Civic Center a showcase for Native achievements

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Calgary's lavish civic center was transformed into a showcase for aboriginal achievements and ambitions May 16 as the second annual Native Awareness Week got underway to create a bond between the Native and non-Native communities in the southern Alberta city.

The city's top officials turned out to honor members of the Calgary Indian Friendship Center who received the Chief David Crowchild Award for promoting aboriginal heritage.

More than 16 displays were set up in the city hall atrium as visitors, leaders and Native Calgarians roamed the center to find out more about Natives who make up a significant portion of the southern Alberta population.

The more impressive exhibit was an oversized teepee erected in the middle of the hall by descendants of the late Sarcee Indian Chief David Crowchild who was best known for his role in promoting aboriginal culture around the world. His philosophies , which were based on honesty and trust, were also hallmarks of his personal achievements during his time as Sarcee chief from 1947 to 1953.

Using a table filled with newspaper clippings and awards, C rowchild's daughter, Victoria Crowchild Aberdeen, shared her father's vision of bringing Native and non-native societies closer together.

Representatives from the Native Council of Canada, the Metis Association of Alberta, the Alberta Indian Health Care commission, Native Roman Catholic schools and the Calgary aboriginal affairs' committee were among those providing information about Native progress.

The vivid displays highlighted business achievements on the reserves as well as social gains in Calgary.

The Blackfoot Economic Development Corporation sponsored a booth in hopes of attracting non-Native business people to the Siksika Nation reserve in Gleichen.

The three-year-old operation has already achieved high marks in the southern Alberta business community with the development of a 50,000 square-foot commercial complex on the reserve, a 114-acre industrial park and a tribal ranch.

Inner city agencies geared toward aiding Calgary's Native people were also represented.

Pat Waite, director of the Calgary Urban Youth project, said her group has been helping young Native students cope with the stress of attending integrated schools since 1971.

She does one-on-one counseling with students who have learning problems because of the racial differences in most Calgary schools.

"It's hard to be a youth in school because everybody is trying to understand everybody else's culture," she said.

"Many Native children just don't have what the other children have. That often causes problems."

The Calgary Native Awareness Week extravaganza is a promotional campaign to "bridge the gap" between Calgary's Native and non-Native communities.

The 1990 week was co-sponsored by the Calgary Chamber of Commerce and the Calgary Indian Friendship Center which combined efforts and turned the decade-old concept into a city-wide event for the first time last year.