Aboriginal topics to be featured in encyclopedia

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Information about Saskatchewan's Aboriginal people past and present is currently being compiled for an encyclopedia to be published as part of the province's 2005 centennial celebrations.

The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan (ESask), a project of the Canadian Plains Research Centre at the University of Regina, will highlight the province's natural and cultural heritage, including Saskatchewan's physical environment, social and cultural life, industry and economics, both historic and present day. The encyclopedia should be available to the public in September 2005.

Blair Stonechild, who heads up the Indian Studies department at the First Nations University of Canada, was appointed as the Aboriginal theme editor for the project. He said that about 10 per cent of the book will be dedicated to Aboriginal topics.

"They are giving the First Nations communities significant exposure in its Aboriginal content. I'm the editor so I will basically be organizing the writers contributions and also writing some and then of course the re-editing part of it," he said.

For the next year or so, Stonechild will be working to find potential contributors. He said that he is looking for Aboriginal writers who are considered experts in the subject areas to be covered. Some of the Aboriginal-themed subject areas being considered for inclusion in the book are agriculture, arts, business, current culture, education, Elders, justice, land claims, languages, plant use, religion, science, self-government, treaties, urban Indians and women.

"We do not have a gigantic budget for this so this is going to be basically a volunteer initiative for the writers," he said.

There will also be about 30 entries in the book on significant Aboriginal individuals from Saskatchewan, "Aboriginal people who have the stature provincially, national and internationally," Stonechild said, including both historical and contemporary figures.

Stonechild will be one of about 20 theme editors working to put the encyclopedia together, who will be dealing with a diverse list of topics including agriculture, arts and culture, business and industry, communities, education, health, history, law and justice, military, politics and government, population, religion and philosophy, science and technology, sports and recreation and transportation.

"We are just extremely pleased to have someone like Blair leading the Aboriginal theme and we are also pleased about the involvement of the First Nations University," said Dr. David Gauthier, executive director of the Canadian Plains Research Centre and general manager of the ESask project. "As he's indicated, a fairly large portion of the encyclopedia is dedicated to the Aboriginal people. This is going to be a success so we are very happy with that."

In addition to the printed version of the encyclopedia, there are also plans to produce the information in digital form.

People from across Saskatchewan are invited to make suggestions as to what topics they think should be included in the encyclopedia. Project co-ordinators would also like to hear from people who have already written on Saskatchewan-related topics for other reference works who could update their entries for the new encyclopedia, and from people who have photographs or illustrations they feel would enhance the publication.

For more information about the Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan, visit the project Web site at www.esask.ca.