IN[)IAN RE [) it National Publication lor t h e Ind ians oJ L.J.C. et M.L
Vol. XXVI, No'. 3 WINNI PEG, CANADA (a,tho,lie In,diall (realt'eld in Sask by ARTHUR OBEY On April 16, twenty-six delegates from the reserves of Touchwood, Broadview, Pelly, File Hills and Duck Lake Agencies attended an organizational meeting of the Catholic Indian League (Sask. Division) at Lebret Indian Residential School. The first Congress will be held at Duck Lake, Sask., July 17 and 18. Rev. Father Bilodeau, OMI, manship o-f Rev. A. Carriere, OMI. principa,l, ·o-f the school, extended The t opic o.f .the discusS'ion center the group ,a warm and he-arty wel ed on the objectives of the League, come. He spoke on the topic: Edu its oonsUtutionand on economic and socia,l problems of Indian Re ca,han of Indian C'h~ldren and pr ob lems arising from ,their integratiOon serves. Fath er Carriere said that it was up to Indians .to use wha,t faci in public scho-ols. Father Bilodeau lities they already have and ,to use brought out f.orcefu~ly a funda them wi'sely. "The League, if well mental principle i,neducation that organized and fai,thful1y foNowed parents are the first and the most up, wi~l help you to make of the import,ant educators of their chiJ. atholic Indian League officers elected at Lebret April 16 Reserve a better place to live in," dren. he said. are: (I. to r.) B. Turner (vice-pres.) I Mrs. Joan Lavallee (president) I "The integration pr oblem is not Mrs. Jean Bellegarde (treasurer) I Edmond Bellegarde (vice-pres.) and The election of officers took one concerning the Ind i ~~!l race Mrs. Noel Poitras (secretory). place after the dis'cussion: only,' he said. "It is primarily a President: Mrs. Joan Lavallee, Pia problem of the white race. The pot Reserve. 7th CONVENTION white so.ci.~ty i~ not quite ready Vice-presidents: Mr. E d m u n d yet. to accept ,tihe Indian. M'any BeUegarde, Lit·tle Black Bear Re fa1lures ,and drop-,outs of Indian serve; Mr. Baptiste Turner, Stur Alberta elL Meets At children 'attending a white school, g:e.e.n Lake; Secretary: Mlfs. Noel are due to the fact that ,the1ia Poitras, Mus'cowpetung Reserve; chers are not ,aware of ·the problem Treasurer: Mrs. J ean Bellegarde, Hobbema July 25-27 of adjustme.Bt · iQf these students' Little Black Bear Reserve. and are not interested in helping Community development is to be the general theme of them make the proper adjustment; the annual convention of the Alberta division of the Catholic or, they do no,t know how ,to go INDIAN CENTRE Indian League of Canada. about it. OPENS IN TORONTO men ts for the courses. Plans for the convention were "Indian children should be treat 3 ) Special emphasis on the TORONTO - Af.ter twOo years discussed at the Alberta provincial ed by teachers, parents and chil of work and planning on the part study ,of credit uni,ons and .the co dren of the ·area just as' any other executive meeting held! at the operative movement. of many individuals and organiza Crowf.oOot Indian School (Cluny) minorHy group is 'treated. The In tions, the Canadian Indian Centre 4 ) Youth activities, both spiri dians should be encour,aged to re on April 15. of Toronto has opened Hs doors at tu al ,and soci'al whl1 be the topic of tain their idenUty, culture, reLigion Mr. Tom Cardinal, pTesident, a speciaL session. 603 Church Street, a location very Mr. Stanley Redcrow, vice-presi and philosophy of their own na close to the largest cone-entrahon Speakers on behaJf of the Credi,t tionality. They should never be dent, Rev. Father G. M. Latour, Union and co-operativ.e movement of Indi'ans in the city. OMI, director, and delegates from sing,led out or be ptaced in an em The North American Indian will be obtained for the Conven barrassing sHuation." various locals outlined the topics tion. CLub of Toronto was one of the to be included on the convention In his closing remarks, Father prime movers ,of the project, work agenda: Bi,lodeau commended the forma ing with several churches, welfare 1) Discussion of important as To Teach at Sask. U. tion of the Oathotic Indian League, agencies., service clubs, the l ODE pects 'Of ,the philosophy of Adult Rev. A. Renaud, OMI, director to serve as ·a medium through and Ithe Indi.an Affairs Branch. Educa,tion and its applicatiOon. of the Oblate Indian Welfare Com which ·the Indians can voice their About haLf the budget: will come 2} P ossibility of having some mission, left Otta,wa June 10 for opinions and give strength to their from government gran ts; the .rest adults attend courses at the Coady the College of Education of th e requests to, the Indian Department. from oommunity fund-,raising. International Institute. Hequire- University of Saskatchewan in Rev. Father A. Allard, OMI, A seven-room hous,e has been Saska toon where he wiU conduct missionary from the Duck Lake renovated tp contain ·a large hall, a I.E.A. TO MEET IN REGINA two summer sessions for teachers Agency, explained the organization Idtchenette, severat offices and a Mrs. W. S. Clipsham of Regina working among Indians. of the League and Hs objecH'ves. crafts r oom. The staff consi.ts of has taken the responsibilHy of the These courses are taki:ng place He gv'ae several e~amp les of un an Administra10r, Mr. Jmnes Mc local planning o,f the Indian-Eski within the Research and Prof.es heaLthy integrational problems in Guke, who has had experience in mo Association of Canada 4th na sionaL Training Program in Indian A ~b erta and described the success youth and recreation programs in tional oonference and annual meet education presently deve~op ing at ful Catholic Indian League of Al the YMCA, and a Couns Uor, Miss ing. the University ·of Saskatchewan. berta, directed by its founder, Rev. Delma Capton, ,a- Six Ndtions In The Conference will take place As associate professor, Father Re G. M. Latour, OMI. dian who served as a nurse in Brit Ootober 24, ·25 and 26 at Saskatch naud win head this program, the The group held an enl,ightening ish Columbia with the Ind1an and ewan House, Regtna, Sask. fi'rs t one of its kind ,in Canada. discussion period under the chak- Northern Health Services. Page 2 INDIAN RECORD MAY-JUNE 1963 INDIAN RECORD REV. G. LAVIOLETTE, O.M.I. Editor and Manager 207 Cadomin Bldg., 276 Main St. Phone WH 3-6071 Winnipeg 1, Man. Subscription Rate: $ 1.00 a Year Printed by Canadian Publishers Ltd., Winnipeg, Man. Authorized as Second Class Matter, Post Office Dept., Ottawa, Canada, and for payment of postage in cash. Questions T'hey Ask - Why do they want to trans - What would happen if the fer in the first place? Indians in one province agree to - What would happen if the the transfer and the Indians in Indians do not agree to the trans another province do not agree to fer at all? the transfer? - What say will the Indians - If it's decentralization that is have in the transfer? wanted, why not simply grant - What would happen to the more autonomy to the Regional Indian Reserves? the Treaties? the Offices? Indian Rights? - What would become of the The Red Cross drive sponsored by the Lions Club of Watson Lake, Y.T., - What will be the fate of the Department of Indian Affairs? was organized by Rev. Father Yvon Levaque, OMI, to cover the Alaska Indian Schools? Indian Health Services? Highway from Mile 620, Lower Post, B.C., to Mile 642, Upper Liard, Y.T. The campaign was concentrated at Mile 635, Watson Lake, where on Your Editor would welcome correspondence on any or all April 27th a house-to-house canvas helped the volunteers to contact the of the above topics; the best letters will be published in the majority of the 500 residents. INDIAN RECORD. Mail your letter to: The Indian girls from the Lower Post Indian Residential School, pictured above, were enthusiastic helpers for their Principal, Father Levaque, and The Editor, Indian Record, 207 - 276 Main St., assisted him in making a collection of $515 for the Canadian Red Cross WINNIPEG 1, Man. Society. Daily Press Creates False I,mage of Indians by Kay Cronin, in Oblate News Once again the Indians of British Columbia have hit the headlines. ways drawn more reader-interest than the Church page. In addition, This time the furore concerned the number of Indian girls who meet both society in general and our news media in particular seem most; their death on Vancouver's Skid Road. The front-page publicity fol reluctant to treat the Indian_.people as individuals, constantly referring lowed the usual pattern. First, a heart-rending story about one parti to "the Indians" as though they were a featureless, gumptionless mass cular girl' in one of the newspapers. Immediately, all other communica of humanity with no more dignity or brains or sense of purpose' than tions media climbed onto the publicity band-wagon in a rush to an amoeba. promote the latest "Indian problem". How is it that newspapers can splash the phrase "Indian Girls on We learned that 23 Indian girls had met their death on Skid Road Skid Road" all over their front pages and get ·away with it? They during the course of a year. We did NOT learn how many other girls would never dare do the same about English girls or Dutch girls or met a similar fate. We learned that many citizens were demanding Italian girls. tha~ these Indian girls be sent back home. We did NOT learn what Why? Becapse, unlike other ethnic groups, the Indian people conditions might have been like "back home". We were given the haven't any Hfective means of answerirng back. They haven't the same impression that prostitution of Skid Road was an "Indian problem". pressure groups who 'WOUld immediately storm the newspaper _offices We were NOT given the impression that prostitution on Skid and threaten to cancel their subscriptions. They aren't yet skilled in Road is, and always has been, one which besets the whole of society the art of politics so that they could use their vote as a defence weapon. and, in this instance, long before the Indian people ever entered into They aren't yet skil'led in the art of modern communications so that the picture. they could help form public opinion towards a better understanding In the inevitable rush to beat the deadline, reporters conducted of their people. They aren't yet skilled in the field of ,education to the a rapid-fire round-up of statements from leading citizens in the com extent where their inteHectual elite is sizeable .enough to play an munity, many of whom hadn't the faintest understanding of the Indian influencial role in our society. people or their way of life, yet were eagerly prescribing what was But never doubt that the Indian people are heading in the right "best for them". direction. Already there is a whole new group of Indians in Vancouver. Then, righti in the middle of all this publicity, Vancouver was hit They represent the first generation of their people given the oppor with another sensational, "probl'em" story. The homeless Sons of Free tunity to go right through high scho01 and on to further academic and dom, some 800 strong, arrived in Vancouver and decided to camp out vocational training. Helped and encouraged by churches, Indian de overnight in Victory Square in the heart of the city's downtown area. partment officials, social agencies and other long-interested, wel'l This radical' Doukhobor sect, with its long history of home-burning, qualified groups, they are acquiring the kind of education which will bridge-bombing and public disrobing, was another "natura,l" for the eventuallty enable them to come to grips with white society on even press. Immediately, the formerly all-important "Indian problem" was terms. Furthermore, in spite of so much adverse publicity, in spite of dropped like a hot potato and reporters were rushing to telephones to the degrading comments and whispered innuendoes to which they are round up another flurry of statements from leading citizens - this time subjected at: those times when an "Indian problem" hits the headlines, about the Freedomites. these Indian boys and girls are continuing to persevere, aU the while And where did this leave the Indian people and their "problem"? shouldering with most laudable dignity the criticisms of an ignorant Right back where they have always been - banished to obHvion until society. the next expose about their people hits the headlines. For it is a sorry I would therefore suggest that reporters in the communications fact that the only time the Indians seem to make the headlines is when media revise their age-old list of routine sources for statements on In they are in trouble - so much so, that in the minds of the general dian affairs to include the educated, articulate young In'dian who is public the word "Indian" has become synonymous with the word entering our society. Given a chance to speak, he may weN be the one "problem". to curb the white man's unfortunate habit of prescribing so readHy Granted, it's always the bad news, not the good news, that makes "what's best" for his people and put the publicity surrounding "Indian the "best" news in our papers. Murders, rapes and suicides have al- problems" into its true perspective. MAY-JUNE T963 INDIAN RECORD -Page 3
Teacher~ Now Bli"d~ Visits SODdy Bay Manitoba MLA' 5 My dear Indian friends: Excerpts from an address amazing pr.ogress cf Indian sooc'o.ls In the one year I have been re given by Mrs. T. G. Courchene in the last decade could be doubled. Differ on Welfare on the occasion of the blessing God has never used the word Manit.oba's Welfare Minister J. gistered with C.N.I.B., my seci,al B. Ca·r.rol1 April 20. described some activities have been very llimited. of new classrooms. A former segreglatien in his vDcabulary and Indian school teacher, she is everyone should have his pl.ace in of the aecomplishments ef his de However, en May 21 , I was happy partment among Indians and to be abLe to be ·at the .opening of now almost blind. the sun. Y Durs is the job 10. uphold the Metis, tlhen listened ,to. aNew the new Sandy Bay School. My Demecrat say that "the treatment of education. His B.A. and M.A. reputation of yeur race, ma~nl y in companion 'and guide was Mrs. Le ef Dur Indian and Metis friends is vreault of Assiniboia H.S. who degrees gave him every right to educatien. J,t is a preparat,ery field speak as a leader. This yeung lad to other things to. better your lives. stilll a great problem." also had been a fcrmer teacher at The debate came as the Manitoha Sandy Bay. She desoribed the new who had been at ,the desk in my I was deeply meved remembering senier class spoke with amazing my werking days in eight Indian legislature began considering wel building, .jlts gala decoraUDns, the fare department estimates. children's clething and took me to. facility and sincerity. His preud sohools, residenti'al and day; I have parents beamed with JDY, certainly been close to. you in yeur many Mr. Carroll described the native shake hands with an cur commcn community development pr ogram acquaintances and friends. mus1t have been rewarded .in their preb lems, have seen your prcgress co-operation with the school by in and I am pr.oud t o. know many 'Of at Norway House as representative The sounds I heard at this glad sisting en attendance, a major you fine p eople. I foll'ow with in cf the accomplishments of the pro reunien fitled my hea.rt with many prDblem with day students. terest discussiens whi,ch I listen to gram ,across the province. nostalgic thoughts. The b1essing A new scheel is more t han a as weN as radio. on Indian affairs. Since the pregram's inception in ceremony was pi'eus and reverent. building; it is a hive Df cemfort If our boys are putt ing yeu on 1959 the Ind ians and Metis at Nor His Grace Archlbishep Flahi.ff eff.i and technical aids available t.o the the map, hew about special efferts way Heuse have established their cia ted. A greup of Oblates, c1ergy most humble who. can share in its fr.om the weaker sex too. The own consumers' and fish.ermen's men and Indian Affairs officials values and promises. A fameus w.omen .on ,the reserve are the CD-operatives, sponsored six adult had come to. enhance the cere quotation of W. Churchi!U comes methers of your nation. Y.our job educatien classes and formed a re mony. The beautiful' chcirs cf As to mind here: "Give us ,the tDols is a hard and painful e ne. To be creation club, and the program has siniboia High and Sandy Bay and we will finish the jeb." geod 'is hard anywhere and for interested indi.viduals and groups schoels preved once mere wha.t I The Indian child is just as gifted anyone in this world. in the 'community in a bakery, a have always kno·wn, that the In and capable as any; he ShDUlrl nDt cattle raising project and a fish dian people are musical by nature. Thank you, Fr. Chaput, Sisters, bex factory. be classified as a minerity grDUp. for your del,ectable lunoh; thank Their performance was perfect, es It is, however, very impDrtant for CCF Criticism peciaUy in the renditions .of 'Jeru you, girls" for serving it so. weN; The main clfHicism ,ef the pr,e the Indian student to. realize he is thank you , Fr. Robidoux, for per salem" and of "Our Lady ef Fati the main actor in his education - gram came from New Democratic ma". mitting me to ride en your char Par ty Leader Russell Pauney. He and that, perhaps more than tered bus. It was a nostal.g1c day It was a sublime moment for me others, he win have to accept the said press reports, some in Toronto, in my affliction, and, in memory of iIi-treatment of Indians and when my former pupil Isaac Beau- challenge to work harder and to at least, I remembered blue skies, lieu addressed the assembly. He persevere. He helds in his hands Metis in the north late last faU flowers and the cemfort .of unity. were "blewn up" beyond what was was at ease and most elequent, in I the reputation of his race. If al,l the God keep Sandy Bay! SauHeaux and Engl,ish, teU'ing the children CDUJld be saturated with even tu ally revealed to be the true reserve peeple of th e importance confidence in steady effcrt the Therese Goulet Courchaine picture. But, nevertheless, a grea,t prob lem exist ed. "Our efferts so far have been more concerned with handouts than w i. th looking a.t the basic probl,em, the prevision of help on a self -help basis." He said yeung Indian and Metis men and women were trained in Winnipeg trade and. technical sehools and then jobs f.eund fer them in the city. But whenever there was a cut-back in staff "they are the very first let out." Rather, he said, such trained per sens should be directed back to. where they came ·from, "to use their talen:ts there, aided if neces sary by the government." Th.e government could, fer example, help establish faetories at Indian and Metis communities. Separate School For Watson Lake WATSON LAKE, Yukon - By a cLose vote of feur to three, the Yukon Territorial Council accepted a petition from the Roman Catho lics o·f Watson Lake asking for the es tablishment cf a separate school according to. the terms of the agree ments and regul,atiens which were appr oved last year. This new three-r oom school with gymnasium wHI be attended by Indian students from Upper Liard. On Sunday evening, April 21, the Assiniboia Residential High School for Indians honored two of its students who won first and third places in the 50-mile walkathon sponsored by radio station CKSB, St. Boniface. Fr. Studer, OMI, Ste-Anne's parish The two winners are shown above with the school's principal, Rev. Omer Robidoux, OMI; they are, sitting, from priest, is looking fer Sisters to. ad- left, Carlson Flett ( 1st, 11 hrs., 40 min.) 'and Donald Hill (3rd, 12 hrs., 46 min.). Standing are Dennis Hill, minister the schooL which will open Marcel Flett, Paul Hart and Peter Mikish, who also participated in the race. (Napoleon Studio) I its deors nex t falL Page 4 INDIAN RECORD MAY-JUNE 1963 Sioux Grey Nun Story Published Cadets Inspection at Duck Lake True to her purpose, Sister by MRS. B. G. BROWN efforts in organizing a successful lone portrays the intimate Sioux inspection. life at its possible best, true to its DUCK LAKE, Sask. - Annual Awards racial customs, beliefs and tradi inspection of the 2451 Sf. Michael Indian Cadet Co.rps was held May Certificate, medals and pins pre tions. It was this family life that sented to the COTPS and to indivi cradled a sound religious voca 6, sponsored by the Duck Lake Board of Trade. dual- Cadets: tion in the new-found faith of CDT/LT. LEONARD ERMINE: Anpao in the Catholic Church. A banquet was served; the gues,ts were Rev. A. Duhaime, OMI, prin two. Snver Medals - StrathcQna Woven into the story are the cipalof the residential school; chief Trust Rifle Competition: Seni,or missionary efforts of the Oblates instructor Captain A. ANa-rd, OMI; Cadet. competitors and Junior of Mary Immaculate, who came inspecting officers Captain St'Dppa; Cadet oompetitors); and a Certi from France to the vast stretches 8t/Sgt. Epps (ACI); St/Sgt. Cooks ficate of Cadet Leader Instructor; of western Canada. One of their (AC!); Corpora' ~ J. Waterman, Profioiency pins were presented number - Bishop Vital Grandin, RCMP, (Rosthern); Mr. and Mrs. to Cdt/Sgt. Geo. Arcand, Cdt. Oli is being beatified. J. Milward (Agency Superinten-: ver McLeod, Cdt. John Scott and Finally, there is the story of dent); Mr. and Mrs. Dave Thomas; Cd tIL. Cpl. David Sanderson. the labors of the Grey Nuns and Mr. and Mrs. B. G. Brown; Cdt/Lt. Cdt/Sg,t. Eli Whitford was pre their specialty, God's poor, the Leo.nard Ermine; the Revs. G. Gau sented the Duck Lake trophy by ill and the aged. thier, OMI, D. Dubuc, OMI, and F. Secretary Mr. C. J. Lanovaz for The First Sioux Nun by Sister Gamache, OMI; Mr. Peter Koett; the best cadet. constable and Mrs. Mike Dick; pre Mary l one H ilger, OSB, $3.50, Summer Training sident of the Legion Mrs. Alain 176 pages, r eleased May 8, 1963, Dumont and Mr. C. J. Lanovaz; Cdt/Lt. Leonard Ermine is going by The Bruce Publishing Com Rev. G. Pouliot, PP; Mr. and M,rs. to Vernon, B.C., 7-,week summer Sister lone, OSB pany, 400 North Broadway, Mil Ken Seeseequasis; Mr. and Mrs. training camp to obtain a Grade A waukee 1, Wisconsin. Alex Greyeyes; Mi,ss Jacque}.ine certificate with Cadets McLeod, Keenatch, Gamble, Nanikasum and DICKINSON, N. DAKOTA - * * * Pelletier; Miss Ida Crowe and the When the United States govern 18 Cadets; Mayor and Mrs. L. J. Wats'on, for Cadet Leader Courses. ment wa~ in the throes of a Civil Review Praises Doucette. Cdts. Whitford, Albert, Sand and War and the Sioux massacres Spence are going to Clear Lake, Skillful Tale Captain S top p a accomp!inied threatened Westward expansion, Corp. J. Waterman, Mr. C. J . La- Man., for two weeks training. a girl was born to a great Sioux A major addHion to the growing novaz' and Cdt/Lt. Leonard Er chief and his wife in a simple literature on the Indian Nation in mine, Corps' C.O. for the General dwelling on the cliffs above the the Great Northwest is Sister M. Salut'e and the March Past. The Miss Jean Cuthand Nebraska River. lone's "The First Sioux Nun". Cadets marched past 300 specta- This baby girl was destined to The Ironheart band of the San. tors. In9pection was followed by a. Centre Director be the first full blooded Indian tee was a remnant of a once great survival demonstration by Cadets Miss Cuthand of P,rince religous in all America. Sioux nation pursued "across the T, Watson, J. Scott and Cdt ILt. L. J~an plains to the point of exhaustion Ermine; drHls by Cdt/Sgt. EE Allbert, Sask., has been appointed Her story is released this month and starvation." Whiteford; P. T. by Cdt/Sgt. executive diTector of the Indian in the new book, The First Sioux , George Arcand; First Aid by Cdts. Metis FriendS'hip Centre in Winni Nun, told by Sister Mary lone The story opens. wHh Swift O. McLeod and Albert John. _ peg, ·i,t was .announoed May 12 at Hilger, OSB, teacher and jour Eagle's famil'Y and a few Ironheart board of diredors meeting. relati:ves on tlheir way from Butte Credit goes to Cdt/Lt. Leonard , ,e' nalist from Dickinson, North Da on .the Niobrara River (Nebraska) Ermine, ass,istant instructor, for his Miss Cuthand was born on the kota. Bruce is the publisher. to Loo.kout Mountain on the Shey- Little Pine Reserve near Paynton, Anpao, as she was called, had enne near Devi.l's Lake (No,rth Sask.; she attended public schoo.l Sisseton and Wahpeton Sioux for Dakota). tuberculosis, ending a 2,0-year and Bedford Road Collegiate in her ancestors, and was destined period of service to the Church ·and Saskatoon. She then took nurses' In birch bark canoes the four training at .the Hol'Y Family Hos- to show her race the way to peace families paddle north on the James to her people. and happiness. No matter that the pital in Prince Albert and grad River .through territory of the hos Skillful Tale uated, as a registered nurse in 1954. white men stole their land and tile Chippewa Saulteux. forced them to live on soil which Sister lone skil'l:fuly weaves into She j.oined the Indian and North Answering an apparent caH of thi,s simple story the Indian and ern Health Services and was em· defied the mightiest effort to destiny, Swift Eagle and famHy wrest a living from it. territorial history and the growing p~oyed by the Indian Hospital at eventually reach St. Boniface on Catholic 'life in the Northwest dur Fort Qu'AppeUe, Sask. She was She came to know the religious the Red River, where his children ing the late nineteenth century. Public Health Nurse, covering five life of the Canadian community receive Baptism in 1860. She came upon the story in 1944 Indian reservations in the Prince of the Sisters of Charity, or the Son of an Ironheart chief, Swift ata Sioux Indian Congress in Albert area. Grey Nuns, as they were known, Eagle (also named Giidya) travels .N orth Dakota. An ·eag'er group re When the Indi'an and Metis Serv and was baptized. She was known continual1y i.n a vain effort to pre lated the story of their nun, Sister ice Council' was 'Organized in P .A. among her religious as "Soeur vent a Si,oux upr·i,sing against the Nebraska. she was appointed secretary, also Nebraska" - Sister Nebraska, white man's injustice. He di,es with Her narrative exhibi,ts her re· serving on the social and recreation and she spent the nine years of a buUet in his back during a peace sped for the dignity and nobility committee. her religious life at the Maison mission. of the Indian character and her in In 1961 she was on staff at the Provinciale des Soeurs Grises in Lay Helper di:gnation at his humiliation and the City of St. Boniface, Manitoba. King Edward VII Memorial Hos The widowed mother returns to bruta'lization by greedy w,hite trad pi,tal in Bermuda f.or one year. In In The First Sioux Nun there St. Bonirface where the famous ers and settlers. 1962, she returned to P.A. at Vic is a true picture of the red man. daughters of Blessed Mot he r Swi,ft Eagle personifies the toria Union Hospital. She is on the The author proves the Sioux to D'YouvHle, the Grey Nuns, wel pagan ' Indian in all his nobility; board of directoTs of the Indi-an be sound, excellent people. In a come her and care for her child'ren. his daughter J'osephine is .the In Eskimo Association. sense, the story of Sister Nebras In 1874 Little Dawn, renamed dian at his best, raised through the Her interests have been with her ka's peace-loving family has Josephine at Baptism, becomes a Church's saving waters to ful:l own people and in her nursing ex faintly epic proportions: in which lay helper to the nuns. She enters Christian ci.tizenship. perience she has become more the father dies, a great chief try their noviti,ate in 188·5 and becomes This is absorbing and rewarding fami'liar wi,th the problems con· ing to preserve peace among his the first professed Indian Grey reading. fronting the Indian peopl·e on the people, when the little family is Nun in 1887. (Patrick J. Whelan, in Times reserves and in urban communi· taken in by the Grey Nuns. Seven years later she dies of Review, La Crosse, Wis.) ties. MAY-JUNE 1963 INDIAN RECORD Page 5
1 School Attendance CRUCIFIXION ON MARTYRS SITE Problem Overcome The problem of poor attendance proving the chances of Indian at Indian schools was being solved ohiLdren in becoming educated. because of a ohange in attitude on he said, was an earlier start. the part of parents, R. M. Connel The Indian Act did not require ly, regional supervisor of federal children to be registered 'at school Indian schools in Saskatchewan, tiLl age seven, but today parents said according to a recent report. were voluntarily send,ing their He described how absenteeism childr-en to s,chool at age six. in pa&t years had reduced atten In fact, he said, a demand for dance r-ecords to 70 per cent or so, Indian kindergartens had appear and how school children could not ed, and the Indian Affairs De be promoted, at the end of the partment was alr~ady operating a school year because they had been kindergarten in one community. away from school for too many In the past, Mr. Connelly said days. The end result, he said, was children often stayed in Grade . often that they would reach age One for two years merely because 16 while still in a junior grade, they did not know how to speak and, feeling conspicuous, would English. Starting at age seven, drop out. they wouLd not reach Grade Two Mr. Oonnelly cited an instance until they were nine. This retar where attendance at one school 'a dation would mean that they few years ago averaged 70 per reached the age -at which they cent. Last week, the same school found it embarrassing to be still reported that attendance had been in school long before their educa 98 per cent this fallI. tion was complete. A second factor which was im- Indian parents, he said, were now putting pressure on their children to learn English, and es A Trip to Ottawa pecially to 'speak it in the school environment. They did this be Last July Gabriel John George, cause of an increasing sense of the of Albany, Ontario (James Bay importance of 'a knowledge of the Vicariate). accompanied G r e y Nuns to Ottawa. The trip began language. with a three-day boat ride from He said this did not mean the Albany to Moosonee, then 26 par en ts wanted to drop the Indian hours by train to the nation's languages or culture. They wanted capital. His teacher at Albany, the children to retain their lan This marble Crucifixion scene, perched atop a small knoll of shrubbery Sr. F7'anc;oise-Rachel, S. G. M., guage and to perpetuate their own and framed by evergreen trees, is located near the Shrine of Our Lady of sends us George's narrative which Martyrs, Auriesville, N.Y. Now a national shrine of the Jesuit martyrs of reads in part: culture, but at the same time to North America, the site of the Crucifixion scene is a former Mohawk Indian learn EngLish and further their village where St. Isaac Jogues and his companions were martyred. "I just .coUild not beHeve my education. (NC Photos) my eyes, so many taH buildings, the icrowds of people, ,the hot, it was cU'stomary to exchange one humid weather! ... I spent a Indian Children Score In Artistic Projects or more wampum belts, the de few days with the Seguin family signs serving as a reminder of the at their summer eottage, on the Kuper Island, B.C. (CCC) -Indian children have long transaction. Otta,wa river; the chiildren were been renowned for their artistic talent. Among recent evi- 9ther typ~ of sh~ll beads com disappointed with me as they dences of this are the unique murals which now adorn the pnsed f1<;lt dlsk~; still others w~re ex:pected to see an Indian in . . long, thm cylmders, dependmg costUlme and feathers ... walls of the school dInIng room here. .,u pon the manner in which it was "On the first of August I start The waH-to-wall murals, based member Elmer James, 14" to con- I fabricated. The term. "wampum" ed to work on a farm; I had to on a theme of their own choice duct the group for their 'cup-win- was commonly apphed by the get upa t six in the morning to - "Cowboys and Indians" - ning pedorrnanoe. ear ly settlers to' all types of shell hel1p my 'boss milk the cows . . . were drawn and painted free- bead. Because of its value in the after breakfast we went to the hand! style by the students. The eyes of the Indians, wampum was fields for threshing ... My most results are so effective that What Was Wampum? frequently exchanged, although jot e:x:citing day was when we went photographs were taken and for- never had a true currency value. shopping and visited the Ott'awa warded to Hon. ELlen Fairclough, A term widel,y used to describe (Encyclopedia Canadiana ) Exh~biHon; I rode the merry-go then M-inister of Citizenship and various Indian 'beads, particularly round, the Ferris wheel; another of shell. At the time of European day I saw a cheese factory and Immigr,a.tion. contact, cylindrical disks chisel- The Homemakers' club on the a :printing shop. Another cultural development led from dam or oyster shens Sarcee Reserve has awarded a "Among my souvenirs are the here has been the formation of a were widely used on the New $100 scholarship to the three best Parliament buildings, the huge fife and drum band u nder- the England coast by Indians of many Grade 9 pupils. piles of logs at Eddy's mHI, the direction O'f Brother Thomas Fur- tribes. Strung on thong:s they lovely countryside, Freiman's de long, OMI. The 42,-piece band served as neck pendants, arm partmental store, es'calators and won top honors at the Oowichan bands, and other ornaments. Listen to the ,lovely ,chapel at the Grey musical festival held in Duncan, Sometimes they were fashioned Nuns' mother house. in the .audience, ap!Jointing band into a belt, consisting of parallel INDIAN VOICE ". . . . I acquired knowledge strings, sewn together at inter Program and experience during that trip Don't delay in renewing your vals, thus making a solid mat of and even learned quite a bit of subscri,ption to t he I N D I AN these shell disks. Rad io CKDM French. I wish to ,thank the mis- RECO~D when you rece'ive your The arrangement of different sion director, Fr. J. B. Gagnon, bill. coloured shells made it possible to Dauphin 730 on your dial O.M.L, for arranging this great Send ONE Dollar t o INDIAN have simple designs embroidered holiday for me. I wiill dio my ut- RECORD, 207 - 276 Main St ., into these belts. At the conclu Tuesdays: 8.30 p.m. most to 'live up to our class mot- Winnipeg, Manitoba. sion of a peace treaty or of some (in Sauteux a nd English ) to: Know more to serve better.".______. similarly important undertaking, Page 6 INDIAN RECORD MAY-JUNE 1963 What is Wrong with Indian R·eserves? Canadians, if .they are not pre by Rev. James Mulvihill, OMI of any compulsion being used to occupied with elections, watch with IN OBLATE NEWS bring about an improvement but a warm feeling and a slight sense ra ther that discussions and study of jea.lJOusy when their nei·ghbors. of it gives a. false sense of publi'C kind- and will not give in to progress group meetings should be held Scottish descent "pipe in the hag- ness which does not reach the heart and the changing conditions of with Indian bands to explore theilf gis" on St. Andrew's Day. They ' of the problem. It is simHa,r to this age. views and give thouglht to their have the same feeling when 'those covering up a maNgnant sore with Consider the first "wh1te" set suggestions. Thtis subject is a very of ]jrish ancestry wear the Sham- salve; it produces a slight comfort tlers in the western provinces Who. delicate one to broach to. an In rock on the seventeenth wi,th their and hides ,the rea,L so.urce of trou- pre-.empted sma, l ' ~ holdings; now dian gat1hering, a,s one of our sena parades ,and: f.o[k dances. Most eth- ble for a whi,le. The real source of all we can find are the broken tOors found out; a; few weeks ago. nic gro~s in Canada· have their troubLe for the Indian people is .the foundations and windbreaks of It is 'touchy because the Indians "day in the sun" with national reserve ,living and all the particular these smaLl homesteads .that could consider that .the reserve i,s the last celebrations and nostalgic speeches. headlines have ·their root in this not support a family in the pre bastion of protection from the For the remainder of the year obsolete way of life. senu day ,economy. The smali greed andexp'loHation o,£' the they blend into the natural ba,ck- When reserves were given to the farms were amalgamated into lalf "whiltes". They have a leg.al right ground o,f the Canadian way of Indian people we had very dif- ger ,tracts and many families had to this mode of living. The reserve Life. ferent conditions in Canada from to leave the country. They had to is their home and it will be prDtect Can we hope that in the near those which exist today. I am not bow to ,the changing condiHons ed by them to the .last ditch :and future people of Indian ancestry going to judge the wisdom or whioh they could no.t foresee at rightly so IF there ,is no better wiU fo.l'low the same pat'tern? WiH morality of the o.nes who entered the bme of settlement. home to. be had el'Sewhere 'and a they just have "Indi,an Day" cele- into these treaUes and ,agreements There is much speculation in better way of Life :that they could brations once or t;wice a yea,r when because we do not know what they pol,iUcal circles that the basis of aocept with dignity. they sing their foJik songs, enjoy had in mind and certainly they Confederation wiN have to. under I do not believe that the gradual tlheir ceremonial dances and for the cou~d not ha,ve foreseen aH the I go some modification because the aboHsbment of the reserves wiU remainder of the 'time show the changes that would -take place in! Fathers of ConfederaUon could not bring any rapid improvement in same Canadian family likeness Canada dUTing the past .one hun- fioresee 'all future possibihties in their lives; in fact, we cannot be keeping 't~eir .thoughts of pride for dred years. the year '1867. If other systems certarin that it, would not be a back the contflbuhon~ that they have However I do blame the ones admit of change, why not the sys ward step, but in spite of this pos made to CanadIan cuLture when on both sides of the fence who tern o.f reserve l,iving? sibility, there are so.me conditions they lived on the h1storic reserves? can m odify the present status There is no question in my mind inherent in reserve ,living that are harmful and I believe that they We ho.pe that it wilL happen soon greatlly outweigh ,the few advan and I think that most of the Indian tages. We should be familiar with peo.pl,e would w ish to have it thi,s these harmful conditions before way. There will be some Indians, we form any judgment or present some anthropoliOgisb~ and some any argument to, the Indi,an people , historians who will wan V to pre suggesbng a ohange. serve the Indi,an culture in its en What i,s wrong with the re hrety. This is not a realistic atti serves? Here are a few of the tude. The Indian people as a who.le drawbacks: canno.t enjoy the Canadian stand L 1;!.I=le- reserves were the :£ruit of ard of living whi'le they remain Dn reserves. Individual: Indians can, the nineteenth century and but not the grea,t mass of the na were produced in the frame tive peopLe. work of that period and have no.t radi
One ,of the great difficullties in by Clive Linklater base, the foundation upon which talking about the "integration" of President of the Alberta Indian Teachers' Association to build the Indians' future. We the Indian people into the 'llarger mugt not do away wi,th ithe Indian Canadian society is th'at different An address given at the Alberta Indian culture as his heart 'and soul is at people derive a different meaning the root. If the Indians' cuUure and connotation from the very Education Association, October 1962. is eXitinguished and his 'ances'tral word "integration". land 'taken away, he will become The meaning Ithe Indian people They live ~here because ithey ing, or doing away, with aM the a rootless vagabond, truly a derive is thClit 'Of "assimil'ation" choose to live there. They are free Indian schools on the Reserves. It stranger in his own land! that is: 'the aboHtion ,of all India~ to l,eave, 'Or return, at any time seems the majority 'Of Indians op- Taking away ,the Indians' land scho!ols, the doing ,away of all In they so desire. pose this. would be destruotion, and we dian Reserves, the extinguishing The Indian pe'ople are not com If it.is the mixing of Indian and must crea'te, not destrQy! We must of Indian culture, and the abroga pletely dissociated and cut off White children in cilassrooms that build, not tear down! We must tion ·of Treaties 'and Tveaty rights. from contact with the White is so vitally important and neces- build up Ithe Reserves to be pro The Indian peopie, when fuHy popul'ation. The Indian people do sary, the Indians wonder why the ductive communities 'according to "integra'ted" or "assimila,ted" will associate with or intermix, or in .rp.ovement is all one way - 'away the Indians' own hopes and de then have finaHy vanished- termingle, or INTER - SOCIATE from the Reserves. Could not this sires. We musi create the Indians' Becaluse ,they get 'this connota with ,the Whi1tJe popul'ation both mixing, ·or inter-sociation, take new place in the larger Canadian tion, 'they have shown great re on and 'Off the Reserves to some place 'as wen we,re the White chil- s'Ociety according to his own luctanoe to accept the idea, and degree now. In some areas there dren to attend the schools on the wants and needs. have repealted1y asked, quite un is a great degree 'Of intermingl,ing, Reserves? - even High Schools However, if it is 1he actual de successfully, for a "slowing down" in other 'areas it is not so great. in the liarger Reserves where the sire 'Of the White people, through or "go slow" policy regarding "in In more ,isolated ,areas it is a rare school popul'ation warrants a the Government and government tegration." occurrence, of course. High School? officials, to do away wilth Indian Slow Down This inter-sociation takes place schools ,and Ind,ian Reserves, then They've constantly asked for a in many forms. In business the Reserves Abolished the Indi,an people 'a,t least deserve "slow down in integration" part- Indian, through sheer necessity, The Indians strongly suspect to be told pl,ainly and frankly ly because they do n'Ot w~nt to I deals with White businessmen the next logical step, once the that this' is so, in order to be pre vanish, and mostly because they bot~h .on. and 'O~f :the Reserves. schools have been abolished, is the pared for this eventuality. do not know what "integration" ThI~ IS ' mter-s~cI, atlOn. In sports, abolishing of the Reserves. That entails. Another major faotor is IndIan and WhIte people 'are fre the maj'ority of Indi'ans strong'ly Legal and Moral that they do not f.eel Ithey are at quently intermingling on and 'Off oppose this, there is no doubt. If the Government is ;to 'extri- an equal level educationally or t?e Rese~ves. T?i? is inter-socia The Indians would rather see cate 'itself of i,ts Treaty 'Obligations economically with the White so- tIon. SOCIal lactIvl'hes - dances, their Reserves maintained 'as part it must be ,remembered the Indian ci'ety into which they are being me~tings, conce~ts, etc. - .finds of their ancestral heritage, as in- people, being the other party to exhorted to take their "rightful IndIan and WhIte people mter deed ,they were guarante'ed by the Trealties, have a legal and plaoe." They ,also feel unwelcome mingling on 'and off :the Res·erves. the Treaties. There is coming into moral ,right ,to have their voice and not accepted into fhis society. These. are inter-social aotivities. existence today among the Indian heard in the doing 'away of these Since the words "integration" IndI '~ns. ,are ~lOt barred from people another idea - a desire to -Trea'ties. The abroga'tion, 'Of the and "as'Similaii'On" .are not only WO~ShIP m WhIte churches: n?r have their Reserves developed so Treaties must be done in a legal, confusing the Indian pepple but Wh~tes barred fro~ ~O:ShIP m they will become thriving and honorable and ethical manner are also causing distrus1t for the IndIan churches. ThIS IS lnter-so vital cornmunii,ies with various with the fuH consultation, knowl motives be h in d "integration" cial worship. There are no laws large lOr small industries and edge and consent . of the Indian these words should be rooted out prohibiting Indians from riding other job ,opportuniti'es. This pe'Op~e with wh'Om these Treaties of the v'Ocabulary in ,talking about on public vehicles. N'Or are there movement is gaining momentum, exist. this so-caNled "Indian problem". "India~" a.nd "White~' w~shroo~s and 'as the momentum grows it is But if i,t is 'Only the interming Integration, as it is used in de- and dnnkmg fountams m publIc hoped ,their desires will not be ling, closer association between scribing the social pvocess of in- buil~ing~. Ther·e d~finitely .is . in thwa~ted firom within or without! the Indian and White people that termingling IQf races, was prob- terml'nglmg, or. mter-soclatl?n, If Ithere is doubt 'as to the ma- is desired, and the Indian peop1e ably given its present connotation betwee~ th.e Whlte and IndI-an jority wishes of the Indian peo- have no great opposition ,to this, by the integration battle of the populatIon m Canada. pIe 'on ,these ma't,ters 'Of schools let us no lon~r speak 'Of "in Neglro in Ithe United Staltes. In and Reserves, let there be an ob- tegraotion" or "assimHaHon" as tegration in this sense ,and con Forced Segregation jective and imparUal sltudy on the these words imply the doing away notation, however, implies segre Because "integration" implies desires, as well as the legal with aU Indian schools, Indian gation and segregation, in turn, rigid segregation - complete dis rights, of rthe Indi,an people on Reserves, the extinguishing of impl'ies f'orce. While the Negro in sociation 'and l'ack of contact - these two important and vit'al Indian culture, and the abroga some parts 'Of the U.S. may be of the Indian people from the matters. Let tthis study also review tion 'Of 'the Treaties. Unless, as forced to live in ghettos and seg White population in Canada and and compare the relaltive meri,ts, stated before, ,this is the real regated communities by the White this is not so; and because "seg that is the successes and f'aHures meaning and connotation behind majority, this is not so for the In regation" implies forcing the In of the Indian School sys;tem with the w'Ord "integration". dian people in Canada. dian to live on the Reserves the "Integrated" schools. Let us use instead the words, against his wishes and this is no,t When the Indians f'eel their Re- "inter-social, inter-slociate, int'er Own Choice I S'O: Ilet us then talk of inter-socia- serves have reached a stage of sociation" which i~ply the main The Indian people choose and ' tion which wiH not imply segre compar.ative educa'ti'Onal and eco- tenance and contmua~ce of ~e want to live in association with ga·tion but will have a connotation nomic equality with Ithe larger ve]oped . '~nd progresslye In~lan other Indian people. To say they aU its own, 'tha,t is the interming Canadian society, and with their c.ommumhes, and th~ ~l1Itermmg ave segregated because of this de- ling, associa-ting and mixing ,of su.rrounding liocal communiHes in lI!lg and cl,os: 'assoclahon of In sire on their own part is simply Indian ,and Whi,te people both on particular, the inter-sociation of dl·an 'and Whlote people both o.n not valid. Choosing and wanting and off the Reserves. White ·and Indian p'eople will in- a.nd away from these commum to live among 'One's own people The Indian people in Canada crease in frequency. Presently the bes. may be separa,tion but it is not are particul'arly worried about the Indians feel they are at too great seglregation. Being forced against aspect of .inter-sociaHon as it ap a disadvantage to "integrate" It is considerably easier to allow one's will tlo live among 'One's 'Own plies to schools. According to fully with the Whi,te people, ·and everyone a larger slice out of a big people by a powerful majority Treaties they have a lega,l right especiaHy they do not want to ger cake than to gain anything by using various and devious means t'O schoQLs on the Reserves. The lose or give up every last 'Vestige discussing the division of a smaller is seg.regation. N'O 'One forces the present practice of "integration" of their cultural heritage. cake. Indians Ito live on the Reserves. in education means the abolish- Instead Ithis cuHur'e must be the 'Benj. F. Fairless MAY-JUNE 1.963 INDIAN RECORD Page 9 Asked Pope For Rain EL DEXTHLI, Mexico (NC) - The chief of this dTought-stri!cken Indian town has written to His Holiness Pope John XXIII asking him to pray for rain. Baldomko Hernandez said: "Holy Father Pope John XXIII, we hav,e learned that yO'll were a peasan t like us. We greet you from our heart and hope you win help us with your prayers that i't may rain in our l,ands and that we may p:lant and work. "We also know that you wrote a letter asking all~ : wealthy peoples to help our peoplle" who are poor. Our Lord in Heaven will reward the Amerilcan people who give us food, for all tha,t they are doing for us. "Buit we ar,e asking fo.r wa,ter to LONG LAC, Ont., HOCKEY TEAM memb,ers are proud o f their uniforms paid through the $4 monthly contribu drink and i,rrigate our land so we tion of a group of local Indians. Kneeling - Hawkin Wesley, Russell A. Woboose, Dominic Chapa is, Harold can raise cattle and have meat to Labelle, Morris Waboose, Howard Chapais and Mitchell Finlayson; standing - former chief Joseph Bananish, eat. Without water we cannot Garry Fisher, Morrow Wesley; Marcel Bananish, Gene Fisher, Ronald Abraham, Eddie Wesley, Philip Toweco, work. Bruce Lagarde, Victor Chapais, Sydney Abraham, present chief James Abraham and Arthur Chapais. "I am the representative of this (Photo courtesy Kenneth McCron) district of El Dex,tlhl.i and aU of us send you our greetings. BJes's us Ojibways Honor and pray to God f.or our Mexico, Northern Ice Squad whiClh is Christitan." Marvels at TV Coady Officials Indians Return Gifts Although partial to neit '~er team, before," Father Montmig,ny said, ANTIGONISH, N.S. (CCC) - To California Donors mos,t enthusiastic supporters at "and televi,si-on was out of this In an inf.ormal ceremony at the Coady International Institute here The Santo Domingo Puebl,o. In North Peace Hockey League play world for them." dians have sent back to California recently, M~gr. F. J. Smyth, d iTec o:£f contest between High Pr.airie The northern midgets saw stars 'an unsoLicited gift of 10,00.0 pounds tor, and J . Frank Glasgow, assis and Peace River were junior of Canada's senior hockey league, of food, cl:othes and household tant, were formany inducted into 'hockey players from Assumption, the NHL in action from Toronto glood'S with this note: "Give i,t to the OjiQway tribe. A ~ ; berta, March 16. via the television, then topped their the starving Caliiorni'a Indians." The presentati,on was made by The team was in Peace River brief stay in Peace River by taking The 2,000 Santo Domingos live for an eng.agemen t with the local in the looal playoff contest. Rev. Daniel M. Hannin, SJ, long on a sman reservation near Allbu midget squad, but stayed f.or the Father Montmigny said the As time missionary to the Ojibway querque. They said they consider hockey game - and for their first sumption Indi-an s'chool' was started Indians in Ontario. Father Hannin ed this charitable g.esture all' insult glimpse of t elevi,s ion. only 12 years ago for members of was deputized by chief WilJiram and .entirelY' unnecessary. Principal of the Assumption Re the S~ : ave Band Indi'an reservation. Measwasi.ge ·of the Serpent River Tr1bal Leaders were puzzled and sidential school, Fa.ther G. Mont All members of Ithe hockey team band of the Ojibways to pres,ent affronted when they read a de migny, OMI, who accompanied the are treaty Indians. scrolls and !headdresses to the two scription of their I'olt placed in a team to Peace River, said TV was "Up there, we usually don't get Coady oifi,ciaJ'S. Californi'a paper by a coup;Je who the h1ghlight of the trip. a chance to pLay outside tea·ms.," The decorated scroUs state that had vilsited thei,r Pueblo. The ar "Most of these boys have never he noted, adding the P.eace River Msgr. Smyth and Mr. Glasgow Hcle spoke of the hunger and seen a town as },arge as Peace River game which they won 8-3 was the were being given the status of despair of the Indians and said first actual encounter for the team. honorary chiefs in recognition of they hunted rabbits with clubs. It Als·o accompanying the Assump "their work in adult education car was this artiole whitCh promp,ted Dancers to Seattle Hon team was Roy Goss,elin, sports ri'ed on through the Coady Inter the .au tpour of help. The popul:ar dancing troupe director for the Indi'an school. national Instiltute." "We are well tak,en care of by from Sf. Paul's In d ian Day In the ceremony, Msgr. Smyth the Government," a tribal spok.es Schoo1, North Vancouver, staged received the Indi,an name for "The man said. "Our Clhilldren do not go t,wo performances at the ObI a te War Canoes Blessed Shining Sun" while Mrs. Glasgow hungry. We hunt rabbits with parish of St. Benedict's in Seat,tIe, Two new Indian war oanoes - was honored as "The Guide". clubs in our traditionaL manner The work of the insti,tute has Washington, A,pr'ill 19 and 20. The "St. Theresa No. 2" and "The rand because ilt is more humane troupe trav.elled by cha,rtered bus Sq uamisrh Ohie:£tain" - were bJ ess begun to be dos'ely tied to the fu than sho:oting them with a gun." and was accompanied by their or ed by Father Ronald BI,a'cquiere, ture of the Canadian Indian in ches,tra - Dan George and hi,s OMI, pastor of St. Paul's Mission, recen t mon flhs wilth the completion INDIAN RESERVES music'ians from the Burrard Re North Vancouver, during impres of a course fo.r Indi.ans missionaries (From p. 7, col. 2) serve - -and thei'r pastor, Father stve ceremonies held at the res,erve he:d at St. Albert, Alta., by Mr. of economic and sO-cial conditions Rona,I'd Blacquiere, OMI. on Easter Sunday. Gl,asgow. on the reserve. During r,ecent months Fa'ther FoHowing the ceremony the two In August, Msgr. Smyth, insti In the past few years many com B:acqui'ere and va,rious members of new canoes were entered in. an tute director, will lead a team in muni ty development pro g ram s the troupe have been making regu exhibition I13ce w1th the St. There conduot1ng co.urses for mi'ssionaries have been launched on this or that lar TV appearances in Vancouver. sa No.1 ·from the Burrard reserve. at Lebret, Sask. reserve. These s'oIve only a few dif Their l.atest invitation has been The race was won by the new St. fkulties, the number of staff re a request to stage the opening Theresa No. 2 Whose crew club The oldtimer remembers when quired to include all reserves night show, June 7, at Kitsillano manager is Louis Miranda, long the housewife had to haul the wash would be proh1bitive and unrealis Show Boa,t - Vancouver's popular time sacristan at St. Paul's Church water from the well - but she tic, so a .completely NEW soluti.on outdoor variety show theatre - on the Mission reserve. didn't have to sit up nights figur must be sought in a rev,aIuati'on wi th Fa'ther Blacquiere acting as Crew members and helpers were ing out how to meet the payments and study of -reserve Hving by In Master of Ceremonies for the first entertai.ned at a 'banquet held in on the bucket. dian leaders and PROVINCIAL performance. the Council Raltl that evening. Capper's Weekly Parliaments. Page 10 INDIAN RECORD MAY-JUNE 1963 ST. ALBERT, ALBERTA . . . Cornerstone of -the West by Frank Dolphin in "Our Family" 100 years' ago a town destined to be the pioneer centre of Catholic life on the western prairies was founded just north of Edmonton. Today, thousands of laymen still come to this town - St. Albert - for a two day " encounter with God ll
The thundering hooves that vested, and log cabins dotted the existence to the St. Albert pio- home in Midnapore, near Calgary, pound through living rooms river bank. On top of Mission Hill neers. which bears his name. He found stood a house for Father Lacombe, Wandering Spirit time to write several books in the night after night the year a barn, and a storehouse. Father Lacombe spent only five Indian language. He designed a r ound, as TV western heroes Once the ice slid from the Stur years at St. Albert. His wandering "Catholic lad~er," ~ forerunner of subdue their adversaries in 30 geon River, the settlers consoli spirit w ould not allow him t o re- modern teach~ng aids. Father La and 60-minute epics, are but dated and extended their beach main in a place which he said was I combe and BISho~ Legal worked a faint echo of the real life in head in the wilderness. Father becoming "too civilized." His one! t Kutenai Canoe the final resting place of the a Mechica Indian priesi who lived The Kutenai Indians of south- Ob~a t e Missionaries who gave in 17th century Lima, are being We urge our correspondents to eastern British Columbia used a I theIr names to many Alberta revived by a national committee send their reports, photographs, very distinctive type of canoe. It towns. devoted to his cause. The daily news items, regufarly to: w?s mad~ of. pine or spruce bark, Their job is completed. How Expr eso observed that this action The Editor, IN·DIAN RECORD, WIth proJectu?-g ~nderwater bow ever, the missionary spirit of 1861 would provide "a genuine repre 207 - 276 Main St. and stern. ThIS kmd of craft has has not died' it has been trans sentative in heaven of the native Winnipeg 1, Man. been found nQuebec t his year in order to raise funds for people are, by white standa,rds t he newly erected Fort Alexander Indian reserve church, in Manitoba. The quite inadequately furnished. They singing musicians are, I. to r., Angus Ma nn (guitar, accordion, drums ), Fr. lack many .of the t'hings we take A. Plamondon, OMI, (vi olin, mandolin), Norbert Guimont (guitar) and for granted - sufficient beds, The Hon. Roger Teillet Richard (Pee Wee) Courchene (guitar). chairs, tables, cupboards. As the Indian Affairs Depart ment helps the people get better Isaac Beaulieu Edits houses they stHll face the problem "Lady Oblates" Assig ned to of fur nishing .these houses on sub- "Thunderbird" sistence incomes. F urniture donat- The North American Indian Northernmost Arctic Mission ed by Anghcans in Winn1p eg is Club Oof To'ro.ntoQ has appointed taken toO the reserves and sold for EDMONTON (CCC) - Two Oblate Missionaries of Mary reas,onable amounts to cover the Isa,ac Beaulieu editor of their new- Immaculate, or "Lady Oblates" as members of the secular .cOost of tr,ansportation, and also to ly establ,ilShed publication "Thun make a contribution to. the cost of derbird." institute are commonly known, have been assigned to work The news letter, publ,ished by at the Oblate Arctic mission of Holman Island, 200 miles new burI di·ngs on the reserves. the dub, will be a monthly pubU- north of Coppermine and the nor thernmost mission in the It i,s generalil~ agreed by the pe'o- cation. Mackenzie Vicariate. pIe and by those working wi,th Mr. Beaulieu, executive secre They are Rita Valcourt of St. Leising, OMI, author of "Arctic them that the :furniture is much tary of the Indian-Eskimo Associa Boniface, Man., and Monique Wings." more appreciated when it is paid bon of Canada, says H will fulrfi l a P iche of Gravelbourg, Sask . Learn Eskimo for and this is the plan that is being need that exists in the urban life During their two-month stay, followed in the d10cese of Rupert's of the Indians: a form ,of expres Interviewed recently at their Father Tardy gave them daily Land. sion between themselves ,and the centre at 9906 - 102nd St. here, lessons in the Esk imo language. On the Peguis Indian Reserve peopLe Uving in the reserves. where she is stationed at present, Miss Valcourt, who is already steps a're presently under way to The starff of t he paper is com- Miss Valcour t said that both she reasonably articulate in the lan establish a small furniture business d t" Iff I d· and Miss Piche will be teaching where sOome of the men are being pose en Ire ,y 0 perso~s o. n I~n guage, noneth eless confessed that school and doing social work trained to build furniture. They ?ac~gr o und, and al~ edl,tonal wnt she found it very difficult to among the 100 Eskimo families in have presenbly built the fo.Howing! I~g 1'8 don~ b! IndIan peOople. 1':r learn. "I think it might have the area. They will also do k itchen articles: kitchen stoolrs, living 'room hcles are Inv1ted [rom non-Indla.n h elped me better if I had known stools, hostess chai,rs, play-house p ~ opl' e,. so. that we can share . theIr work and "act as general facto Latin," she said. tums" to Rev. H enry Tardy, OMI, furniture, dolls furniture, day- vlews In the ho~es ,of creat.:mg a missionary at Holman Island. The CWL at Annunciation niters, clothes racks, etc. It i.s