OCTOBER 2016 VOLUME 19 - NUMBER 10 FREE Northern students shine for Lt.-Gov. Jocelyn Bird (right) of Churchill Community High School in La Ronge, pictured with the Honourable Vaughn Solomon Schofield, was the Grade 7 re - cipient of the Lieutenant Governor’s Award of Excellence. (Photo by Linda Mikolayenko) CIVIC ELECTIONS We have a few interesting tidbits on the upcoming votes and some of the Indigenous candidates. - Page 7 CELEBRATING CherishJean Baptiste was among the former and current students marking the 40th anniversary of FNUniv. - Pag e 8 STRENGTH OF WOMEN Delia Opekokew received a Lifetime Achievement Award at a special event held recently. - Pages 12 - 13 By Linda Mikolayenko ation by taking part in a contest, Imagine a Canada. For Eagle Feather News Young people can participate by creating a story, poem, BOARD GAMES LA RONGE – The Honourable Vaughn Solomon piece of art, short film or essay. Janelle Pewapsconias is Schofield, Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, began “I envision a Canada where everyone realizes that bringing “Neeched up Games” to and ended her annual northern school tour in La Ronge. we are stronger together,” said Schofield. the world with her special brand Between Sept. 24 and 27, Her Honour presented “Friendship is the basis of healthy communities of humour. - Page 20 six Lieutenant Governor’s Awards of Excellence, as and a very strong country. We can never ever underes - well as a number of Northern Saskatchewan Student timate the power each one of us has to make our coun - LACROSSE SCORING Achievement Awards. try better.” The sport of lacrosse in “We always get a warm welcome when we come The Award of Excellence winners are good ex - thriving in Northern here, so it’s great to be back,” she said in her opening amples of well-rounded individuals making a differ - Saskatchewan these days. address to the students at Churchill Community High ence. To be considered for the award, students must - P age 21 School in La Ronge. demonstrate proficiency in academic achievement, Before presenting the awards, Schofield encour - school attendance, leadership within school and/or Role Models Edition aged students to participate in Orange Shirt Day on community, awareness and pride in northern lifestyles Coming In November - Veterans & Youth Issu e Sept. 30 to remember those who attended residential and heritage, future goals, and special talents and in - schools, and to share their thoughts on what the future terests. • Continued on Page 3 CPMA #40027204 of Canada will look like through the lens of reconcili - Eagle Feather News OCTOBER 2016 2 Young singers committed to drumming to a healthy beat By Jeanelle Mandes “I met them (during) last year’s powwow trail and trail as a drum group mother ranges from a vehicle Of Eagle Feather News in January, they invited me to sing with them.” breakdown to a drum breaking. A young drum group comprised of members from The drum group travels near and far to compete in “At Dakota Dunes powwow, our last drum ripped. all areas of Saskatchewan is drumming its way to make powwows and owes it to Taypotat’s mother, Aliza, who But thanks to Buffalo Lodge (another drum group) for a difference. is proud of her son for forming an inspirational drum giving us a drum to finish the powwow because we The singers, who call themselves Young Express, group. packed up and we were ready to go home. base their group foundation on sobriety – something that “I’m proud of him because (some) people out there “And (the Buffalo Lodge singers) came up to us each member holds proudly. are in gang life and are into drugs and alcohol. I’m so and said they wanted to see us finish the powwow,” she “I myself have never touched alcohol or drugs. I proud of him that he doesn’t do any of that,” Aliza says. says. tell the other drummers in my group (to refrain) “It’s actually a nice feeling when these from drugs and alcohol, otherwise we won’t be big drum groups that they look up to come travelling,” says lead singer, Emery Taypotat, up and approach them to tell them ‘keep it who formed the drum group. up boys, you guys are doing a good.’ I like The 16-year-old singer has mentored his that. It pushes me more to take these boys to drummers ever since they were first initiated where they want to go,” says Aliza, who into the powwow circle over a year ago in his also has two kids who dance powwow. home community of Kahkewistahaw First Na - Taypotat, who is currently in Grade tion. Since then, the singers have travelled to 11, looks up to Battling Bear, an original compete in over 100 local and distant pow - style drum group and also Bear Creek, a wows. contemporary style drum group from On - “The furthest we travelled was to Kainai, tario. He has been singing for five years. Alberta and to Manito Ahbee powwow in Win - Taypotat’s advice to the youth who nipeg,” says Logan Thomas, 17, who sang his want to sing in powwows is to get out there whole life with his family’s drum group called The Young Express drum group has traveled extensively across Western and give it a try. Big River Cree. Canada competing in powwows and promoting a healthy lifestyle. “As a lead singer of a drum group, I “I like travelling to far places with my bros and “I try my best to take him where he wants to go,” would like see other drum groups out there singing and meeting new people.” she says. “I don’t take one car, I take three or four cars. not giving up and to keep going,” he adds. “Singing has The Young Express drum group ranges from the I pretty much look after them.” been a dream come true.” youngest who is 16 to the oldest who is 27 years old. The She adds that mostly all the singers in Young Ex - After graduating high school, Young Express group has inspired many listeners, including Cody press call her ‘mom’ and handles any conflict in the singers such as Taypotat and Thomas wish to pursue Burns, the oldest singer in the group. drum group. post-secondary educations and continue singing on the “I believe in these guys and I like the way they “I put them all together and tell them they are pow-wow trail promoting sobriety and pride in their present themselves,” says Burns, who is an Alberta oil- drum brothers and (remind) them they are role models. culture. field worker, but is taking a break to sing with Young Ex - Everything calms down from there,” she adds. “Look out for Young Express, they’re up and com - press. Aliza says the challenges she faces on the powwow ing,” says Burns. OCTOBER 2016 Eagle Feather News 3 JAEDON ROBERTS COLLIN MONTGRAND DAKOTA LAURIN RYANNE TORRENCE JOSEPH DESJARLAIS GRADE 10 GRADE 12 GRADE 8 GRADE 11 GRADE 9 RHODA HARDLOTTE LA LOCHE COMMUNITY CHARLEBOIS SENATOR MYLES VENNE ROSSIGNOL MEMORIAL SCHOOL SCHOOL COMMUNITY SCHOOL SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL STANLEY MISSION DENE BUILDING CUMBERLAND HOUSE LA RONGE ILE-A-LA-CROSSE LA LOCHE Cynthia Khaikka (centre) was one of 86 recipients of a Northern Saskatchewan Student Achievement Award. She is pictured here with the Honourable Vaughn Solomon Schofield, Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, and Scott Tom - porowski, principal of Churchill Community High School in La Ronge. (Photo by Linda Mikolayenko) • Continued from Page One for her accomplishments and leadership This year’s recipients, selected by a skills, Bird, herself, says that if other stu - committee led by the Regional Director dents were to look up to her, she would of the Ministry of Education, are: hope it would be for the qualities of Grade 7 – Jocelyn Bird, Churchill “kindness” and “caring”. Community High School, La Ronge The Northern Saskatchewan Stu - Grade 8 – Dakota Laurin, dent Achievement Awards were created Charlebois Community School, Cum - to acknowledge and promote student berland House achievement and academic success. This Grade 9 – Joseph Desjarlais, year, 86 students from 12 schools and the Rossignol High School, Ile-à-la-Crosse La Ronge Masinahikana – Online Edu - Grade 10 – Jaedon Roberts, Rhoda cation Centre were recipients. Hardlotte Memorial School, Stanley When Cynthia Khaikka graduated Mission from Churchill Community High School Grade 11 – Ryanne Torrence, Sen - in June, she received the Graduate of the ator Myles Venne School, La Ronge Year award, so she was surprised to re - Grade 12 – Collin Montgrand, La ceive a Northern Saskatchewan Student Loche Community School - Dene Build - Achievement Award, as well. ing, La Loche Originally from Wollaston Lake, a Jocelyn Bird had an academic av - member of the Hatchet Lake Denesuline erage of 92 per cent, and an attendance First Nation, Khaikka achieved second average of 98 per cent, noted Schofield, place in the Skills Canada cooking com - adding that she was active in sports and petition, and served as the teen repre - the arts. sentative on the school daycare board. She was a member of the basket - “In my younger years, I wasn’t a ball, volleyball, track and field, and flag top student,” Khaikka admits, “but in my football teams, and the Girls Wellness last year, I really improved.” Group. A member of the Lac La Ronge She is now enrolled in the Northern Indian Band, she learned to bead from Teacher Education Program and wants her grandmother, and plays both piano others to know that they, too, can follow and guitar. Although she was recognized their dreams. 4 Eagle Feather News OCTOBER 2016 An abundance of role models at Eagle Feather News The October issue is always one of eye-catching ad with bold letters, and Elder Edward Baldhead recently our favourites to pull together.