communications program which will reach out to Aboriginal women in every area.

Nominations forms, a newsletter and brochures are available by phoning Donna at (403) 479-8195.

Special guest speakers will be announced very shortly. Last year, the invited keynote speaker was Colleen Klein, a Metis and the wife of Alberta Premier Ralph Klein.