Ben Benson member of Chippewas of Rama First Nation – At Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation PowWow – Photo Credit: Barbara Blower

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Byline: Barbara Blower
Letter To The Editor The Standard Newspaper Port Perry, Ontario. 2020

As the COVID virus continues to effect our lives, many events we enjoy with family and friends are cancelled or postponed. Browsing CBC Radio on line, I came across an interesting podcast when Drew Hayden Taylor was interviewed by Candy Palmater in 2016. Ojibway author Drew Hayden Taylor has been attending powwows his entire life. “Summer is powwow season across the country. But many Canadians have never been to one and don’t know much about them”. he says. “Powwows are a celebration of Aboriginal culture in many different forms,” he ads. The author’s even set two of his plays at powwow events.

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Mike Stevens – A Walk in My Dream
A chance encounter with at-risk youth in Northern Labrador alters the course of harmonica virtuoso Mike Stevens’ professional path and leads to an epiphany of why he plays music in the first place.

Mike Stevens – CBC Radio Interview
Listen to Mike’s initial interview on CBC’s As It Happens radio show from the CBC archives broadcast Nov. 23, 2000. “The healing power of music at Davis Inlet”.

National Aboriginal Veterans Day across Canada is acknowledged on November 8th. Dianne Brown-Green Cree artist, is pictured with son James as they place traditional tobacco honouring Elders at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 170 Uxbridge Cenotaph. The wreath ribbon carries an Ojibway word MISHKOOZIIDAA meaning “To Stand With Strength”. This word came from Matthew Stevens of Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation – Cultural Director of Mississaugas Of Scugog Island First Nation for our wreath in 2019. Maamawi Collective continues to acknowledge Aboriginal Veterans and serving members of Canada’s Armed Forces.

Photo Credit:Stuart Blower

As with many day to day activities, local Cenotaphs Services on Remembrance Day will be effected by COVID-19. Royal Canadian Legion Branch 170, Uxbridge, invites people to a DRIVE BY PARADE in Elgin Park to honour our Veterans. Maamawi Collective is pleased that the Lapel Pin recognizing ABORIGINAL VETERANS will be available for pick up or order at the Uxbridge branch.

For complete information please check their web site: https://www.uxbridgelegion.ca
For More Information About Ordering The Pin please Contact Us.

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Woman and Girls and Two Spirited Individuals

A key mandate of the National Inquiry is to honour the truth through public education and awareness. The education campaign is part of our terms of reference to promote and advance reconciliation and to contribute to public awareness. The goal is to help the broader Canadian community understand the issue and the impact of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. We invite you to learn more.

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Letters To The Editor:

In March this year, Maamawi Collective’s Facebook page carried a response to Federal Minister of Indigenous Services, Marc Miller’s announcement that funds have been allocated to Grassy Narrows First Nation. Clicking on the link below this article offers recent information. Resulting from the post an facebook we were happy to receive a message from Doris Ames, a non-indigenous resident of Manitoba, now living in USA. The message contained family photographs of time spent at Grassy Narrows in the early 1960’s.

This message is in response to Maamawi Collective’s notes about Grassy Narrows on social media and the fact that MP Marc Miller has signed a deal to build a mercury poisoning care home in Grassy Narrows.

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In 2017 the name Aboriginal Day was changed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to National Indigenous Peoples Day. A web site was created and posters and information is ready for downloading So when we called Blue Heron Books, our Uxbridge award winning book store, asking what they had available in the category of First Nations, Métis and Inuit books and we promptly received the following message:

Hi Barb,
This link will show you what is currently in-store or available for order. There are LOTS more! Hope this helps educate, inspire and motivate.
Click Here: For First Nations and Indigenous books
Shelley Macbeth

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We are pleased to hear that Dr. Jane Philpott will be taking on a new role as Dean of Medicine at Queens University in July 2020, but will maintain connections with the Nishnawbe Aski Nation as a Special Advisor on Health. Many of you will remember Dr.Jane Philpott visited Uxbridge, (Ontario) in 2018, when she addressed Orange Shirt Day audiences as Federal Government Indigenous Services Minster.

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This book is written with educators in mind…but is recommended by Kaitlyn Watson, consultant to our Administrative Circle, suggesting that it is appropriate for everyone in Canada wishing to educate themselves about First Nations, Métis and Inuit People and communities. Learn More.

In every walk of Canadian life–from business to education to the everyday–the reality is that increasingly you will be in contact with Anishnaabe World. Knowing something about Aboriginal people and their reality not only gives you an advantage over those who don’t, it’s just plain polite in this country now called Canada.

In the spirit of Thomas King, Drew Hayden Taylor and Tomson Highway, Roger Spielmann’s Anishnaabe World is an irreverent, teasing, hilarious, yet cross-culturally astute “Survival Guide” for Canadians increasingly aware of our country’s chequered past relations between Natives and non-Natives. Chief Ovide Mercredi says, “I challenge the reader to really listen to what Roger Spielmann’s saying.” Learn More.