Games participants proud of accomplishments

Page 9

Since my last column in January, I have been up to Fort Chipewyan for a role model dinner, in Beaver Lake First Nation for a school fundraiser and in Fort McMurray for the closing ceremonies of the Arctic Winter Games.

It was good to be home for the role model dinner and this time is was special because my grandmother Louise Cardinal was recognized that night. Thank you for your words of wisdom and for your directness. It has always helped me through many obstacles. Thank you to Alvina Gladue, who made the afternoon in Beaver Lake a wonderful experience. Your hospitality was really appreciated.

FORT MCMURRAY-It was so great to see the many Aboriginal youth at the Arctic Winter Games involved in sporting activities and loving it. You could see the pride in their faces and their walk spoke of confidence. How else can I describe the way they were feeling? Their actions said that they had to work hard to get there and now they were going to show the world that they are just as good as anyone else.

ENOCH -Harley Morin, the owner, operator and head chef of the Bingo Burger Drive Thru, called to tell us about his business and the success it is having. For Morin, opening up the eatery was something he always wanted to do and having his certification in cooking helped a lot. He graduated from the Okanagan University College in 1994. He opened the doors on Jan. 5, and Morin describes it as similar to an A&W, but with a 28-seat restaurant called Kookums Kitchen. It also has a sub shop called Pizza and Deli.

"All of our burgers are served with fried bread and we have buffalo burgers. Prices range from $2 for fries to, I think, my top price on anything is $5.50. We also have Indian Tacos, and in the restaurant we serve hot turkey, hot hamburgers and specials throughout the week, such as neck bones, soup and bannock on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Morin said that he named the eatery Bingo Burgers because Bingo is synonymous with Aboriginal people.

"I wanted to name the burger combos straight line combo or full card combo. I guess, because I'm just making a humorous gesture and we have to try to expose people's curiosity, and Bingo and Aboriginal people go together. Kookum's Kitchen was named after my grandmother. I'm the eldest child in the family and when we went to our grandmother's house, they would teach me how to cook. We will be adding a deck to the place in the spring, so that we could have patio seating. We are situated right by the golf course, so patrons could eat their meals and watch people play golf."

For 41-year-old Morin, it was a service that was needed in the area for quite some time.

"There was no place to go out and eat within a 15 mile radius, except for Edmonton, Devon or Spruce Grove and there are hundreds of people who drive through our reserve each day," he said.

SIKSIKA-I spoke to Larry Water Chief, the chairperson of the 25th anniversary of the Siksika Awareness Week, which will be held April 25 to May 1. Some of the events expected to take place during that week will be a competition powwow, a talent show, and a princess pageant.

"We have a theme and this year it is 'Siksika: a Proud Nation through Awareness.' I think that it was a Grade 6 class that picked it," he said.

Waterchief said that during that week they are going to have most of the band departments, such as health and education, get involved and set up booths to give out information on what they are all about.

"A lot of times our public is not aware of what these individual departments are doing, and our committee has judges who is going to judge these booths based on the information they give the public. And how they've set up their booths, they will get prizes," he said.

Waterchief said the princess pageant is one of the highlights of the week. There will be 19 girls vying for one of the top three spots. On the Monday of the week-long competition, the girls meet with the Elders where they are judged ontheir language and their knowledge of culture. On Tuesday they are judged on impromptu speaking skills. On Wednesday they do their prepared speeches at the banquet.

Waterchief said the girls are role models. Their schools are contacted to ensure they have good attendance and a 70 per cent average.

"This is one of our big nights. There will be 600 people there, including dignitaries and entertainment. Our keynote speaker is the Honourable Pearl Calahasen, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, and ventriloquist Buddy Big Mountain. Thursday is our talent showcase and each of the princess contestants perform to both traditional and contemporary themes and on Friday they get crowned at our powwow."

Waterchief said Monday to Friday there will be dance demonstrations each day with a group of dancers from each school.

"We also have hand game demonstrations. Hundreds of people attended last year. Hopefully the weather will be great. At the same time, the Siksika Men's Basketball Tournament is held on that same weekend, so there is going to be lots of things to take in. The powwow is going to be held at the new powwow arbor," he said.