the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released its 94 Calls to Action in 2015, ideas be gan to flow to create engagement and understanding, at every grade level, about First Nations, Métis and Inuit history, perspectives, and traditions. One idea came from a team of em ployees at Living Sky whose focus is to enhance steps to reconcilia tion within the Division Office. mi yo-wîcîhitotan (mee yoh wee CHEE toe tahn) is a Cree term that teaches the principle of helping each other in a good way. It was their way to build upon the 4 Seasons of Recon ciliation training that all 930 division employees took in March.
Chief Lori Whitecalf from Sweet grass First Nation brought words of wisdom and encouragement for the
included:
Poor weather on the day meant a ti pi-raising had to be moved indoors, but Elder Sylvia Weenie still shared some tipi teachings with staff and community members to begin the day. Walter Swindler come in to lead the pipe ceremony where flags for the division office as well as for North Battleford Comprehensive High School were blessed. Accord ing to those in attendance, this was a particularly emotional and healing part of the day.
Living Sky School Division Staff & All those in attendance at the event” Photo Credit: Kelsie Valliere
Mason Ramsay – a 2-Spirit High School Student from Cut Knife Community School came to share how meaningful it was to him to see a Pride flag raised at the divi sion office. He is also a member of the LSKYSD Indigenous Advisory DrummersCouncil & Singers led by John Berland who shared songs while the flags were being raised.
Elder Edward Osecap shared a prayer for the flag ceremony
Elder Katie Moccasin was part of the morning ceremonies
Brenda Vickers – Director of Educa tion
The group envisioned a pipe cer emony to take place at the school division office as part of a flag rais
are Afteron.”the close of the pipe ceremo ny, everyone joined together outside for the flag raising and special guest Speakersspeakers.
Some new flags can be seen outside of the Living Sky School Division (LSKYSD)in North Battleford.
Schedule2022layEliteDivisionIndianReAssociationTentative Page 4 Healing through the spirit of the horse; Tyler Tootoosis and his quest to help First Nation youth Page 15
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“I am so grateful to be here today to see Living Sky School Division ac cept our culture,” Chief Whitecalf Attendeessaid. also paid tribute at the grave of residential school student Henry Achenam who was 13 years old when he died in 1910. In 2021, ground searches were done at the site of the St. Henri Residential School in Delmas, and discoveries of the graves were made. Chief Lori Whitecalf had family who attended the Delmas and Onion Lake residen tial Brendaschools.Vickers, the Director of Edu cation of the Living Sky School Di vision closed the ceremony. “Those flags look good, don’t they?” she asked the crowd. “LSKYSD is com mitted to taking action towards rec onciliation and the flags are an out ward symbol that lets people know who we are and the journey we
On June 20th, a flag-raising ceremo ny was held, where the Treaty 6 and Métis flags will now permanently Afterfly.
Ronna Pethick – Board of Education Chair for LSKYSD
Chief Lori Whitecalf from Sweet grass First NAtion
day. She said, “To see the ceremony happen in the school division office today, I’m sure he is smiling, I hope he is smiling.”
Saskatoon musi cian/actor Lancelot Knight influenced by surroundings
Treaty flag to fly permanently outside Living Sky School
his
FREE! Take One June/ July Edition Volume 28 Sports
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ing ceremony. From there, more plans emerged. Members of the mi yo-wîcîhitotan team, Sherron Burns, Tonya Lehman, Doug Drover, and Kimberly Night worked together to achieve their goals. In fact, Night, the Indigenous Advocate with Liv ing Sky School Division, made such an impact that LSKYSD has com mitted to making the Indigenous Advocate role a permanent position within the division.
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Indigenous Times News Box 280 Cochin, SK S0M-0L0 axisimageryyxe@gmail.comeditor@indigenoustimes.caJordanEditor:LaPlanteCopyEditorChristinaCherneskeyccherneskey@yahoo.comWebsite:www.indigenoustimes.caAdvertising:sales@indigenoustimes.caDesigner:AlexandraJarrett June 2022
start, they make one lap around the track riding bareback, switch onto another horse, go around the track again and then switch horses again for the third time and final time. A truly extreme sport if you ask me. In a time rife with complex and un just politics, this gives me hope for the future of Indigenous people and their cultures. It’s time we rise and create our own stars and celebrities. It’s time we celebrate our commu nity’s heroes and prepare the next generation to take the reins and guide us into a bright and hopeful future by gaining confidence and self-worth from our rich history and Theculture.Indian Relay Horse Racing at tracts a great crowd of fellow par ticipants and a great section of fans jolting against the competitions of horse and game. The recreational spirit of competition and victory can be heard shouting amongst the crowd and competitors. This is defi nitely an example of a growing and
The editorial policy of this newspaper is determined by an editorial committee established by Indigenous Times. We invite submissions, upcoming events, comments, and opin ions. Please submit them with your name, address, telephone number or e-mail. The expressions and/or opinions of au thors 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 pub lication may be trademarks, servicemarks, or tradenames on their own or otherwise may be registered in certain jurisdic tions.
Kota. Nene sti lo sa. Marsi Tcho Hiy Editor,JordanHiyLaPlanteIndigenous Times
thrilling activity that involves spirit and animal - in this case the won drous spirit of the old Indian war rior and his Congratulationshorse.to all the graduates of 2022. Education is very import ant. It’s never too late to go back to school. Never give up!
Greetings! Thank you for reading this edition of the Indigenous Times We are all looking toward a very engaging summer full of recreation al events, people meeting, people watching and food sampling. The summer of 2022 will be an exciting experience; the feeling of actual ly being in the vicinity of the ear ly morning, sunrises, late evening sunsets, rain or shine that can be felt in person. Memories are engrained amongst families and friends and especially within oneself. First Nations will continue to reunite; some hosting their own annual Pow-wows - powerful gatherings of culture and spirituality. Traditional drum songs and dance being shared amongst friends and neighbours. Elders are acknowledged as import ant because they are the keepers of the language and culture and to wit ness the younger generation follow through with traditional practices and protocols, watching them share
their enthusiasm with many other. First Nations also engaging in the newly-adopted extreme sport: In dian Relay Horse Racing. We are all excited to see the resurgence of the horse races that’s sweeping the nation, whether you’re young, old, man or Perhapswoman.inthe1800’s it was a reg ular sight to see an indigenous person masterfully riding on bare horseback with nothing but a bri dle. Nowadays you would only see it in the movies unless you’re keen enough to sit in the stadiums for Indian Horse Relays, a spectacle to be seen, heart-wrenching team races reclaiming a culture thought to be lost. Now just what is an In digenous Horse Relay? The Indig enous Horse Relay race or Indian Horse Relay involves a team of four members with their horses. One rid er must complete three laps around the course on three different horses, switching on the fly to another horse. The competitors go from a standing
SIGA is proud to be a First Nation owned and organization to recognize and celebrate diverse cultures and contributions of Indigenous peoples.
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Chief Arcand said. “How many of you heard the kokum scarves? The indigenous people adopted that from the Ukrainian people. We value that because it’s a tradi tion that we got from the Ukrainian Indeed,people.” Indigenous communities across Canada are showing their support for Ukrainians caught up in this war. The scarves are the result of early cultural exchanges between Indigenous communities and Ukrainian immigrants who arrived in Canada in the late 19th and early 20th century.
claimed. “That’s what we acknowl edge. And when we talk about the indigenous people - I serve seven first nations, 13,000 members, plus the city of Saskatoon - we support everything that’s going on with you, you with Ukraine, we also support our city, our community, it’s all of our community.”
STC Tribal Chief Mark Arcand
“My wife and I and a few others organized a walk/ ride from the old residen tial school site in Delmas to Battleford in 2021,” Tootoosis said. “It was to honor the survivors and the ones who didn’t make it home from Del mas Residential School. It was one of the hottest days that year. We had three riders on horseback and quite a few people who walked. My father, Edwin Tootoosis, who is 88-years-old and a sur vivor from Delmas IRS rode on horseback for the first 5-km! My mother, Millie Tootoosis, joined us and she is a survivor from Beauval IRS. It was a tough ride, but we did Tootoosisit!” says there is no shortage of inspiration around him. He and his
Chief Arcand’s message to the guests was clear. “We have to show that we respect each other and that we love each other,” he told the crowd of about 400 who gathered
way,” he said. “I had to work harder due to my learning disabilities, but I never gave up! I was determined to get that degree.”
Healing through the spirit of the horse; Tyler Tootoosis and his quest to help First Nation youth
“When I think about that and how my great grandma would wear that kokum scarf,” Chief Arcand recalled. “I think about what it means, because I grew up in an area where a lot of Ukrainian friends in the town of Blaine Lake, Halford and Leask. Lifelong fami ly Arcandfriends.”said he said he was espe cially moved to see Wednesday’s performances by Ukrainian chil dren “singing and dancing their culture,” and urged them to contin ue fighting to keep their heritage. “When you see these young kids dancing their culture, speak in their language, that’s what we have to embrace,” Chief Arcand ex
COMMUNITY Facebook Page: Tyler Tootoosis
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But it’s Mistatim Healing that con tinually inspires Tootoosis and his family. He explains he received equine training through SIAST and Meadow Lake. He also attended Kanadiana and did a fourmonth practicum in Ger many at a jumping stable.
wife have a daughter named Dallyn and a long-haired chihuahua called Mango. Tootoosis says it took lon ger than four years to obtain his Education degree. “Life got in the
Chief Arcand’s delivery was mov ing and drew comparison between the struggles of First Nations peo ple in Saskatchewan and those of the Ukrainian people who emigrat ed to this province around 1905.
“And we all have to stand united against those things,” Chief Arcand said. “We shall not sit back and ac cept the hurt when somebody else hurts somebody else for no reason.
“I sit at home nightly with my 6-and 12-year-old children and I tell them this shouldn’t be happen ing. We should stand up against the fight that’s hurting people.”
Chief Arcand spoke warmly of the connections between the Ukrainian community and the First Nations around Saskatoon, pointing to the “kokum scarves” adopted by many Indigenous people. Kokum scarves are the women’s head coverings brought by early Ukrainian immi grants to Canada.
“We talk about our relationships with the Ukrainian communities,”
Written By : Christina Cherneskey
Tyler Tootoosis doesn’t dream. He simply moves forward and achieves his Ithecontent,sues.issuesableIt’sReginabusinessAscan!”disabilities.esTimes.IwhojustnorthwestganhisanddisorderTootoosishorse.throughway.calledtablishedandals,hasequine-therapistThegoals.teacher/actor/dad/husband/sayshismissionalwaysbeentohealIndividufamilies,andcommunities.Hehiswife,CherylTootoosisesasmallequinebusinessMistatimHealing-ThisistheAndinthiscase,thetwohealthenaturalmedicineofthe–whohasalearning–gothisteachingdegreestartedteachingin2016.WithNativeStudiesmajorhebeteachinginLittlePineReserveofNorthBattleford.“Iwantedtobeabletohelpkidshavelearningdisabilitieslikedo,”TootoosistoldIndigenous“IunderstandthechallengthekidsgothroughwithlearningIfIcandoitanybodywellasbeingateacherandaowner,TootoosistravelstotofilmtheTVshowRezX.anIndigenousTVshowavailonlinecoveringavarietyofpertainingtoFirstNationis“WecovermostlyIndigenousTootoosissaid.“OneofmostmemorableshootsiswheninterviewedDJShub.”
Written By: Christina Cherneskey
for the luncheon at TCU Place.
“We have to stand up against violence to our people” Chief Arcand addresses Unite for Ukraine banquet
COMMUNITY
Community and business leaders in Saskatoon recently united behind a fundraising effort called Unite for Ukraine. The goal was to raise money to purchase and transport essential equipment and supplies to Saskatoon’s sister city, Chernivtsi. This followed an urgent request for help to Saskatoon’s Mayor Charlie Clark from the mayor of Chernivt si, Roman Klichuk. One of the invited guest speakers at the May 4, 2022, function was Saskatoon Tribal Council Chief, Mark Arcand.
A lot of people sitting in this room have ties to their homeland.”
“When I think about the many struggles the Indigenous people and Ukrainian people have in com mon, I see a lot of similar histo ry,” Chief Arcand told the crowd.
Well over 150,000 displaced Ukrai nians have landed in the Chernivtsi since the war waged by Russia be gan over three months ago. On the day of Russian invasion, Klichuk emailed Mayor Clark with a list of machinery, equipment, and other “Oursupplies.prayers and our thoughts are with you, Chief Arcand told the crowd. “And we lift you up in the Indigenous culture and we say we’re going to get through this to gether. I ask my people to please encourage the Ukrainian families, pray for them to continue with their language, their song, because that’s your identity.”
Currently, Kennedy does cultural pre sentations for culture events/schools and town festivals. He also calls Kis bey, Saskatchewan, his current home. Recently, Kennedy was invited to per form at the Native American week (May 24 – June 7) at El Dorado West ern town in Templin, near Berlin, Ger many. “It was quite the experience,” Kennedy said. “There were wild west gunfights on the streets of the Old West Town. It was fun to watch their Hollywood version of the wild west.”
Dancer/performer William Kennedy finds welcoming fans in Germany
Kennedy mentions why he keeps returning; “I guess, because there’s people out there seeking a connection that we have to the universe. We have many people back home making big changes and big moves for our pros perity. I take it upon myself to try the world. I lived in Europe for nine years from 1999 to 2008. I travelled back and forth almost every year before the pandemic started.”
the people of Templin: hope, courage and the idea of one day living as one with mother earth and humanity,” says OverKennedy.the past 25 years Kennedy has stayed in touch with organizers of many North American Indian festi vals, he has found himself flying over seas several times a year.
Lancelot Knight
tricky. “Sometimes you can write a song in ten minutes, or a year. Or sometimes more than a few years. It’s almost like dis covering the song - figuring out where it needs to go.”
“In the future I would love to just keep performing and releas ing music,” Knight said. “Tour ing would be the best.”
Kennedy enjoys the most is the opportunity to share First Nation cul ture, through songs, dances, and sto ries. Kennedy feels the reward is in coming together knowing that “we’re
At the moment Kennedy is in Anco na, Italy. “I just finished participating in the festival called The Spirit Of The Planet Festival in Bergamo, It aly with another 20 groups from all over the world,” he said. Kennedy will be taking a couple weeks off and enjoying Italy, before he heads off to another Italian town, “then I will be attending another festival in Genova Italy called the Mother Earth Festi Whatval.
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“Their idea of Native Americans,” Kennedy says, “is that we are very strong and proud people. They know very well the suffering and the hurt that we’ve lived through and that we are still living through it all.”
The town of Templin is located in the eastern part of Germany. It has seen conflict, war, and unrest thanks to its location near a border. “As native people we had an opportunity to give
By: Howie Summers
The Hobby Indians who dress up as 1880s North American Plains Indi ans, spoke with Kennedy. Kennedy explains that they came to honour and to learn from our people, and what we have to offer.
“Being an indigenous artist, it’s hard to not be influenced by your surroundings,” Knight said. “I am lucky to be Indig enous. I would say it gives me a different perspective on many situations that I wouldn’t be able to see if I were a part of the Knightmajority.”admits he loves to cre ate and perform Indie Music. “It’s my jam,” Knight explains. “To perform my original music is often always nerve wracking, and exciting, And if the people
opted brother Kendall Old Elk (Crow Nation) and his family invited me to participate and share my culture with the German people.”
“I had a wonderful time meeting ei ther Native Americans from all over North America or First Nations from The Navajo Nation and Edmonton,” Kennedy continued. “I was also able to reconnect with adopted family that I haven’t seen for many of years. My ad
EntertainmentCOMMUNITY
Lance Knight was raised in Sas katoon but spent much of his life touring across North America with his father, Chester Knight and his Juno-award-winning band, Chester Knight and the Wind. He is a member of the Muskoday First Nation and his artistic career has spanned from theatre groups in Saska toon, Edmonton, and Winnipeg as well to performances on the stage including gigs with rap per Joey Stylez. His artistry has taken him through Germany, New Zealand and across North America. Lancelot Knight re cently co-created the play Rea sonable Doubt and he released his first CD with his band, “MyNightswitch.firstinfluence of music was hip hop,” Knight explained to Indigenous Times. “When I first heard it, I was like, what the heck, and wanted to rap and freestyle. It has always had a place in the music I make. I would have to say, that my fa ther Chester Knight has been my biggest influence with mu Knightsic.”
“I consider myself very fortunate to be the first in my family after five gener ations not to attend residential school, so I took it upon myself to teach the world the beauty of my people,” Ken nedy said. “I come from a small group of people spread out in a vast land that was once ours. To tell the people that Canada isn’t the country it portrays it self as to the rest of the world.”
Lancelot Knight composed the music for Reasonable Doubt, a Persephone Theatre production tackling one of the most con troversial events in recent Sas katchewan history; the killing of Colten Boushie and the trial of Gerald Stanley. It centres on the relationships between In digenous and non-Indigenous people in Saskatchewan with a
“I came over for holidays and ended up getting a job with Universal Stu dios riding horse and singing, which in turn; lead to dancing as well,” Kenne dy tells Indigenous Times.
focus on interviews collected by co-creator Joel Bernbaum.
Saskatoon musician/actor Lancelot Knight influenced by his surroundings
William Kennedy with his adopted sister & Niece: Marie Jose Old Elk (daughter)Jasmine Old Elk
Kennedy says In Germany there is a huge interest in the North American Indian, adding “we are exotic over Littlethere.”known facts exist about the per ception of the North American Indian in Germany. There is a group of peo ple called the Hobby Indians – most ly thanks to a German author named Karl May, who wrote about a fictional Apache warrior named Winnetou who had a German side-kick. Even Hitler was a fan of the tales. There is even a caricature drawing of Hitler dressed up as North American Indian warrior promoting the Nazi cause.
Written By : Jody Wolverine
Hailing from Carry The Kettle First Nation on his mother’s side and Pheas ant Rump First Nations on his father’s side, William Kennedy is an educa tor and Pow wow dancer/performer. Kennedy says he first got involved in dancing overseas because his brother was working in the Buffalo Bills Wild West Show in Disneyland, Paris.
doing a job that our grandparents from back home taught us.”
Kennedy says he’s always been hon oured to be in Europe. ”I have received from my European hosts utmost re spect and love,” he said. “We were welcomed with open arms. Not with jokes or discredit. They asked simple and also serious question only to know want to know us more and how we overcame all the oppression we over came and still deal with today.”
are enjoying the music, it is an amazing feeling.”
explains that the writing process for him is sometimes
You can find Lancelot Knight’s music on all streaming plat forms, and on YouTube.
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able to share with the community,” said Brander. “Today it is our duty to share this story as our call to reconciliation by shining a light on the distinct and beautiful cultures of the Northern Plains People.” Wanuskewin is Canada’s lon gest-running archaeological dig, and has produced nearly 200,000 artifacts, including teeth, bones, tools, pottery, shells, charcoal,
Petroglyphs, dating back thousands of years, discovered at Wanuskewin Heritage Park
Photos submitted by: Wanuskewin Heritage Park
A major archaeological find in Wanuskewin Heritage Park was discovered in November 2021 thanks to the natural movements of Inbison.2019, bison were reintroduced to Wanuskewin Heritage Park, af ter more than 150 years as part of a $40-million revitalization that included conservation efforts to repopulate bison numbers across North America. In 2020, bison activity – including “wallowing,” where bison roll in the grass and create dust pits – uncovered a patch of a submerged boulder.
Dr Ernie Walker, chief archaeolo gist and park co-founder realized the find was a petroglyph, an image carved or abraded in rock. While Dr. Walker and his team were ex cavating around the petroglyph, they found the stone knife that was used to carve the drawings.
“The discovery of these petro glyphs is a testament to just how sacred and important this land is,” says Darlene Brander, CEO Wanuskewin Heritage Park. “The individual who made these petro glyphs was actually carving their legacy into the rock many years Theago.”team also uncovered three more petroglyphs of different shapes,
sizes, and designs, including one bearing the scratched marks of a Ribstone, which is found in Hoof print Tradition rock art and associ ated with bison hunts.
The petroglyphs are estimated to date back anywhere between 300 and 1,800 years.
Written By : Jordan LaPlante
11 Indigenous Times June 2022
“We have been so fortunate over the years to have had these won drous stories emerge that we are
and seeds. Many of the finds pre date the ruins of Rome and the pyr amids of Egypt.
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12 Indigenous Times June 2022 CONGRATULATIONS SIITLive www.SIIT.ca Proudly Indigenous
13 Indigenous Times June 2022 S P O R T S A r c h e r y A t h l e t i c s B e a c h V o l l e y b a l l C a n o e / K a y a k G o l f S o f t b a l l S o c c e r E V E N T S O p e n i n g C e r e m o n y A w a r d s C e r e m o n i e s L a n c e R u n D a k o t a G a r d e n s Y o u t h S t a g e C u l t u r e V i l l a g e A h t l e t e ' s V i l l a g e a n d m o r e ! G a m e s w i l l b e h e l d t h r o u g h o u t s p o r t s v e n u e s i n S a s k a t o o n , S K a n d W h i t e c a p D a k o t a F i r s t N a t i o n S c a n t o v i s i t : w w w . t o n y c o t e s u m m e r g a m e s . c a F i n d u s o n F a c e b o o k & I n s t a g r a m : @ t c s g 2 0 2 2 PHOTO FROM TONY COTE WINTER GAMES IN 2018 J a m e s S m i t h C r e e N a t i o n i s p r o u d t o a n n o u n c e t h e 2 0 2 2 T o n y C o t e F i r s t N a t i o n s S u m m e r G a m e s o r i g i n a l l y s c h e d u l e d f o r 2 0 2 0 . W e k n o w o u r y o u t h h a v e b e e n t r u l y e f f e c t e d b y t h e p a n d e m i c a n d a r e l o o k i n g f o r w a r d t o t r a i n i n g f o r t h e g a m e s , a t l a s t . J U L Y 2 4 - 3 20 022
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