Media.Knet.Ca

Pikangikum First Nation will be hosting their 2nd Annual men's hockey tournament on January 20 to 23, 2005.

Open to six outside teams

Six local teams

Entry fee: $1,000.00

Prizes

Champions: $6,000.00

Finalists: $4,000.00

Consolation Champs: $3,000.00

Consolation Runners up: $1,500.00

Individual awards

Championship trophy

Consolation trophy

Medallions

Accommodations will be provided but hotel is available at teams expense

Open ice body contact

2 Imports per team

Contacts

Van Keeper        773-5172(home) 773-1039(work)

Lyle Keeper        773-1074(home) 773-5557(work)

Kenneth Strang   773-5346(home) 773-5097(work)

Randy Moose      773-1093(work)

James Strang       773-5070(home) 773-5578(band office)

The National news on CBC television sent a crew to Fort Severn to document the challenges facing the community as a result of the closure of the local Washaho School due to mold contamination and structural problems. Fernando Oliveria, a former Fort Severn KiHS teacher, created a web page documenting all the coverage that this national story is generating. Fernando is now teaching the on-line Grade 8 supplementary courses that the Fort Severn Grade 8 students are using to support their home schooling experience. He writes ....

"I recorded the CBC news report a week ago (Dec 18) and added it to a page containing links to all the other media reports. Not sure if it's of any use, but I thought it might help to keep the story alive. Feel free to pass it along if you think it might be useful. It could be developed into some sort of online petition or just a site for quick assess to information. If you have any changes/additions, please send them along.  Here's the page:

http://www.g8.firstnationschools.ca/FS_School/fs_school.htm"

Keewaytinook Okimakanak (K-Net Services) and its partners, with funding support from Industry Canada's FedNor program, produced a DVD video entitled "The K-Net Story ... Weaving the Networked Economy in Kuhkenah First Nation Communities". The seven chapters of this production are now available on-line for everyone's viewing pleasure (choose between the high bandwidth or lower bandwidth options for your viewing pleasure).

Feedback about this video production is appreciated. Please send your comments to brian.beaton@knet.ca - thanks for taking the time to view this material and for sharing your thoughts about it.

George Ferreira, a PhD candidate at the University of Guelph's Rural Extension program, produced this DVD for K-Net. The "Visions for the Future" chapter contains the credits and participant list in these video clips.

Seasons Greetings to one and all .... A very special friend sent out the following message and I was fortunate to be one of the receipents. I thought I would share this wish for everyone to enjoy .... have a safe and joyful holiday season ... from everyone at Keewaytinook Okimakanak and K-Net.
+++++++++++++++

Let's take a moment and not think about e-mail, phones, meetings, projects, proposals, unfinished shopping, holiday parties, travel plans, and anything else that may bring stress upon us as the season draws closer. STOP right there...Go into a happy place and think about all of the wonderful things that we can be thankful for:

• Our families, whether near or far, here or gone - how much love they bring or have brought to our lives
• Our friends, who are always there for us, who give us advice whether its needed or not, just because they care
• Our colleagues, who through all the challenges that we encounter, and all the difficult times that present themselves, we are all there for one another and with unrelenting comittment, continue to persevere
• All the lives that we touch in the work that we do, many of those whom we may never meet, but we know they are out there
• All the people that touch our lives, and give us strength to carry on in our work - they are truly an inspiration
• Our pets who bring us joy in a way that no other living being can do - and they can't even talk!!
• Our beautiful country Canada and our ability to live in peace as a nation and set an example in this world

All that we have and all that we give, let's give thanks to the creator for giving us strength to serve as wonderful ambassadors on this earth!

Peace be to all! May the new year bring joy, health and happiness to you and your family!

Joyeux Noel! Season's Greetings!

Kativik Regional Government launched their new internet service for their member communities during their December council meeting. The December 24 issue of NUNATSIAQ NEWS contains a story entitled "Nunavik beats Nunavut to wireless broadband Internet - Nomadic computer users can surf the web anywhere in the region" at

http://www.nunatsiaq.com/news/nunavut/41224_02.html

Tamaani Internet is a section of the Kativik Regional Government (KRG) that offers Internet broadband service via a wireless network connected to the Internet by satellite technology to residents of all Nunavik communities who choose to purchase the service for a monthly fee. This service allows its users to connect to the Internet over a network that is shared with other subscribers.

For more information on the new KRG's Tamaani Internet service to its member communities in Northern Quebec, visit http://www.tamaani.ca

The network uses the Keewaytinook Okimakanak earth station located in Sioux Lookout (visit http://tech.knet.ca/photos/satellite?&page=2 for pictures of the construction of this earth station from June 2004). The official launch of this innovative partnership involving Keewaytinook Okimakanak (K-Net Services), Kativik Regional Government (KRG) and the Keewatin Tribal Council (KTC from Northern Manitoba) will take place on January 19, 2005. See http://smart.knet.ca/satellite for more information about this event and the network involving these partners.

Christmas is an important time of year for people across the north. A time for gathering together with family and friends, a time for sharing and feasting together, and a time to come together as a community so everyone is included.

Click here to check out the pictures of the Christmas parade and the Christmas Concert in Sandy Lake First Nation.

Wapekeka Rallies to HELP each Other!

In a style of community and Christmas spirit, the Chief and Council of the Wapekeka First Nation called on the community members to rally support for each other today. As some members of the community have not been fortunate to be able to work or have enough to provide clothes and gifts, community members dragged, carried, drove and collected clothing, toys, tapes, food, and other items to help those who needed these items. Most of the stuff was new and not the kind that was unusable.

Many more wanted to help but space at the Radio Station was limited. It has been jam packed with volunteers and sorting the items required time but most people just went and got what they wanted. Even hair-dye was donated and Councillor Donald Brown sang Christmas Songs if someone pledged a donation.

Yesterday, there was a call for donations of food and there was lots of donations. This mobilized the whole community to get into the Christmas spirit as some community members expressed that it was not the same as the years before because of the losses we had this past year.

The adage that it is more blessed to give than to recieve was evident here.

Even wood was donated to those needing it and this is in preparation to have a good Christmas so that no one will be stuck having to worry about their needs. ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS "Shine our DANCING SHOES" and have fun!

Check out XMAS Pics as we upload them this year at http://wapekeka.firstnation.ca

Students from the Newspaper club at Dennis Franklin Cromarty High School published their November/December edition of the DFC Scoop before leaving on the christmas break. They hope that the Scoop will go into a monthly production in the new year. This current production is planned for every two months which the students feel is alright for now.

With the aid of Kim Yesno, the students managed to complete the Scoop before the students went home on Thursday (December 16).

Inside of this edition of the DFC Scoop ....

-ReZ Point: Celebrating Christmas, the old way

- Poems by some of DFC's most talented writers

-Humourous Christmas jokes

Who is never hungry at Christmas?
The turkey - he's always stuffed

A definition of Christmas?
The time when everyone get's "Santa"-mental.

Why couldn't the skeleton go to the Christmas party?
He had no body to go with!

-Students meet with Pamela Matthews

-Play by Play (DFC wins city championship)

-Muckuck, Mishenene share wrestling experience

-Letters to Santa

According to NNEC exacutive director Matthew Angees, the newsletter is something that he is proud of. "Just keep at it," he told the Scoop.  Irene Linklater, Principal at DFC, notes the newsletter that the students published is something that all should be happy about. One of her all time favourite quotes she told the scoop was, "Ever Nice!"

..::WEBEQUIE NEW YEARS POWWOW::..

DATE: JANUARY 7,8,9 2005

WARM-UP IS ON THE 7th AND ALSO THE TRAVELLING DAY

8th AND 9th IS THE POWWOW

PLACE: SCHOOL GYM

HOST DRUM: OLDMANBEAR SINGERS

CO-HOST: ROUNDSKY SINGERS

..::CONFIRMED DRUMS::..

REDSTONE SINGERS

WHITE WOLF DRUM

WHISPERING WIND SINGERS

NORTH BUFFALO SINGERS

ACCOMMODATIONS ARE AVAILABLE!

P.S. FIVE SINGERS/DRUMMERS IN A GROUP IN ORDER TO GET HONORARIUM

Contact drummers:

Roundsky: Marcus wabasse-353-5530

Whispering Wind: Doreen Jacob-353-6419

North Buffalo: Kurtis Shewaybick-353-5525

RedStone: Bob"the government"wabasse-353-1270

OMBS: Leeyon Shewaybick-353-1434