Of prizes, politics and parties

Page 5

Terrying About

Tansi!

Say, how about that made-in-Alberta television serial, North of 60! The program captured no fewer that two Gemini Awards recently, with one going to a terrific Aboriginal actress, Tina Keeper, for Best Performance by an Actress in a Continuing Leading Dramatic Role, for her part in the segment "The River."

The other went to Lubomir Mykytiuk for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series for his part in North of 60, "Refugee."

On the Edmonton scene of late is Eagle Child, Brian (Bud) L'Hirondelle, son of Metis Elder and war veteran, Fred. Eagle Child's been hanging his hat in Arizona and Nevada, but says he'll likely spend a few months kicking around Alberta. Nice to see this fine flute player and human being sharing his gifts with his people.

Things appear to be warming up significantly in the Lesser Slave Lake political riding where the incumbent Member of the Legislative Assembly Pearl Calahasen will do her utmost to best her opposition in the person of the Liberals' Jeff Chalifoux and the New Democrats' Glen Laboucan. Three Aboriginal candidates in the same riding! Must be a first for Alberta, eh? Chalifoux is new to mainstream politics, as is Laboucan.

While on the subject of Slave Lake, the friendship centre there has its Second Annual Round Dance on March 22. Bring a friend.

Kenny Giroux, a Metis boxer who trains out of Edmonton's Cougar Club, not only won the Golden Gloves Boxing Championships last month in the Intermediate category, he was also named and presented with the Golden Boy award. Congrats guy! Keep hittin' that bag.

In mid-February, all over Alberta, all over Canada for that matter, an estimated two-million-plus pairs of eyes were glued to television sets all across the country as they watched the fourth National Aboriginal Achievement Awards. The spectacular one-hour production by John Kim Bell truly was a sight to behold, and such an opportunity for Albertans to attend this marvelous occasion.

Prominent artists Maxine Noel, Jane Ash Poitras and Joane Cardinal-Schubert were all on hand at the Bearclaw Gallery in Calgary, where Noel had a personal showing of her work which ran in conjunction, timewise, with the achievement awards. Great stuff!

Over at the Indigenous Sport Council (Alberta) office on the Enoch Cree Nation, Ted Hodgson, Sam Cardinal and Barb Modeste traveled to Victoria for a meeting of the approaching North American Indigenous Games and reported back that organizers have cut registration fees in half, dropping them to $75 each. While welcome news, it's still more than twice the amount of the last games' fees in Minnesota!

Edmonton's own Murray Whitstone has been dancin' up a storm down state-side. The young man managed to crack the Top 10 finalists this year at the annual World Hoop Dance Championships in Phoenix. Three-time winner Quentin Pipestem from the Tsuu T'ina First Nation near Calgary slipped back to sixth while his girlfriend Lisa wowed folks with her second-place finish. The new world champ is Derek Davis, who works for a museum.

March 11 to 15 is Aboriginal Awareness Week at both Calgary and Edmonton universities. Too bad the times conflict. The big day for both, as well, is Friday evening, March 14, when they host their feasts and powwows. It's a new format for the University of Alberta, which has traditionally held a round dance.

Crystal Kids Drop-In Centre is planning another fund raiser for youth programming, this one at Rosario's Pizza & Pub in Edmonton on April 18. The fun part is roasting former Edmonton councilors Ken Newman and Ron Hayter, who is also a member of the Alberta Boxing Commission. The organization's director, Gordon Russell, asks people to "Help us build our future home." More info at (403) 479-5283.

People are also reminded to join Metis Elder Delia Gray for her 80th birthday on March 16 at Edmonton's Athlone Hall, and a March 18 AIDS (488-5773) conference at the Mayfield Inn

Did you know? Alberta Sweetgrass is now more than three years young. Happy B'day, ya all!