2002-- Year in Review

Year in review-Jan. 2002

In an issue that was heavy with matters affecting First Nations health, development and self-determination, the big provincial news story in the January 2002 issue of Raven's Eye was the dispute between the Ahousaht Nation and Pacific National Aquaculture over PCA's 10,000 escaped fish farm salmon.

We also told you about a B.C. Supreme Court judgment, in which a former student in the Christie Indian Residential School was awarded compensation of more than $233,000 for abuse he endured at the school in the 1950s and 1960s.

Focusing on youth accomplishments, we wrote a story about the four B.C. Hydro educational scholarships awarded to members of the Seventh Generation Club.

Year in review- Feb. 2002

In February's issue of Raven's Eye, we told you there was a difference of opinion among band members of the St. Mary's reserve about a move by council to revoke all hunting privileges on the reserve. In a less controversial story regarding land and resource stewardship, we also gave you a story about the environmental awareness program being implemented by the Ktunaxa Nation and Mount Baker Secondary School. Our National Report section in February reminded readers that water quality and water treatment are ongoing concerns that continue to be dealt with, or not, in patchwork fashion on reserves across the country.

Year in review- Mar. 2002

Our March cover story was about an occupation of the Shuswap band office at the end of the previous month. We also reported that many Native and non-Native people were united to protest the provincial Liberal party's cutbacks to social programs, as well as to fight the pending treaty referendum.

The preservation of traditional languages with the help of modern internet and CD-ROM technology was the subject of another story, specifically about the launch of the First Voices Aboriginal Languages Resource project by the First Peoples' Heritage, Language and Culture Council.

March is also the month to honor women and we devoted a section to that topic, which featured a story about Tsawwassen First Nation's youngest-ever chief, Kim Baird.

Year in review-Apr. 2002

In April, we celebrated Metis Week by running a story on some of the activities surrounding Metis history and culture on the West Coast, particularly a program at the Maple Ridge Family Education Centre.

The referendum was in full swing and in our Provincial Report section we updated you on the activities pro and con.

We also gave you a story about the recipients of the ninth annual National Aboriginal Achievement Awards.

April is not too soon to be thinking about the next semester of post-secondary education, for most people starting in September, so we made available a comprehensive listing of scholarships and bursaries for people wanting help to further their dream of an education.

Year in review - May 2002

Our May issue of Raven's Eye featured Nuu-chah-nulth songs, dances and teachings in an article about the activities at the Tseshaht longhouse attended by Alberni-area elementary school children.

We also gave you a double-page photo spread of some of the highlights of the Gathering of Nations powwow in Albuquerque, N.M., and Miss Indian World contest runner-up Kinwa Bluesky, a University of Victoria law student appeared on the front page.

Another story put the focus on Metis accomplishments, as opera singer Melody Mercredi of Vancouver was voted the National Metis Youth Role Model in the category of career advancement.

Year in review - June 2002

In June, Chief Simon Lucas was the subject of our front page and also of a news story that told you about his receiving an honorary degree from the University of British Columbia for community service.

Another news story urged parents to get involved in their children's education through participation in their local Parents Club.

We also reported on a longstanding event, the Seabird Island First Nations Festival that attracted10,000 people over three days in late May.

We also reported on a conference dealing with fetal alcohol syndrome and all the challenges that brings in dealing with the effects and in prevention.

Year in review- July 2002

July heated up with the Hupacasath hosting a ballot-burning to punctuate their feelings about the provincial referendum on treaty principles. That was our major news story of the month.

On a lighter note, National Aboriginal Day celebrations were the subject of stories from Nanaimo and Vancouver, featuring all our own performance artists, traditional foods, craft vendors and visiting among families and social groups. We also brought you a story about major Native American rock and blues music stars such as Redbone and Shakti Hayes who appeared in two concerts kicking off National Aboriginal Week.

We also reported on the annual 'Namgis First Nation's summer sports festival on Cormorant Island, which now features soccer as the main event and attracts more than 40 soccer teams to competitive and non-competitive play.

Year in review - August 2002

In August, Raven's Eye focused primarily on the highlights of the previous month's Elders' conference in Saanich and the residential school conference in Vancouver, both of which were attended and enjoyed by Raven's Eye staff.

We also brought you news stories about the Columbia Lake Band's efforts to bring affordable food to their members through a food co-op initiative.

In the same issue, from Valdes Island, we told you about the opposition of Gulf Island bands to the creation of a provincial park on the northern tip of the island. The Lyackson First Nation maintained they were not consulted about the conversion of land and they still had an interest in it despite it's being taken from them a century before.

Canoe races are always a staple of summertime activities on the West Coast, so we gave you stories covering the activities of the Snunemkuxw and their rivals in Nanaimo, as well as the retun to traditional canoeing by the Katzie First Nation.

Year in review-Sept. 2002

September brought a determined community gathering in downtown Vancouver. The United Native Nations held a signing ceremony to bring attention to their pact with numerous other groups to bring positive changes to the Downtown East Side, which we noted in our News section.

We also gave you a story about the Prince George Riverkings domination of the Canadian Native Fastball Association championships held in Brandon, Man.

As it was the month of new beginnings for students at all levels, in our Education & Training section, we gave you two positive success stories about the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology and the kinds of supports it offers Aboriginal students from across British Columbia.

Year in review-Oct. 2002

In October we reported on the activities of international Indigenous activists who came to the University of Victoria to talk about governance and resource management during the annual Pacific Peoples Partnership Conference.

The Osoyoos Indian Band's ambitious launch of an interpretive centre and a winery were also big news in the October issue of Raven's Eye.

On the island, Grace Elliott-Nielsen was a news item herself, as we devoted two stories to her many community-building accomplishments, especially creating environments for raising healthy children.

Year in review-Nov. 2002

Britain's Queen and consort were in Canada this year as part of the Queen's Golden Jubilee year celebration. In the November issue of Raven's Eye, we wrote about the welcoming reception they got in Victoria by numerous Native nations.

Our People section of the paper gave you a story about ambitious silviculture technician Loretta Hurst, who loves working in the bush and being self-employed.

We wanted a story about the Yukon and a story about veterans too in this month of remembrance; we got both topics admirably covered in a story that paid homage to three Yukon brothers andtheir close friend who served Canada in the Second World War.

As much as possible, we try to include a balance of Native cultures, and November was no exception, as we gave you a story about the Kootenay Region Metis Association's many outreach programs and activities.

Year in review-Dec. 2002

In December, the final Raven's Eye issue of 2002 appeared, and we were pleased to bring you news that Elder Nelson Keitlah received a commemorative medal for political and social activism.

Up in Whitehorse, a diverse art exhibit at the Yukon Arts Centre Gallery lightened up the pre-holiday season, and we wanted to let you know about all the fine artistic and craft work the Athapaskan and Tlingit peoples are doing there.

At University of British Columbia, they had just got underway with a unique counselling program aiming to meet the needs of Aboriginal people, and we told you that the university was also considering starting an Aboriginal counselling diploma program there.

Still on the topic of education, we reported another unique venture that has been undertaken by the partnership of the Yukon Native Teacher Education Program at Yukon College and the University of Regina in Saskatchewan. The two institutions are collaborating to offer a bachelor of education degree, which is highly successful.