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Webequie First Nation

PRESENTS

NEW YEARS POW WOW 2005

January 7,8,9 2005

Host Drum

Old Man Bear Singers

Webequie, Ontario

Master of Ceremonies

Ralph Johnson

Sioux Lookout

Arena Director

Ron Kaminiski

Head Dancers

Bob Wabasse-Webequie

Esther Jacob-Webequie

Confirmed Drums

Redstone Singers-Webequie

Roundsky Singers-Webequie

Whispering Wind Singers-Webequie

North Buffalo Singers-Webequie

All participants must cover their own travel expenses

Accomodation will be available

Invited drums only

(maximum 12 drums)

Honorarium for singers and dancers

For more info please contact the following.

Bob Wabasse (807)353-6531 ext.245

Charles O'kees (807)353-1398/1027

There will be no alcohol or drugs allowed during this event

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is conducting another round of comprehensive studies for the long-term management of Used Nuclear Fuel in Canada.

The large ad in today's Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal asks, "How should Canada manage its used nuclear fuel in the future?" Now it has become Canada's problem. At least twenty-five years ago when they first were trying to get a town in Northern Ontario to consider taking their waste, the corporations that produced this deadly by-product accepted responsibility for needing to deal with it. Now organizations, like the Assembly of First Nations, are being funded to "educate" their members about this issue that is now being presented as "our problem".

The NWMO is hosting "Information and Discussion Sessions" in Thunder Bay, Kenora and Timmins this month where the public is invited. Registration is required for the follow up "discussion sessions". Click here to see the calendar of sessions

Everyone is invited to provide your views about how this waste material should be handled. One option that keeps being presented is to bury it in the Canadian Shield requiring complex transportation and disposal processes.

Click here to submit your suggestions to this issue. There are a number of ways listed at http://nwmo.ca for everyone to get involved in protecting the environment and our own back yards.

EVERYONE IS INVITED TO ENTER IN OUR 1ST ANNUAL COMPETITIVE VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT! GIVE YOUR BODY A GREAT WORKOUT AND MEET NEW PEOPLE.

November 5th, 6th, and 7th, 2004 @ Missabay Community School in Mishkeegogamang (Osnaburgh), ON

$300.00 Entry Fee Per Team (3 Men & 3 Women) 8 Players Max.

(6 players on court) 18 years older only (anyone under 18 must have signed consent form from parent or guardian)

1st Place - $1000.00     2nd Place - $700.00    3rd Place - $400.00

Rosters must be submitted my Wednesday October 27th, 2004. Tournament schedule will be released on Friday October 29th, 2004. It will be posted on KNet or faxed by request to the captains.

This tournament is open to all surrounding communities. Please notify the tournament coordinator ASAP if you are in need of accommodations.

For more information please contact Raven Neekan @ 807-928-2803 or Fax 807-928-2077    Email: rneekan@gmail.com

This is your chance (before Friday October 15) to write to the Ministry of Health with suggestions and thoughts about all of the region of northwestern Ontario (which now also includes the Cochrane district in the new plans) being "grouped" into one LOCAL Health Integration Network (LHIN). This LHIN is suppose to be able to deliver "an integrated health care system that is patient-centred and responsive to local health care needs."

Below is the Ministry of Health's  invitation to participate in this consultation process. Be sure to write to transforminghealth@moh.gov.on.ca with your thoughts and recommendations before Friday, October 15. Hopefully the voice of the north will be heard about these Toronto solutions that seem to only serve their institutions, corporations and environments.

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/transformation/index.html#2

See LHIN regional maps http://www.health.gov.on.ca/transformation/lhin/lhinmap_mn.html

Hospital and Localization Index Data Chart [PDF]

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/transformation/lhin/bulletins/data_chart_100604.pdf

On Monday, September 13, Aboriginal leaders including Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Phil Fontaine joined the First Ministers Conference in Ottawa for the start of the conference. In the past Aboriginal leaders have been excluded from these "first minister" conferences involving the premiers, the prime minister and all their teams. The conference was opened with a traditional ceremony lead by an elder.

Even though the Aboriginal leaders were included only at the start of this historic conference, they did get to hear "Prime Minister Paul Martin pledge hundreds of millions of dollars to take special aim at health problems specific to aboriginal communities."

Read more stories about this commitment at:

• CBC on-line - Ottawa promises to tackle health problems in native communities
• North CBC - Feds to spend hundreds of millions on aboriginal health
• CBC Manitoba - Aboriginal heath care front and centre at summit

Mishkeegogamang Ojibway Nation 1st Annual Intertribal Pow Wow
Lake St. Joseph, Mishkeegogamang, Ontario
“Regaining Our Culture”
August 13, 14 & 15, 2004

Community Host Drum:

Swamp Lake, Mishkeegogamang, Ontario

Visiting Host Drum:

Wolf Trail, Gleesun, Alberta

Masters of Ceremonies:

Murphy Thomas, Ponemah, Minnesota
Gilbert Smith, Northwest Angle, Ontario

Head Male Dancer:

Bill Constant, Constance Lake, Ontario

Head Female Dancer:

Karen Neekan, Mishkeegogamang, Ontario

Arena Director:

Mark Meekis, Ottawa, Ontario

Invited Drums:

• Lake of the Woods, Kenora, Ontario
• Thunder Mountain Singers, Thunder Bay, Ontario
• Lac La Croix Traditional, Grand Portage, Minnesota
• Wild horse, Aroland, Ontario
• Stanjikoming Traditional, Stanjikoming, Ontario
• Ojibway Cree Singers, Ottawa, Ontario

Dance Specials:

• Men’s Traditional
• Men’s Grass
• Women’s Jingle
• Ladies Fancy

All drums and dancers invited. $4000.00 drum split for drums with minimum of four singers registered. Honorarium payout for dancers in full regalia only. Space for vendors booths available @ $50.00/ day.

Camping will be made available on site. Breakfast and Supper will be provided on Saturday and Sunday for out of town visitors. For more information, please contact the Pow Wow Committee @ 807-928-2030 Raven Neekan (day and evening) or Jeff Neekan @ 928-2414 (during work hours)

Pow Wow Committee is not responsible for problems beyond its efforts to facilitate a safe and healthy gathering.  Alcohol and drugs will not be tolerated on the premises.

This event is co hosted by the Canadian Rangers and Junior Canadian Rangers.

Canada Connects, a national smart community magazine, is dedicating their next issue to eHealth and Telehealth stories and developments. Check out the 200 second video presentation about this next issue at www.canadaconnects.ca/telehealth/ (windows media player required).

Two video interviews are now available concerning eHealth and Telehealth applications in Canada. Glenn Roberts, Manager of Health Care Programs at the Conference Board of Canada discusses his report about the state of Canada's Health Care System and includes important recommendations, some of which address the need for a greater investment in information technology.

Dr. Marcel Martin is full professor in surgery at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec. Based on disturbing results which came out of his study of the competency of emergency room physicians in the province, he has developed a telehealth training program for Quebecs 900 ER physicians. This program has delivered significant reduction in the number of emergency room complications reported in the province.

A copy of a Letter from Pierre Pettigrew, Minister of Health is available on-line. As well the lead editorial - The Dawn of a New Era in Canadian Health Care - is available on-line.

Native Youth Convention

Date: February 6, 7 & 8, 2004, 7 pm nigthly

Where: Victoria Inn, 555 West Arthur Street

Evangelists: Lott Thunder

                         Mark Stanl

Youth Pastor:  Marty Mclean

featuring: Rose Thunder (promoting her new  album"SHINE")

Also:  Philadelphia Gospel Band, from Peguis, Manitoba

            Ivan & Vanessa Sawan, from Slave Lake, Alberta

For more info:

Alicia Thunder: 807.577.8627
Harvey Yesno: 807.473.5287
Marty Mclean: 204.261.5526

Hotel info: 1.800.387.3331 or 1.807.577.8481                

Broken Wings

(For those who survived the Residential School System or for those who need to find a way to heal)

A fine day for a child to rise with the sun, trees, wind, warmth from the sun rays and most of all with the Migisis (eagle).

One day, a little child rose from their sleep early in the morning and noticed the eagle soaring in the distance and pictured flying with the eagle along side it. Migisi said to the child, "how are you "Little One", are you going to fly with me"?

The "Little One" replied "Migisi I will fly with you today and the rest of time". The "Little One" flew with the great Migisi, behind it. Migisi looked behind and noticed the "Little One" was missing.

Wondering where the "Little One" was the great majestic Migisi kept flying on its own. Migisi felt something had happened to the "Little One", it felt very unhappy and very sad. Migisi turned around to search for the "Little One". Migisi started a journey for the lost "Little One" - a journey of sadness, heartache, sorrow, rage, anger, broken hearts but most important of all, a journey to heal the broken spirit and hope for the "Little One"….

It was on a very warm autumn morning when a young child woke up and decided to play early. The young one noticed the little birds playing and flying with happiness so the young one sat on the stairs outside to admire the little birds. The little birds got bolder and were landing beside the young one. One of them was brave enough to land on top of its head. The little one did not move or breathe and slowly tried to reach up and grab the little bird but the little bird flew away. This is how the little ones portray the world around them - a world of innocence, happiness and full of energy and joy.

On that day the "Little One’s" world was turned upside down. The young one found out early that the world was not a very happy place to live. The "Little One" found a very harsh and degrading environment different from the one he shared with his parents, brothers and sisters that were left behind.

"Little One" could not figure out what was right any more. All it knew was violence, hate, rage and abuse beyond that which any parent could imagine for their six, seven or eight year old child. This went on and on, day after day, up to a point where the "Little One" did not even care about family, tradition, language and most of all family values. Somewhere deep down the young one can still feel something inside, something that was missing.

Every night before he went sleep, the "Little One" would slow down wondering if there was someone out there or if there was something missing. But "Little One" just stuffed it back inside its soul.

The "Little One" does not cry anymore and will not cry when it is punished for something it did not do. It will not feel anymore and will lose all sense of direction and reality. Through the eyes of the "Little One" there is no happiness and joy only to keep on fighting and survive.

One day they told the "Little One" it is time for you to go home and it wondered what’s home. Suddenly, the "Little One" was in a different surrounding, a place it did not understand, a place where children were happy and being loved by big people. The "Little One" wondered what they were doing and it fought back when someone tried to get close to it. It felt they were trying to hurt the little child so the "Little One" fought back when someone tried to touch it. The little child did not want anyone close to it or even touching.

This kind of behavior went on as the "Little One" grew up to be a young person. The "Little One" was not small any more, it kept on hurting people and was very destructive. It did not respect the other people or the things around it. The "Little One" took the drink and the drugs for many years and lived a life of self-destruction and did not realize it or even cared about its own life. For the "Little One" the street, gutters, drugs and the bottle were the only way to cope from day to day. It did not understand why it was doing the things it was doing. All it knew was, it was hurting the "Little One" inside. The only thing the "Little One" can do was to drink and take the drugs to keep the hurt from coming out.

Finally, the ‘Little One" was asked what happened when it was a child and this enraged the "Little One" more. It was afraid of this man and "Little One" wanted to hurt this man. But this man kept on coming into the "Little One’s" domain, probing and going into the past in the "Little One’s" life until the "Little One" gave up fighting.

All the years, the "Little One" only knew hate and rage and it kept this inside its body destroying the very soul that kept its life alive. All the hate, destruction and the rage within was slowly coming out of the "Little One’s" body.

"Little One" has found a way to face the fears and the demons that it was afraid of. On many occasions when it was alone or into the night "Little One’s" tears would come out like a river. Learning to cry, learning to live from day to day, most of all learning to love. Little by little the "Little One" is learning how to respect and learning how to love from the heart.

It may take the "Little One" the rest of its life to learn about love and how to love from the heart. "Little One" is now ready to begin the journey of healing and to search for a reason to live and give whatever is left to give.

…….as the great Migisi journeyed into the past it found the "Little One" with Broken Wings. Migisi took care of the "Little One" until it could once again fly on its own. If you see the eagle and hear it screaming, it has found the "Little One" and will show the "Little One" its way home to start a journey of healing.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hello:

Learning to face my problems head on, instead of hiding or running away from them, is a very powerful emotional experience to go through.

I am also on my healing journey to sobriety. I am trying to deal with my anger, hate and rage. But even at times I don't want to deal with them personally. But I now know these must be dealt with in order for me to break this destructive cycle.

I am submitting this article for others. I experienced this teaching while attending a sweatlodge ceremony with others. This is what I came up with. I had several heartbreaking moments when writing this article. I have written things here that will touch or relate to another individual. I have written about the many events that I went through growing up. Every statement that I wrote on there is for a reason.

I hope someone out there will understand some or even the whole article.

Health Sciences North is offering the following Education Opportunities by videoconference using the North Network;

Oct 2, 11:00-12:00 noon CST "Power Searching with Google: Strategies & Techniques"

Oct 9, 12:00 noon - 1:00 pm CST "Cool Tools:The Best of the Web"

Oct 23 11:00 - 12:00 noon CST "Uncovering the Invisible Web"

If you are interested in these educational opportunities or would like further information please contact;

Cheryl Klassen

cherylklassen@knet.ca

Telehealth Informatics Educator

Keewaytinook Okimakanak Telehealth Services.