Please Recycle Me
1885 REVISITED: FIRST NATIONS VINDICATED
Chief Young Chippewayan of Stoney Knoll band #107 (standing far left) with relatives from the Thunderchild First Nation. Archive photo.
On August 23, 2015 the Beardy’s-Okemasis First Nation traditional pow-wow took place. This day also marked the anniversary of the Treaty 6 negotiation and signings of 1876. Chief Rick Gamble of Beardy’s-Okemasis First Nation was asked to comment on the significance of Treaty 6 and how it relates to the Northwest Rebellion of 1885. The question was being asked by independent film producers, Brad and Adrienne Leitch, who are doing a documentary on the Stoney Knoll Band #107 also known as the Young Chippewayan First Nation. The purpose of the question is to further document an important part of Saskatchewan history and to discover what was the fall-out for the so-called rebellion bands after
TRC Report and Recommendations
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1885. In the case of the Stoney Knoll Band, they dispersed. Many descendants can be found in membership rolls of Battlefords First Nations and some as far away as Montana. One theory of why the Stoney Knoll Band dispersed after 1885 was the backlash for the so-called acts of disloyalty, seen to be treasonous in nature. There was serious retribution for many suspected participants of the Resistance. To avoid persecution they fled, and while gone, the Federal Government appropriated their Treaty Land and re-allocated it to settlers. This was the ultimate price for a Treaty signatory. In the case of Beardy’s-Okemasis, one act of retribution was the withholding of Treaty
Photos: 2015 Saskatchewan First Nations Summer Games
TRIBE’s 20th Year Anniversary
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annuity payments for five years after 1885. They and other First Nations filed a claim, which is represented by Lawyer Ron Maurice. Recently in 2015, the Specific Claims Tribunal ruled that the Federal Government had wrongly withheld Treaty payments and the First Nations are now seeking compensation. Chief Rick Gamble stated that Canadians need to understand that we are all Treaty people. We agreed to share the land. Our Treaty partners are enjoying their Treaty Rights by generating wealth from the land in form of Farming, Ranching, Resource Development, Etc. It is never too late to correct past wrongs and we owe it to our ancestors to do that collectively in Canada. •
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Registration Opens - 9am Grand Entry - Noon Grand Entry - 7pm Dance Categories: Tiny Tots (6 & under) Jr. Adult (18-39)
Grand Entry - Noon Giveaway (after Intertribals) Singing Contest: $5,000, $3,000, $2,000, $1500,$1000, $800, $500
Tiny Tots paid daily
Junior (7-12)
Sr. Adult (40-54)
Veterans paid per Grand Entry
Teen (13-17)
Golden Age (55+)
Non Competing Drum /day money
Daily Host Drum
For more information contact: Richard Ahenakew ~ Powwow President
Alcohol & Drug Free Event
306-765-3223
Security, First Aid
www.northernlightspowwow.com
& City Police on site.
Poster created by: Angie-Dawn Bear
Fall 2015
Editorial
by Armand LaPlante
It’s back to school time which is always fun and enrolment numbers are up. The U of S is reporting 2072 self-declared Aboriginal students and the unofficial word is that all three First Nations University of Canada campuses are reporting increased enrolment as well. Good luck to all students (including myself) – I hope you all stay motivated throughout the year. It sounds cliché but it does take sacrifice to succeed; it takes discipline. It’s not always easy to say no to your friends on Friday nights, to shut off Netflix, or logout of Face-
Indigenous Times book. But every little thing needs to be done to study as much as possible. Remember, four years is a short period of time in your life. Let’s go over some mildly political news in Indian country. If you are on Facebook you definitely heard the news that Ashley Callingbull, a Cree woman from Enoch FN in Alberta, was the first Canadian woman and first First Nations woman to be crowned Mrs. Universe in late August. Ashley Callingbull was quick to-- wait for it-- call bull on the Conservative party and urged the Aboriginal electorate to vote against them. I applaud Ms. Callingbull for leading by example and standing up for what you believe in, and using her new found-platform to voice her beliefs. But being a public figure and taking such a bold political stance can have its drawbacks – Callingbull received heavy criticism across the map after speaking out. It will also brand you which may deter some would-be supporters who believe opposite of you. One has to be prepared for backlash. It’s important to vote and be a part of the democratic process, even if you aren’t on social media sharing every article in favor of your party and
Acting on the Recommendations of the TRC by David Pratt COMMUNITY TALK The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) report that was released in the spring sparked a dialogue concerning the many issues faced by Aboriginal peoples in Canada. The attempt
Publisher/Editor: Armand LaPlante editor@indigenoustimes.ca website: www.indigenoustimes.ca Advertising: sales@indigenoustimes.ca phone: 306-955-0109
by the federal government to assimilate Aboriginal people, working with denominational churches, such as the Anglican and Roman Catholic Church, has shown how they were complicit in acts of cultural genocide committed against Aboriginal people. The Conservative government of Sir John A. MacDonald did this knowing-
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you just want to keep your politics to yourself. You could be a swing-voter and have no opinion till October just watching the news and developments of the parties’ campaigns. Or you might be a die-hard supporter of one of the parties. You can still vote without having to brand yourself as choosing a ‘side’. Either way the message here is: VOTE! Make sure you’re a registered voter, make sure you have the proper identification and make sure you make it out to the riding where you will cast your vote on October 19. To paraphrase someone I heard: If you’re willing to march in -30 degree cold weather and do flash-mob round dances for what you believe in then you should be able to visit the elections Canada website and ensure your vote, and make it out to the polls. There is a different layout with the paper and I would like clarify that any story that is labelled “Community Talk” is essentially a column. We have our website up (www.indigenoustimes.ca) and if you follow us on Facebook (Indigenous Times News) and Twitter (@indigenoussk), you will be notified of new postings to the website. Lately I’ve really been into podcasts, my favorites are: Ryan
McMahon and Joe Rogan’s. They have inspired me a lot as you will notice in my Q&A articles. We at Indigenous Times like to present conversations; we find that genuine thoughts and information come out in that style. When you listen to podcasts you can tell they are often pretty laid back and the interview is raw and candid whereas traditional interviews on news media platforms often have so much canned responses. So follow us on social media and maybe you will see an Indigenous Times podcast on YouTube sometime. Reach out to us for feedback, story ideas, photos, or to advertise and support. We appreciate all the help and guidance we receive. Good luck again to all students this year.
ly in an attempt to assimilate Aboriginal people into the main stream society. The banning of ceremonies, outlawing of Indigenous languages, and the attempts made to break up the family unit of Aboriginal people have all contributed to the place we find ourselves in today. All one has to do is look at the overwhelming number of Aboriginals within the correctional system, social services, and the lower socio-economic levels of our society to realize that the status quo can no longer continue. We must look at the projected demographic shift that will take place within Saskatchewan over the next 15 to 35 years. By 2030 Aboriginal people will make up 30 percent of the population and by 2050 over 50 percent. If we don’t move on the recommendations of the TRC and make real investments in Aboriginal people we stand on the verge of a social economic catastrophe in Saskatchewan. I know our Premier Brad Wall touts the Saskatchewan advantage and when lobbied for more dollars for Aboriginal people, he’ll tout a list of figures about the number of millions his government invests annually on Saskatchewan’s Aboriginal people; however more investments are needed to turn around the abysmal numbers of our people who are living in poverty with little or no hope for improving their lives.
It’s paramount that in order to bring about real and lasting change the report should be implemented or serve as a template or guideline for the direction we need to be heading. John Ralston Saul in his book, The Comeback: How Aboriginals are Reclaiming Power and Influence, said he believes the real changes in the relationship between Canadians and Aboriginal people will be led by the provinces in the west, mainly Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia due to the expected growth of the Aboriginal population in those provinces. What’s encouraging to me is that our own University of Saskatchewan is taking the lead by instituting an Indigenous Language Course in the College of Arts and Science and Indigenous Language certificate in the College of Education, which is one of the recommendations in the TRC report. It may seem like something small but I believe it’s a sign of good things to come. We owe it not only to ourselves as a society, but to all the victims of the Indian Residential School System to act on the recommendations, so Aboriginal people can truly have a place in Canada that respects our rights and creates opportunities for everyone. The time to act is now rather than later. •
The editorial policy of this newspaper is determined by an editorial committee established by Indigenous Times. We invite submissions, upcoming events, comments, and opinions. Please submit them with your name, address, telephone number or e-mail. The expressions and/or opinions of authors published in the current issue of Indigenous Times are not necessarily those of Indigenous Times or the editorial committee. No part of this publication in whole or in part may be reproduced, translated into another language, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without consent of Indigenous Times. Products, names, logos, design titles, words, or phrases within this publication may be trademarks, servicemarks, or tradenames on their own or otherwise may be registered in certain jurisdictions.
Ekosi, Armand LaPlante Editor editor@indigenoustimes.ca
Visit us online: www.indigenoustimes.ca
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TL: In 2015, Saskatoon has had a record-setting high of listings, at over 2000 homes for sale on MLS®, making this a buyer’s market. However, with recent news of a national recession, buyers seem to be waiting for a “market crash” and may be waiting in vain. Sales are down from 2014 but by only 12%. The local economy is somewhat sheltered, unlike Alberta with the oil, with other resources that Saskatchewan is famous for like potash and farming. I would urge buyer’s to take advantage of the current market and record-low mortgage rates to maximize future equity. Waiting to buy would be a mistake, as the market starts to balance again, it is guaranteed that those mortgage What area / district do you operate rates will spike upward. out of? A couple questions for our youth TL: My office is in RE/MAX Cen- readership, where would you adtral Saskatoon, but I service the sur- vise any high school or post-secrounding area as far as North Bat- ondary students interested in betleford and Regina. I also have a coming a realtor to start? referral network of excellent agents across Canada, for people who are TL: Research start-up costs and licensing fees as this will be your bigleaving the province. gest barrier. Have a few months of What are some of the questions living expenses saved up because that First Nations home buyers commission cheques do not have a should be asking and what should set schedule. Look into which brokerage you would like to be affiliated their main concerns be? with as you cannot practice real estate TL: The most important thing is to without one - RE/MAX, Century 21, align yourself with is a trusted RE- etc. Get as much business experience ALTOR® which is a free service as possible and sharpening your marwhen buying a home. Unfortunately, keting and sales skills. Connect with not all agents can be trusted. You a mentor. Tell your family, friends, want to see that your agent is mak- and anybody else you know that ing your best interest top priority and you will be starting a business soon advising you on how to achieve your which will require their support. real estate goals. Do they respond to your calls, emails, or texts in a timely How competitive is the realtor inmatter? If they are unavailable, do dustry? they have another licensed expert tending to your needs? Do they offer TL: Saskatoon has just over 600 lito negotiate the best price possible censed REALTORS® so the comfor you? Can they refer you to a net- petition is high. Although, in this work of other trusted service profes- industry, you get out what you put in sionals that you will need including a and the potential reward is limitless. mortgage specialist, home inspector, What does a typical work day/ lawyer, etc? week entail for you? Can you tell us a bit about the TL: Any good agent is on-call 24/7. I do open houses on the weekend, market lately? put in hours at the office during the week, show houses during evenings, and negotiate offers in between it all. When I first started, I was doing six open houses a weekend to pick up clients. I have since adjusted to 2-4 open houses a weekend to be able to connect more effectively with people. Some of the work I do at my office entails keeping my current clients up-to-date on market activity, keeping in touch with past clients, prospecting for new clients, scheduling showings, keeping updated on market activity, creating marketing material, and balancing expenses. • have a vested interest in people who share my heritage. I understand the culture and can give it the respect it deserves. I do not want to see First Nation people get taken advantage of in an industry that can be cut throat in terms of financial liability. Are they skeptical when seeking the services of a realtor? Should they be? Due to a lack of understanding in real estate as an investment, there is often an oversight in seeking the assistance of a trusted REALTOR®. I have seen a lot of people who try to go about it on their own, or with the first REALTOR® who falls into their lap, this can be high-risk.
Q&A with Tanya LaRose, Real Estate Agent by Armand LaPlante BUSINESS
successes early in her career. Tanya decided she wanted to reach new Tanya LaRose is a 27 year heights and currently is the sole-proold realtor from the Sweetgrass First prietor of her own business: Tanya Nation. Tanya began her real estate LaRose Realty. career at the age of 25 after being inspired by seeing her friend achieve IT: Do you deal with many First Nations clients? Tanya LaRose: I have, but not as many as I would like to. It makes me incredibly happy to see First Nation people owning real estate, because I know how far we have come historically and that we are progressing further than on-reserve housing while also gaining assets. As the only First Nation agent in the city, I
Get in touch at: Www.tanyalarose.com FB: Tanya LaRose Real Estate Twitter: @saskatoonrealty
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Fall 2015 with one small camera then worked my way to purchasing more cameras and other equipment. Today I still require sources of funding to purchase more equipment as my business grows. IT: What advice do you have for other First Nations women who want to start their own business?
Shelley Mike Talks Starting Her Own Business by Timothy Lewis BUSINESS Shelley Mike started her own company in 2012 called Shelley Mike Photography. Shelley is a proud member of the Beardy’s & Okemasis First Nation. She is a mother and grandmother of three whom will always be thrown in front of the camera when the right shot presents itself. Shelley first started out as a sports photographer but has since expanded to taking family, wedding, and graduation pictures. IT: Tell me about your inspiration to start your own business? Shelley Mike: I attended a national
women’s softball event as a ball player where they took many action shots of our team. I was very impressed with the idea and their business model. I was given the opportunity to have a tour of their photo booth and they showed me step by step how the business operated. It was then I knew I wanted my very own sport photography business. Ten years later my daughter was looking for a photographer to take pictures of her engagement party. I asked to take her photos as a gift, but little did I know it would also begin my new adventure. IT: What gave you the confidence to start your own company?
A Look At The Islands of Vanuatu by Priscilla Settee, Ph.D COMMUNITY TALK Last edition I talked about research on Indigenous Knowledge Systems that I had conducted in Hawaii. This research focused on how Institutions of higher learning were integrating Indigenous Knowledge Systems. This edition I will talk about work that I did in Vanuatu, a country made up of chain of islands located in the Pacific Ocean. Vanuatu is one of the mountainous islands in an archipelago that is considered a terrestrial eco-region
or rain forest. Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu, is a Melanesian island nation, which was previously called New Hebrides, and is located west of Fiji. Vanuatu, “the country that stands up”, is the name given by the Indigenous peoples when they gained independence in 1980; it was previously named the New Hebrides by Captain Cook in 1774. The Republic of Vanuatu is located in the southern hemisphere, in the southwest region of the Pacific Ocean and had formerly been a British and, later, a French colony. Vanuatu stretches for about 900 KMs and
SM: I am a go getter. If you were to tell me that something can’t be done; I will find a way. You don’t get anywhere by doing nothing. IT: What is your favorite type of pictures to take and why? SM: I like shooting sport photography. I always look at the professional sport magazines and admire the action shots. Going out on the field in search of that “one” great shot is almost as good as playing. IT: What was your major obstacle on your path to a photography business? SM: My major obstacle in starting my business was money. I had to work slowly to purchase all the equipment needed. You need a professional camera to take those money shots. I started off is made up of more than 80 islands and islets, forming a Y shape, running from north to south. The official population statistics of Vanuatu as of the late 1980s totaled just over 142,000 people, but presently, the population is over 200,000. The ni-Vanuatu are also called Melanesian, a reference to skin pigment, but the term is an over simplification as Vanuatu is known for human diversity. While some ni-Vanuatu languages have died out, over a hundred still survive. They belong to the large Austronesian family of languages found throughout Southeast Asia and as far away as Madagascar. Despite their linguistic kinship, the various languages are indecipherable from one another. The islands of Vanuatu are young, in terms of geology, and originate from volcanic activity and coral formations. Vanuatu has a mixture of exceptional natural beauty, ranging from dense tropical forests on the islands of Malekula, Santo, and Efate to grass-covered plateau on Tanna Island and fertile, coastal plains that slope gently into the turquoise sea. The most populated towns are the capital city, Port Vila on Efate ,and Luganville, on Espiritu Santo. The VCC is located in Port Vila, but its fieldwork exists in many of the outlying islands. In terms of their colonial history, the islands received an influx of foreign visitors, during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, mainly from Europe. Traders, referred to as blackbirders in the latter part of the nineteenth and the early-twentieth centuries, used force to take people away to northern Australia to be used a cheap source of labour on sugar plantations. During the colonial period, the British and French brought people from other Pacific countries, Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga, Vietnam, Wallis, and Futuna to work as semi-skilled and unskilled labour. Vanuatu went through a virtually bloodless, but difficult struggle
SM: The best advice I can give to other First Nations women is if you have an idea, go for it. You will have doubts and naysayers, but you need to drown out those negative thoughts and focus on the possibilities that could be your new life. Most importantly you cannot be afraid to fail. You will have ups and most definitely have many downs in your new adventure. When you get a down, stop and find another way to get to the finish line. Remember there are other ways to get something accomplished. I have been at events where I have had to deal with rain, wind or snow, but improvised to realize a successful event. It’s all worth it in the end when you see your dream come to light. Contact Information: Phone: (306) 222.8022 Email: shelly.mike@icloud.com
Website: www.shelleymikephotograpy.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/ Shelley-Mike-Photography Instagram: @ShelleyMikePhotography
for independence. It was mainly through respect for customs that chiefs maintained law and order in communities during the independence struggle. While some lives were lost, more would have been lost without respect for peaceful, traditional ways. To this day, disputes are still settled in the traditional Indigenous method of exchanging hand-woven mats, food, pigs, and other articles of value. Land ownership is a central part of customs and traditions and is provided for in the Vanuatu Constitution. The National Council of Chiefs, or Malvatumauri, was established in April 1977 to protect customs, cultures, and traditions. These chiefs are rulers within their communities. In addition, chiefs from all of the islands are represented and advise the government on matters related to custom, culture, and tradition. Some discussions I have had with ni-Vanuatu have described the Council of Chiefs as more of a government body, and not particularly effective in addressing peoples concerns. The same concern was voiced about the Vanuatu’s Council of Women. This could be a case of individual opinion rather than fact. While most of Vanuatu is Christian, traditional spiritual practices and customs play a big role in daily life, especially in the villages. According to tradition and legend, people live in a world of spirits. These spirits are associated with particular objects, such as the moon, rivers, or trees. Spirits are contacted when food, healing, or power over an enemy is needed. Similar to many tribal groups throughout the world, animals continue to play an important role in custom and ceremonies. Next edition we will learn how the biodiverse and culturally rich islands of Vanuatu are claiming sovereignty and Indigenizing their research and development. •
Indigenous Times
Fall 2015
“Don’t Speak” by Edward Poitras.
Bear Witness’ exhibit submitted by Paved Arts
TRIBE Inc. in a Milestone Year by Lori Blondeau LIFESTYLE TRIBE, a center for evolving Indigenous media, visual and performing arts, is in its 20th anniversary year. Currently, TRIBE is organizing a panel that will be at the Artist-Run Centres & Collectives of
Ontario (ARCCO) National conference. The conference, “Artists at the Centre: Moving from the Margins to Inclusion,” will be in Toronto, November 12 - 14, 2015. Earlier this summer, TRIBE also celebrated the milestone by presenting three major artists and four separate exhibitions -this included Saskatoon’s Mendel Art Gal-
lery’s final exhibition at their old location. ‘The Fifth World’ was curated by Wanda Nanibush (an Idle No More organizer), and included Myriam McMaster, Nicholas Galanin and Ursula Johnson. Much of the work was as beautiful as it was political: an appropriate closing show for the Mendel as one of the prairie’s most respected spaces. TRIBE’s mandate manifested in all anniversary events is “to provide an intellectual and creative environment in which Aboriginal artists, curators and critics may further develop their individual potential as professionals in the contemporary art world.” In Riversdale, TRIBE filled both gallery spaces at 424 20th St. West, but also presented a billboard by Edward Poitras. ‘Don’t Speak’ uses an image from a Saskatchewan girls’ residential school, with coloured “word balloons” added by the artist. Poitras’ words are direct and emotional: “…I can’t help but wonder about what happened to these girls. I imagine they became mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers. With children of their own, some or all taken from them and sent to residential school. Some would know or hear of others who would go missing, like not being there for a group photo. Some would lose their language and others would get it back.” Inside, Dana Claxton’s ‘Revisited’ was to the left, while Bear Witness’s (of the popular DJ group A Tribe Called Red) ‘The Ultimate Warriors’ was on the right. They interrelate, but both reference TRIBE’s history, and its ongoing mandate. TRIBE’s first exhibition was Claxton’s ‘Buffalo Bone China’: besides being Claxton’s first solo show, it’s one of the more significant bodies of work by an Indigenous artist. Thus, ‘Revisited’ – which, like ‘Buffalo’, was at aka gallery – is introspective. The massive video projections in the darkened space are quiet and contemplative, and watching the figure roam the familiar prairie scene makes the
7 viewer think about history, especially here in Saskatoon. ‘The Ultimate Warriors’ continues Bear’s art making of “sampling” popular culture and “remixing” it together. Sometimes it’s done to emphasize certain scenes, but also to combine stories. At accompanying presentations in the spring, Bear spoke of how, from an early age, the appearance of any Indigenous actor/character was a “family” moment in his house, often being called down by his mother to watch this moment on TV. His massive prints show Chief, from ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ or Sonny Landham from ‘Predator:’ but the flamboyant WWF star The Ultimate Warrior is most prominent, appearing in a projection on the far wall. At various presentations, TRIBE featured experienced voices (Rebecca Belmore moderated, and James Luna performed) and younger ones for whom TRIBE is a respected model. The Truth and Reconciliation Report was released almost simultaneously with Poitras’ billboard, and was part of conversations both inside the galleries and at panels. This seemed appropriate to how TRIBE has marked an amazing milestone, both as an arts organization but also as an activist one. TRIBE is artist run and presents public or commercial galleries and often presenting six programs a year through partnerships, collaborations or through independent spaces. TRIBE has an on-going call for submissions where artists can submit a CV, 20 slides, and a proposal for what they would like to show. Tribe also invites guest curators and programmers to put projects together. Artists can submit proposals to the TRIBE office: #805-601 Spadina Cres. E, Saskatoon, SK, S7K 3G8.
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BATC U14 Boys Soccer
2015 Saskatchewan First Nations Summer Games August 9 - 15 2015, Ochapowace Nation
Ochapowace Councillor Shelley Bear (centre) makes presentation to Team Woodland reps who won overall points championship as well as the Tony Cote award for most improved Tribal Council. Dawn Sinclair
Touchwood Agency Tribal Council (TATC) Softball U16 Gold Medal Winners
Opening Ceremonies at the Summer Games
Kelly Horsefall Dawn Sinclair
U14 Girls Softball, TATC vs. MLTC
BATC U16 Boys Soccer
Skye Cochrane took home 3 Gold and 1 Silver for TATC in javelin
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Indigenous Times
Congratulations 5IF ,BILFXJTUBIBX 'JSTU /BUJPO XPVME MJLF UP DPOHSBUVMBUF UIF XJOOFST PG UIF 4BTLBUDIFXBO 'JSTU /BUJPOT 4VNNFS (BNFT 5FBN 8PPEMBOE 8F BMTP XJTI UP TFOE B TQFDJBM BDLOPXMFEHFNFOU UP BMM UIF ZPVOH 'JSTU /BUJPOT BUIMFUFT XIP QBSUJDJQBUFE :PVS DPNNJUNFOU UP B QPTJUJWF MJGFTUZMF IFMQT CSJOH XFMMOFTT UP PVS DPNNVOJUJFT ,FFQ PO TUSJWJOH GPS FYDFMMFODF From Kahkewistahaw First Nation Chief Louis Taypotat Councillors: Michael Bob Leila Louison Darrell Taypotat Iris Taypotat
Kahkewistahaw First Nation P.O. Box 609 Broadview, SK. S0G 0K0 Phone: (306) 696-3291 Fax: (306) 696-3201
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Jordan Armstrong
Young Soccer Player Travels Abroad to Pursue Dream by Armand LaPlante SPORTS A Saskatoon teenager has left to the United Kingdom in attempts to follow his dreams of playing soccer. Jordan Armstrong, 16, is registered with the Thunderchild First Nation and was raised with his two brothers by his mom -- a single parent. Jordan left to the United Kingdom on August 5th to attend a series of soccer training camps with the hopes of being scouted to a professional or semi-professional Football (soccer) Club. He will be there for at least six months at which time
he will require a visa. Jordan has played soccer since the age of 7, with many of his favorite players playing on English teams. Jordan’s mother, his number 1 fan, says “I will do anything to help my boys achieve their goals and dreams, no matter how big and bright they may be. I believe that every child deserves the chance to pursue their goals. Not every child gets to though.” She continues “we fundraised for Jordan to attend these camps,” noting that camp fee, travel and all other costs seemed overwhelming for her as a single par-
Avery Jimmy (left) and Jordan Armstrong
ent. “But, it can be done if you are determined, and we did it. And we will do it again next year when Jordan’s brother, Avery, goes to pursue his goals of trying to break into the world of pro soccer.” “I am so excited to do this,” Jordan tells us, “I have been training and eating properly, so I am in tip top shape for the camps. I know it will be hard work, and I don’t know if I will be good enough to make it, but at least I’m trying. My second choice for a career goal is a police officer. If soccer doesn’t work out then I come back, finish high school, attend the aboriginal police prep course and become a police officer.” Jordan continually express-
Fall 2015 es appreciation for the support he has had from his mother, “she has worked two jobs my entire life to support us, even while going to full time university classes for Social Work, and she very rarely has missed a game over the years.” This will be Jordan’s first time leaving the country but he will not be alone, for Jordan it will be the first time meeting many of his maternal grandfathers’ family. Jordan has dreams of becoming one of the first (if not the first) First Nations youth to break into the English soccer league. Even if he doesn’t make it full pro, as long as he gets to play the game he loves he will be happy. He has begun his first training camp in Manchester, England on August 15th. His second training camp will be with Cambridge United in September, which is where he hopes to one day play. Aside from working tirelessly on the soccer field, Jordan will be touring the UK, going to museums, communities, and ancient castles to learn the history of the UK and hopefully share his knowledge of First Nations people in Canada. Good Luck Jordan!
Councillors: Shane Gopher, Spencer Gopher, Dolphus Moccasin, Velma Night, Julius Thomas
Fall 2015
Sho Sho Esquiro
Indigenous Times
Sho Sho Original Design
Designer Sho Sho Inspired by the Elders by Shawn Cuthand LIFESTYLE Sho Sho let’s start off simple, where are you from and when did you start designing? I am born and raised in the Yukon, Canada. My community is small: Ross River, and my tribe is Kaska Dena and Cree. I grew up with a mother who is an artist so it came very naturally and I was always up to something creative as a kid. I would wait for the Sears catalogue and I think that lack of fashion up there is what intrigued me. When you started did you have any major influences? My influences were the amazing elders sewing from the Yukon. Growing up my mom made a lot of my clothes and that influenced me to create. My grandma was also always very stylish. My major influences are my culture, teachings, elders, hip hop and using my traditional sewing techniques and applying them in a contemporary way. You have definitely made a name for yourself, what would be some of the highlights of your career so far? Three things stick out most for me, the first is having one of my favourite Kaska Dena elders carefully inspect my work, smile and say “you have so much patience”-- having her and other Yukon elders in the front row of my show at my first show in the Yukon. The second is doing a show in the Hamptons, NY, for a crowd of 5000 as well as having Ernie Paniccioli, my mom and my sister at my first show in NYC for Couture Fashion Week. Lastly and most recently was showcasing my latest line in Paris at the Eiffel Tower. You’ve worked with some big publications, for example Elle magazine, how was it working with those publications? It’s great, obviously as an artist it’s great to get publicity and get the word out about your work. The collection I took to Paris is called “Worth Our Weight in Gold” that’s my last collection and it’s in honor of all the missing and murdered indigenous women. When you get big platforms, big magazines like Elle or Bazaar or any publication actu-
ally, when you have a purpose to your work or you have a message not only is it good for your career and your business but it also creates a platform so if you have anything you feel strongly about and you know it’s a good place, you can speak your voice. What age or part of your life did you decide this was the career for you? I think I always knew. Both of my parents are artists, my blood father is an artist and my mom is an artist and so I kind of grew up with that lifestyle and kind of saw what it took my mom: having to hustle all the time and having to be versatile. She’s done animation for Sesame Street, she’s done children’s books so when you’re an artist full time you kind of find your niche in more than one avenue of art. I’ve always kind of known that that’s what I wanted to do, I’ve kind of always had a 9 - 5 job until I was about 30 and I remember I was done in New Zealand and I just remember I would look at the milky way and I just thought ‘wow I have to stop talking about it and put 100% into it,’ you know, come back to Canada, quit my job and just really give it a try and if I failed at least I knew I tried, and if I succeed then I’m not looking back. So about 30 is about when I really felt 100% about it but it’s always been a passion of mine since I was just really a young child. I want to get an understanding of the business aspect of it, what does it take? What’s your daily 9-5 routine in this industry? When I was preparing for my show in Paris in October, I was doing 18 hour days; I was sleeping three hours a night. I don’t have any kids or anything, it would be hard to be working 18 hours if you have a family, but that’s what I did to be able to do a show in Paris on the Eiffel Tower so lots of hard work. What’s the competition like in this industry? How hard is it to stand out and get ahead? The best advice I ever had is from one of my mentors, his name is Virgil Ortiz, he has designed for Donna Karen and he’s native from the south west. He told me pretty early on when I got in the game that there’s enough room for everybody to do what they want,
so when you say that you kind of take away the word ‘competition’. That was really good advice for me because that way you’re not really putting energy into thinking that you have to be better than somebody else. For me personally, I’m competitive like when I enter these museum competitions and you win a ribbon or whatever I like to say that I’m in competition with myself, I always try to outdo my last project, I always try to creatively challenge myself and I think that gives me an edge, whether other people do that or not that’s them. I don’t like to get my mindset into ‘I’m competing with other people’ and especially who I would be competing with is other native designers and I’m just all about empowering my people and supporting them so that’s probably not a word I would use. As far as your career goes, how much of it is your creative ideas vs. your business sense as far as marketing and all that? I don’t want to generalize, but sometimes art people are just more into creating art and less interested in the business side and so that definitely is something that you need to be aware of as an artist is to make sure your business game is on top. I think you definitely have to be equal with both of them. I’m not going to say that I’m a savvy business woman; I would much rather be creating my art rather than having to worry about updating my website which needed to be done. It’s definitely something that I think a lot of artists can do better at, especially me. Could you give some advice to any youth reading this who might find this a possible career choice? I would definitely just surround yourself with it, I was always interested in fashion magazines. I was always interested in sewing so my mom and aunties would help me and show me how to sew. Whether it’s a family member or a friend or someone in the community that you look up to, reach out to them [for mentorship]. If you want to be a beader then just always bead, you just have to make sure that you’re perfecting your skill and always challenging yourself, I think that if people don’t challenge themselves in what they’re doing in life, they get disinterested. I lucked out because my mom is an artist and she was a single mom so I was surrounded by it my whole life. How does an artist get his/her work seen? Where does one submit their work or how can an artist get their big break and be seen?
11 I think what really helped me was being involved in a fashion show that we had during the Olympics here in Vancouver. When you do get an opportunity, there are no excuses at all and you always want to put out your best work because for whatever you put out there, there’s no disclaimer or some little sign that says ‘I was sick so I only had 24 hours to put this together.’ You’re work has to speak for itself so if you’re always doing your best work and whatever opportunity you do get, it can snowball. Don’t burn any bridges, definitely be respectful and just work hard. I’ve worked really hard, I’ve put in a lot of hours, not sleeping some nights, and it’s definitely a sacrifice. It has brought me to other continents, [allowed me] to share my art all over the world and work with Nike and have all these opportunities I never would have really imagined. Do you have any short-term or longterm goals on your plate right now? For right now I’m just really honoring this time with my Grandma and I have a huge exhibition coming up at the Bill Reid gallery here at downtown Vancouver. Then I have my next collection that I’m going to be working on as well and that collection is going to be shown probably in Australia, we’re still kind of working out some of the details. Long-term I just want to do my art and just live comfortably; I don’t have goals to be like Tommy Hilfiger and be a billionaire. I mean I want to have money and I want to be living comfortably. I’m from the Yukon-- I want to build a nice house and be able to be sustainable up there and just do my art, make cool stuff, travel, live well, and be around my family and good people. Another business question: When you make a collection are you hoping to get a manufacturer to manufacture it and sell it? Is that the main end goal? I’m still trying to find a happy medium; a lot of the pieces will go to a museum, like one piece in the collection will have anywhere from 100-300 hours and it would be anywhere from $5000 $20,000. To be hand making each piece, that’s something else. I’m also a visual artist, I do painting, so I have on my website some of my paintings for sale. I also have some of those paintings on t-shirts and so there’s things like that, it will be like a couple thousand or a couple hundred small run limited edition shirts and stuff like that to be the bread and butter and that will allow me to work on the bigger projects. You got to be able to have something for people that enjoy your work who might not necessarily want to drop thousands of dollars on your work but your work could still be accessible to them. Thank you Sho Sho, to see Sho Sho’s work, visit or follow her at: www.shoshoesquirocouture.com FB: Sho Sho Esquiro & Sho Sho Esquiro Clothing
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Fall 2015
Indigenous Times
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Distant View of Broken Knife’s Lookout
Stone Cairn on Top of Broken Knife’s Lookout
The Story of Broken Knife by Floyd Favel
COMMUNITY Long before the white people came to the Battlefords area and the days before the Cree people were settled on reserves, the Cree had their own names for certain geographical areas. Usually the names were given to commemorate a historic or spiritual event, or for a distinguishing feature in the landscape. For instance the area where the Poundmaker Reserve is now located was long known as Keskikomanina: Broken Knife. The Poundmaker Reserve is named after its first leader, Chief Poundmaker, Petikwanapewin. The location that Chief Poundmaker chose for his reserve in 1881 was called Keskikomanina, Broken Knife, and on the southern end of the reserve there is a hill called Keskikoman Asawapimowin: Broken Knife’s Lookout. The reason for this name is that a long time ago the great Sarcee warrior Broken Knife, Kiskikoman, came to this area seeking horses and glory, instead he and his men found death at the hands of the Cree. Here is the story. Broken Knife left his home located in the foothills of Alberta, near where the city of Calgary is now located. With 12 men they left on foot, as was the custom in those days for horse stealing expeditions as the intention was to ride back home on the horses they would steal. They walked for many days and came to the Wolf Dung Hills, Mahekan Mayo Wace, just west of the reserve. There they rested and scouted out the area. From their hiding place they observed that a
buffalo hunt was taking place by the clouds of dust and running figures of buffalo and men on horseback amongst the coulees and plains just south of the hill which would bear his name. When the sun had set and under cover of darkness they set out on foot towards this hill. They arrived just before sunrise. From this hill they attempted to locate the Cree camp which they knew would be in the area, but a dense fog obstructed their view. Broken Knife sent his men down the hill to a creek and instructed them to wait there and he would wait on the hill until the fog lifted. Once the fog lifted he would be able to locate the Cree camp and then he and his warriors would wait till nightfall and go steal horses. Broken Knife lay on the hill and, using a spy glass, attempted to penetrate the fog to locate the camp. Tired from his travels he fell asleep. Meanwhile two young Cree boys were out hunting on the plains just south of the hill. One was Sweetgrass, who would later become a chief and be a signatory to Treaty 6 at Fort Carleton in 1876. These Cree boys were hunting buffalo calves left orphaned by the hunt the day before. Sweetgrass said to his companion: “Hey, do you see that person sleeping on the hill? Ride to our camp and tell the people that there is an enemy in our midst and I will try and sneak up to this person and see who it is.” And so the young boy rode to the camp and Sweetgrass slowly approached the sleeping figure. He came closer and just when he was almost upon the figure the sleeping
Broken Knife rolled to the side and sprang to his feet. Sweetgrass asked him in Cree, “awina kiya? Who are you?” Broken Knife answered in Cree, “Niya oma Keskikoman, I am Broken Knife”. Broken Knife was able to speak Cree, as at that time it was common that people could speak languages other than their own. Surprised, Sweetgrass responded, “you are a famous warrior known far and wide. Because of this I will give you a chance. Our people are camped just north of here and they are on their way. If you run in that direction you will run into them. If you go south you will survive.” Broken Knife ran down the hill to his warriors who were slowly roasting some buffalo meat by the creek. They had become hungry due to their long travels. Broken Knife told them of what had happened and what he had been told. His men thought that it was a Cree trick and that the young Cree wanted them to run south where the Cree camp was. So, they decided to run north, towards the Cree camp. It was the wrong decision which they paid for with their lives. They began running and ran into Cree warriors on horseback galloping over the hills towards them. The Sarcee turned and ran back to the safety of the creek and they dug a pit from which they would defend themselves. All the while, Sweetgrass watched from the top of the hill, watching the unfolding battle. The Crees surrounded the Sarcee war party. They fought for most of the day with bows and arrows, and guns. The Cree had a lot of respect for Broken Knife. He was also known by another name, Kamacisit, the ‘Bad One’, so terrible was his reputation. Finally one of the Crees said, “let us rush them before they kill too many of us, put your bows and arrows away and your guns, we will finish them off with knives.” The Crees, with their knives drawn, rushed the pit and jumping in, engaged in hand to hand combat with the Sarcee. All of the Sarcee were killed and left in their pit which had now become their grave. Today there is no sign of this pit as
every spring the creek overflows its banks, erasing and carrying away any evidence of this battle such as tomahawks, clothing, arrows, knives and scattering or burying the bones of the dead warriors. The bodies were counted and there were only 12 bodies. Yet there were 13 tracks coming down from the top of the hill. This meant that one Sarcee had escaped. A search developed and the Crees searched among the willows along the creek bank but the Sarcee was not discovered. The Crees gave up the search and they went back to their camps. Meanwhile the Sarcee who had escaped lay in the creek under an overhang from which he could not be seen. When night fell he ran back to his people in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Sometime later a group of Crees were traveling across the Plains and ran into a group of Sarcee also traveling. Instead of making war they decided to sit down and have a discussion. This was often done in those days and they would exchange information. The Crees asked them some questions and the Sarcees responded. Then the Sarcees asked “tell us what happened to Broken Knife”, and so the Crees told their version of events. The story ended with the Crees saying that one Sarcee had managed to escape. Then from the assembled Sarcee one man stepped forward and said “I am that man, it is me who escaped.” The Crees asked the survivor of the battle to tell of his side of the story, and so he did. This is how we, the Cree people of this area, came to know more about this story. Today, the hills stand as a sentinel over the reserve, a reminder of our great history. The creek that curls around the base of this hill and then runs along the entire length of the reserve still floods every year, erasing yet more traces of history; but the story still remains strong within the memory of the people of the Poundmaker Reserve. Floyd Favel researched and wrote this story with the help from personal interviews with Eric Tootoosis, a Cree historian. Also with Jim Tootoosis, a Cree elder, the story was told to him by his elder brother Adam Tootoosis who heard this story as a young boy, around 1905 from an old man, Wind Walker, who was a young boy during this battle. And also from the book “Voices of the Plains Cree” by
Edward Ahenakew.
Fall 2015
Indigenous Times
L-R: Joel Campbell, Kristen Severight-Dumais, Taralyn Waskewitch, Lauren Biem, Alexandra Thomson.
Local Group Producing Beets in the Hood by Sharon Thomas LIFESTYLE SASKATOON, SK - The Askiy Project, put on by CHEP Good Food Inc., is an urban agriculture program that demonstrates to the community of Saskatoon that it is possible to grow food within the city limits and make a profit. The gardens consisted of three sites where six interns and two coor-
dinators had grown a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs, along with a new traditional tobacco. The name of the project itself, “Askiy”, means Earth in Cree, which the group thought to be appropriate considering it was the earth with which they were working. Prior to beginning each new garden, the interns had the land blessed by an Elder and a church group. The interns, who are mostly of Aboriginal descent, wanted to
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sistance to the mainstream food system that consists of unhealthy fast food and the healthy foods at the grocery store that always have fluctuating prices. Costs are getting higher and more and more people can’t afford good healthy food,” said Alexandra Thomson. With the guidance of other gardeners and a great deal of networking, the project is already A variety of fruits and vegetables are being culheaded towards success. tivated at the inner city gardens including beets, The start-up costs alone garlic, cucumber, watermelon, pumpkin and more. were enough to overwhelm incorporate Indigenous knowledge into any entrepreneur, but with the funding the project. from their sponsors provided by The The sites are located in the in- Mosaic Company and the Urban Partner city of Saskatoon. “Kiscikanis,” nership Program, these interns have had meaning garden in Cree is located on the opportunity to bring their vision to Avenue K South and 20th street, di- fruition. Although there will not be any rectly across from Station 20 West. The profits this year, the interns hope that X-Plot, located on Avenue X south and will change in the years to come. For 20th street; and the Railside Garden, lo- now, all their produce is for sale. They cated directly east of Station 20 West. also accept seeds or plant transplants Every intern has his or her for donations. Any monies made will own educational background, with no be reinvested into the gardens for mainparticular major in agriculture. “We all tenance, supplies, seed, etc. Their prohad to learn everything about gardening duce can be found at the Farmer’s Marand that was one of the points, to teach ket on a weekly basis during the harvest people that you can grow food in the season. You can also follow The Askiy city, this whole project demonstrates Project on Facebook for updates. that,” said Lauren Biem. Through the As summer comes to a close, initiative, the students are receiving an many interns have moved on and some internship wage, which also creates em- went back to school; but the internship ployment for them. Volunteers are also program is still on and Askiy is still at welcome to join the interns during har- the Farmers’ Market every Wednesdvesting or with regular maintenance. day. • “The motion is kind of a re-
Indigenous Times
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Roderick often depicted the “grandfathers” in his artwork.
Roderick Pelletier, 1952 - 2015
Roderick Pelletier: Artist, Elder, Medicine Man by Carsen Gray COMMUNITY TALK This summer we conducted an interview with Roderick Pelletier in an effort to compile some of his stories. Shortly after, he passed away. Roderick was born in 1952, on the West shore of Lake Winnipegosis in Duck Bay, Northern Manitoba. As a young boy, and without being able to speak one word of English, he would arrive in the concrete jungle they called Winnipeg. “He was a natural artist,” his family tells us, “and one day saw a vision in a deer hide -- a grandfather staring back out at him. The next day he brought out the grandfather and since then was most well-known for [depicting] grandfathers. Since then many have marketed his vision and Roderick said ‘let them, art is a gift to be shared, Creator knows.’” Roderick leaves behind a legacy of
ancestral teachings and colonization. He is the last of a breed he called “boys from the bush” in his Anishnawbe language. He will be remembered through his stories and his artwork. Below is the interview we did with him before his passing. IT: Where are you from and when did you move to Winnipeg? Roderick: My parents, my grandmother, they’re from Pine Creek First Nation, that’s in Manitoba north of Dauphin. My grandmother moved to Duck Bay, I wasn’t born yet; I was born in Duck Bay in our log house. I ran away from school when I was in grade 3 because I was getting strapped and whipped from the nuns and whatever else they were doing. Then I left with my family to Duck Mountain I worked for them for about five years log cutting, strip cutting, and I lost a lot of my [teachings] from
Peyote Journey: My Summer Pilgrimage by Floyd Favel COMMUNITY TALK Every person should undertake a pilgrimage to some sacred destination at least once in their lifetime. A pilgrimage means different things to each individual and the meaning of a pilgrimage is up to the level of importance one attaches to the experience. It can be done on foot, car, train, or airplane, either way, it is a sacred experience. My family and I undertook such an experience in early July by going south to the border area of Laredo, Texas, to the sacred Peyote Gardens to the get the holy sacrament Peyote. The Peyote’s lands are mostly in Mexico with the outer perimeters reaching into Texas in Starr, Zapata and Jim Hogg Counties. Ancient legend says that the magical blue deer descended from the Morning Star and this deer became the medicine that we now ceremonially consume. The Peyote lands are in the shape of a deer, with the heart being in Mexico, in Wirikuta, and the outer reaches, the antlers, being in Texas. Our people, the Cree of Saskatchewan, are far from these southern lands and some of our people say that the Peyote does not belong with our people as it is not from ‘here’, meaning I assume, within the borders of Saskatchewan and Canada, bor-
ders which were not here during the time of Creation. Many of our people sometimes forget that we live on an island, Ministik and that our Elder Brother sent a Crow, and some say a Wolf, to circle the land, and these beings, upon their return many moons later said that this land was big enough for the Indigenous People of this land. This includes the sacred Peyote lands as it is part of Minisik, this Island, and some Indigenous People call this island Turtle Island. This land has no borders and boundaries and is there for the people to travel, partake in ceremonies, and find good medicines for their spirits and bodies. As well, we have to travel many times to get medicines from the mountains or northern forests, as not all medicines one needs grow locally. The Huichol People of Mexico go on an annual pilgrimage to collect Peyote in Wirikuta, their name for the sacred Peyote lands. They structure this pilgrimage as a sacred hunt. We structured ours as a war party, with prayers and offerings made until we achieved our goal, that being, the Sacred Medicine. When and if we achieved our goals we would host a ceremony to celebrate our victory and to give thanks and tell the listeners of our travels and adventures, just as the warriors of old would recount tales of their exploits.
my grandmother’s side, she used to write syllabics and things like that. I knew a little bit about that before but I forget now. I lost a lot of the legends. When I left from Duck Mountain, I went back to Duck Bay and my parents, my grandma they were moving to Winnipeg, they told me they had a bus ticket for me in town, so I went with them. There was no bus ticket there for me so they all went on the bus and the bus left with my family, and I was there. I didn’t know too much about English and things like that, I always spoke nishnawbe. I came to Winnipeg, I met the wrong people and did a lot of bad things. I learned from the streets. When I first came to Winnipeg it looked so beautiful in the night time, under all those beautiful lights, but under those lights all the bad things were happening. When I came to Winnipeg I drank for a lot of years, [I was] in and out of jail all the time and then when I quit drinking, probably over 30 years ago now, I started seeing how our people were being used -- I don’t know if that’s the right word or how to say it but that’s what I [was seeing]. When I was a boy too, we used to be able to build little toys for my brother, because he was younger than me, and I used to draw pictures of horses. I used to love horses, bears and wolves but I forgot all of that when I moved to the city. I followed the wrong path and didn’t know too much about anything, even about working. I always worked for people that paid me straight cash, I didn’t know nothing about income tax. When I quit drinking I started seeing visions of spirits I guess in a way, and that’s where I started doing my art work I’m doing now. Not the grandfathers, but I did other kinds of art work, I sold a few of my works. IT: How long have you been doing art for? RP: For over 30 years probably, when I quit drinking that’s when I saw the visions of horses, riders, bears, migration and animals. I didn’t know much about sweet grass or anything; I started learning that was our
It took us 4 days to arrive at the border city of Laredo, Texas. On the fourth day we encountered the Peyote. It took us 4 days to arrive back at home. For our people, 4 is a sacred number and many sacred activities are structured around this number. Coincidentally, the day we arrived at the Peyote Gardens, it was a full moon and Jupiter and Venus had become the holy star. Tobacco leads the way in all sacred action as it was the first plant to grow on Mother Earth. Our first tobacco was placed upon our departure from our reservation, Poundmaker, for success in crossing the border. Our second was placed upon crossing at the Missouri River, for a safe journey to the sacred lands. The third tobacco was smoked once we had successfully been given the medicine and the smoking was done in the magical and silent overgrown yard of Senora Cardenas, deceased, a longtime supporter and of the Native American church in Mirando City, Texas. A moist wind from the Gulf of Mexico blew the smoke of our prayers into the sky over the Valley of the Peyote, where this medicine grew. Senora Cardenas had set aside this lot as a site of prayers and ceremonies for Native American Church members who come to this valley to get Peyote. The fourth tobacco was given during the thank you ceremony held at our home in Poundmaker with roadman Elvis Curley conducting the services. A pilgrimage changes the pilgrim for the good and only good things come from such a journey. It was an honor to undertake this journey, following in the footsteps of so many others who journeyed south to this healing land, where the land
Fall 2015 way of living and that’s what I do today. Still having a hard time doing my work because I was always a single parent since my daughter was one and half years old, my other girl was three and my son was probably five or so. That’s when I started raising them. IT: Have you always been inspired by the First Nations teachings? The medicine wheel, 7 generations and other creation stories? RP: Yeah, I’ve always known that that was our way. You know, the Anishnabe. IT: I’ve noticed that a lot of your mediums come from the Creator’s authentic creations: real leather, feathers, hide and bone. RP: Yeah, well it’s a spiritual way for me to show that there is a great spirit IT: If you have any messages that you could pass on to our youth and people what would it be? RP: Well, a lot of people they need to follow their dreams. I don’t know what dream that is, like our way or their way. There are dreams there that are hard to understand because our way was a natural way. We’re creating garbage and more garbage everyday […] the Creator gave us everything to survive. The animals --they gave us their spirit to be strong, to warm us in the winter time so you could survive, and to eat and use whatever the animal offered you. Today, people are getting sick from the foods we’re eating. Our ways were the natural ways and we were not fat people, we were strong and healthy because we were always providing for our families; and not just our families but for the whole tribe. Everybody shared and we were always doing something—working. Well it wasn’t considered work at that time because it was a natural thing to do. We only knew about work when we came this way. They had to teach us what “work” is; our way wasn’t considered work. That was the way of life and our people. •
Salvador Johnson, Lily Favel, Nadine Favel, in Mirando City, Texas.
seems to envelop you in a warm embrace, healing you of your stresses and sorrows and in return to fill you with joy and hope. •
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Fall 2015
Indigenous Times
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Indigenous Times
Fall 2015