mediaINDIGENA

Sisters in spirit? NWAC hit by division, funding crunch

Martha Troian — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 06:26:30 +0000

For the past six years, families who have lost a loved one have been brought together from across the country at special, commemorative events by the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC). Known as ‘Family Gatherings,’ they’re an opportunity to honour a missing or murdered Aboriginal female family member, to ‘give voice’ to their story and [...] . . . → Read More: Sisters in spirit? NWAC hit by division, funding crunch

A Leap of Faith: Trust and the Relationship with Government

Penny Cadrain — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:43:52 +0000

Renewing the relationship between First Nations and Ottawa and a discussion on retiring the Indian Act. . . . → Read More: A Leap of Faith: Trust and the Relationship with Government

The Missing and Murdered: A Week of Domestic and International (In)Action

Martha Troian — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:07:05 +0000

A horrific but too often ignored situation in Canada received some very high profile attention this past month. The Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) and the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA) announced that the United Nations will be conducting an inquiry into the hundreds of murders and disappearances of Aboriginal women and girls [...] . . . → Read More: The Missing and Murdered: A Week of Domestic and International (In)Action

Aboriginal Journalists Assemble!

Rick Harp — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 03:55:57 +0000

Ho-leh, the Canadian media world is getting browner and browner these days. Or so it seems to me. From print to radio to television to the world wide interweb, a new Indigenous face or voice practically emerges every few weeks. To my mind, that is an indisputably good thing for all concerned, not least, for Canadian [...] . . . → Read More: Aboriginal Journalists Assemble!

An Aboriginal Who’s Who of Canadian Politics: Provincial/Territorial Version

Tim Fontaine — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 08:59:09 +0000

Your guide to Aboriginal politicians in provincial and territorial governments As I’ve pointed out in my previous ‘Who’s Who’ posts, a small but growing number of Aboriginal people have been running for and winning seats in the federal government. Now here’s a quick overview of how many Aboriginal people are already sitting in provincial and territorial [...] . . . → Read More: An Aboriginal Who’s Who of Canadian Politics: Provincial/Territorial Version

UPDATED: An Aboriginal Who’s Who of Canadian Politics

Tim Fontaine — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 19:01:22 +0000

After a record number of Aboriginal candidates participated in the last federal election, just how browner is Canada’s parliament? As you can see in this updated ‘Who’s Who’ of Aboriginal politicians in Canada’s Parliament, the numbers have risen slightly, but the biggest gains have been within the Conservative ranks. Read on! The House of Commons Made up of [...] . . . → Read More: UPDATED: An Aboriginal Who’s Who of Canadian Politics

Manitowapow: A Preview

Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 21:41:32 +0000

My family holds reunions at the St. Peter’s church virtually every summer, just north of Selkirk and on the banks of the Red River in southern Manitoba. Growing up, I never knew why we did, nor cared really; the homemade pie was far more of a concern. Last summer, we held races, a candy scramble, and [...] . . . → Read More: Manitowapow: A Preview

How to Apologise

Penny Cadrain — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:53:19 +0000

Truth and Reconciliation apology of another colour from University of Manitoba vice-chancellor. . . . → Read More: How to Apologise

“No longer. No further. No more.”

Penny Cadrain — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 23:57:08 +0000

Tribute to Blackfeet warrior Elouise Cobell and her 16 year legal battle for justice over government mismanagement of Indian Trust money. . . . → Read More: “No longer. No further. No more.”

REVIEW: “Extra Indians”

Penny Cadrain — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:54:49 +0000

A 2011 American Book Award pick that gives the absolute best and most horrifying description of a run-in with a bear guaranteed to make you sit back and reconsider the way we do the things we do. . . . → Read More: REVIEW: “Extra Indians”

imagineNATIVE media arts festival gears up for 12th year of Indigenous excellence

Rick Harp — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 03:40:53 +0000

Another year, another great line-up of Aboriginal on-screen goodness at the 2011 imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, Oct. 19-23, set to launch at its exciting new home for screenings, the stunning TIFF Bell Lightbox. If you’ve never been to this amazing 5-day event, watch the above video (directed/edited by both MI’s Tim Fontaine and yours [...] . . . → Read More: imagineNATIVE media arts festival gears up for 12th year of Indigenous excellence

An Open Letter To My Local Hipsters

Sarah Hunt — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 03:29:09 +0000

Sigh. Today in the neighborhood coffee shop, I spotted a poster made by a local designer for an upcoming music festival. Hence the sigh. A tomahawk and feathers had somehow made their way onto the poster for a West Coast band consisting of three bearded white guys. As I stood in front of the poster, noting the [...] . . . → Read More: An Open Letter To My Local Hipsters

AUDIO: Kim Anderson, “Life Stages and Native Women: Memory, Teachings and Story Medicine”

Rick Harp — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 22:18:04 +0000

The power of stories to tell us who we are is well known, so to lose touch with your people’s stories can lead to a void inside one’s self — or even within a community as a whole. I was reminded of this today on my radio show, Urban Nation LIVE, when I had the pleasure [...] . . . → Read More: AUDIO: Kim Anderson, “Life Stages and Native Women: Memory, Teachings and Story Medicine”

Aboriginal language speakers: Canada’s spy agency wants you!

Tim Fontaine — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 03:33:53 +0000

If you can speak any of this country’s 65 or so Aboriginal languages, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) may have a job for you. According to an ad on their website, Canada’s spy agency is seeking “Translators / Interpreters – Foreign and Aboriginal Languages” who among other things, “possess an excellent ability to work [...] . . . → Read More: Aboriginal language speakers: Canada’s spy agency wants you!

Seeking the Breaking Point: Violence and Justice in Canada

Sarah Hunt — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 21:49:30 +0000

For more than fifteen years, I have been working on issues of violence in Indigenous communities in BC. I have become familiar with the state of the justice system in Canada, with its huge over-representation of Indigenous people in detention centres and an accompanying lack of concern for those of us who are victims of [...] . . . → Read More: Seeking the Breaking Point: Violence and Justice in Canada

Oil’s Slippery Slope

Penny Cadrain — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 18:58:38 +0000

I like oil. Oil brings me things. Things like home heating, air conditioning, electricity. It means people aren’t burning trees so I can hike through forests. It means people aren’t burning coal so I can breathe without blackening my lungs. It means communities don’t have to be flooded so someone can jam up a river to [...] . . . → Read More: Oil’s Slippery Slope

Sweet Tweets: UN Declaration, 140 characters at a time

Rick Harp — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 00:38:28 +0000

In an ill-advised bout of social media enthusiasm, I thought it would be cool and nifty and useful if I tweeted the UN Declaration pertaining to Indigenous Peoples rights. Had I known beforehand what it would take to distill the dang thing, I might have re-thought my initial impulse. But I persevered and glad I’m [...] . . . → Read More: Sweet Tweets: UN Declaration, 140 characters at a time

INTERVIEW: ‘Indigenous Young Women: Speaking our Truths, Building our Strengths’ Project

Rick Harp — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 18:53:02 +0000

If you are a young Aboriginal woman age 16-25 (or know someone who is ) interested in community leadership skill development, check out my UN Live interview below with Natasha Latter, coordinator of the “Indigenous Young Women: Speaking our Truths, Building our Strengths” project for details on how to apply. A joint initiative of the Native [...] . . . → Read More: INTERVIEW: ‘Indigenous Young Women: Speaking our Truths, Building our Strengths’ Project

INTERVIEW: Amnesty International rates Canada on International World’s Indigenous Peoples Day

Rick Harp — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:57:29 +0000

Quickly thought I’d share yesterday’s Aug. 9 interview I conducted on UN Live with Craig Benjamin, Indigenous rights campaigner with Amnesty International Canada, on account of that day being International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. I invited Craig on to evaluate the present social, economic, political and ecological state of affairs for Indigenous people in the Americas, not [...] . . . → Read More: INTERVIEW: Amnesty International rates Canada on International World’s Indigenous Peoples Day

Indigenous rights on the international stage: how far have we come?

Martha Troian — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 08:28:28 +0000

Seventeen years have passed since the United Nations proclaimed August 9 the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. It’s a day meant to promote and protect the rights of Indigenous peoples. To recognize the achievements and contributions they’ve made to the world around them. They’re achievements James Anaya knows like the back of his [...] . . . → Read More: Indigenous rights on the international stage: how far have we come?