Filmmaker searches for family history in residential schools film
Shane Yellowbird leads nominees for country music awards
Shane Yellowbird meets his idol, Mel Tillis
Casino of the Rockies celebrates 5 years
Students at Aboriginal film school urged to set the record straight
Susan Aglukark nominated for 3 Nammys
Filmmaker searches for family history in residential schools film
By Lisa Abel
Growing up in Sioux Lookout, ON, Nadia McLaren sensed something was missing from her family history, a feeling she calls “a restlessness of an ancient sadness.”
As a child, her grandmother Theresa McCraw attended St. Joseph’s, an Indian residential school in Thunder Bay, ON.
Originally from the Ojibwa community of Heron Bay Pic River, McLaren’s grandmother rarely spoke about her experiences at the school.
“I just got bits and pieces of her story,” McLaren says.
“I took this knowledge and her bits and pieces that she did tell me for granted, because I thought that I could ask my aunts and uncles about Granny’s experiences – which I did – and none of them knew.”
The Native residential schools began operating in the late 1800s, and it wasn’t until the late 1970s that all the schools were shut down.
While some had positive experiences in the government-run institutions, many of the 150,000 students, removed from their families and their traditional lands, and forced to abandon their Native languages and spiritual practices, were physically and sexually abused in the process.
McLaren sensed McCraw’s time at St. Joseph’s hadn’t been positive. After her grandmother’s passing in 2003, McLaren knew a vital piece of their family history had been taken to the grave.
The graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design began to create a commemorative art exhibit where she would videotape Native Elders telling their stories, which she would show alongside her paintings.
But, by the third interview, McLaren realized a full-length feature film would be the most effective way to get the Elder’s stories “out into the world.”
“I figured the Elders stories deserved that kind of attention,” she says.
The result is Muffins For Granny, an 88-minute documentary that weaves together home movie footage of her grandmother, interviews with six Elders, including animated recreations of their stories, archival photos from residential schools, traditional songs, and scenes of the natural beauty of Ontario’s north.
“For a lot of the Elders it was the first time they actually spoke about it, so it was really powerful. It was pretty hard on the crew and myself, but [we] definitely felt honoured that they were sharing these stories with us,” McLaren says.
Earlier this year, the federal government approved an agreement to give roughly 80,000 Aboriginal students who were abused in residential schools $10,000 for their first year of attendance in the schools, and $3,000 for every subsequent year spent there.
The deadline for former students and their families to decide whether or not to opt out of settlement money was August 20th. Harvey Trudeau, the eastern Canada liaison for the National Residential Schools Survivors’ Society, says since he has been involved with the society, he has “yet to help anybody fill out an opt-out form.”
“As far as we know, the opt-out numbers are not very high,” Trudeau says.
Trudeau, who attended a residential school himself in Spanish, ON, says the payments might “make the experience easier to bear” for the survivors, though the money will “never help them forget what they've been through.”
Karen Isaacs, a peer support worker with a residential schools’ program for survivors and their families at the Council Fire Native Cultural Centre in Toronto, says she doesn’t know of anyone who has opted out, either.
“I think the compensation package is forcing them to open up their pasts, which will open the door to their healing, but they want to get it done with as little said as possible,” Isaacs says.
“I find a lot of people don’t want to talk about it. There’s the pain; they don’t want to feel that pain again. Some of them had such harsh treatment in residential school and they don’t want to repeat it.”
Wayne Spear, director of communications for the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, which helped fund the film, says supporting the making of Muffins for Granny fit well with the healing and public awareness components of the foundation’s mandate.
“When people who have suffered trauma, particularly residential schools, realize there are other people who have actually overcome the fear and isolation of having been physically or sexually abused and kept it sort of a shameful secret, it has a healing effect,” Spear says.
“People realize they’re not alone and other people have gone through this as well and they've been able to cope with it.”
Shane Yellowbird leads nominees for country music awards
By Cassandra Szklarski
Established country music stars including George Canyon, Emerson Drive and Paul Brandt have racked up multiple nominations for this year’s Canadian Country Music Awards, but upstart singer Shane Yellowbird stole the spotlight August 1st with an impressive five nods for a debut disc.
The Alberta-bred cowboy says he can hardly believe he’s up for coveted prizes including independent male artist of the year and the Chevy rising star award so soon after arriving on the music scene.
The Cree artist, originally from the small community of Hobbema, AB, released his debut album, Life is Calling My Name, in November after getting his first taste of performing through a string of karaoke contests.
Yellowbird, whose cousin is Conan Yellowbird of the Grammy-nominated drumming group Northern Cree, says he’s been amazed to see audiences starting to sing along to his songs in concert, or stop him on the street to say they’re a fan.
The 28-year-old, who struggles with a stuttering problem, says he’s grateful for a remarkable rise to the spotlight despite several hardships.
“I grew up poor and I don’t take things for granted really anymore,” Yellowbird says when reached by phone in Alberta.
“When things start happening I keep a good head on my shoulders and take it in stride… but I’m living a dream and I’m taking it all in while it lasts.”
Yellowbird credited his Aboriginal fans with helping to push his name into the spotlight.
“All the Indians across the country have heard of me and had all the shows and all the bookings and stuff, plus all the cowboys and everything,” says Yellowbird, who grew up travelling the rodeo circuit with his parents.
He suspects it’s his unassuming nature that resonated with audiences.
“I was just this kid, I stuttered, and I was down to earth,” he says simply, adding he hopes never to change with increased fame.
The awards will be handed out at a televised gala in Regina on September 10th.
Shane Yellowbird meets his idol, Mel Tillis
On Shane Yellowbird's most recent trip to Nashville, he was invited to watch a Grand Ol’ Opry show from backstage, where he met one of his heroes.
(L-R) Shane Yellowbird, Mel Tillis, Porter Wagner & Pam Tillis.
Backstage at the Opry, a mutual friend introduced Shane to Pam Tillis, who had been performing that night alongside her father, the legendary Mel Tillis. Shane confessed to Pam that her father was his childhood idol and hero. Like Mel, Shane has spoken with a stutter since he was a child. “Riding in the truck as a kid on the rodeo trail, they used to call me ‘Little Mel Tillis', since I’d always stutter,” says Shane, “Except for when I knew the words to the songs on the radio, then I could sing them all the way through.”
Pam later introduced Shane to her father, and Shane fondly recalls their conversation. “I walked up and said ‘I’m Shuh, shuh, shuh, Shane’, and he said ‘I’m Muh, muh, muh, Mel,’ and it went on like that from there.” The two stuttered back and forth in conversation for some time backstage.
“I’ve never had a conversation so long where so few words were spoken,” says Shane good-naturedly, “But it’s a conversation I’ll always remember, it really meant a lot to me.”
Casino of the Rockies celebrates 5 years
A weekend of celebrations are taking place at the St. Eugene Golf Resort & Casino of the Rockies as the Casino celebrates its 5th year of operations.
The Anniversary party begins September 21 from 8am to 10am with a Pancake Breakfast at the 19th Hole Bar & Grill at St. Eugene – enjoy the breakfast for $5 per person.
The Casino of the Rockies will have its famous Anniversary party celebrations starting at 10am with souvenir Anniversary T shirts to the first 500 visitors on September 21.
$10,000 in cash prizing is to be given away on September 21 & 22 – to enter you must be a BC Gold card member - sign up at the Guest Services desk. Five cash prizes of $500 each are to be drawn at 3pm & 9 pm each day. Plus there are five chances to win 50,000 in BC Gold Points on September 23. The draws for the extra points, worth $250.00, will be at noon, 3pm, 5pm, 8pm and 10pm.
The Casino will also be offering complimentary appetizers and Anniversary cake during the afternoon and evening. Or enjoy a delicious meal in any of the 4 restaurants onsite.
Stay at the St. Eugene Golf Resort for this special event – call 1.866.292.2020 to book!
Students at Aboriginal film school urged to set the record straight
By Steve Lambert
Graduating students at a unique film school are being urged by one of North America's best-known Aboriginal actors to help ensure First Nations are properly represented on movie and television screens.
“There’s been so much misrepresentation,” Tantoo Cardinal told 12 graduates of the New Voices program at the National Screen Institute August 28th.
Veteran Actor Tantoo Cardinal
“There has been so much untruth that anything you do in this business, you have an opportunity to change things, to get it back to some semblance of truth,” she said, alluding to the stereotypical Hollywood portrayal of Aboriginals as violent savages.
“This society that has tried to obliterate us generation after generation ... has a lot of fear about us, and they don’t even recognize it a lot of times.”
Cardinal, a 57-year-old Cree woman born in Fort McMurray, AB, has appeared in Hollywood films including Dances With Wolves and Legends of The Fall.
In 1991, she fought with other actors on the set of the Canadian-made 1991 film Black Robe for changes to the script, which they said was told from a colonial perspective and portrayed Natives as uncaring and in need of reform.
Cardinal told the graduates not to be afraid to tell their own stories using their own perspectives. It is a message institute officials already take to heart.
“You still don’t see Aboriginal faces on television… there are very few Aboriginal independent production companies that exist. So we still have our struggles,” said Lisa Meeches, co-manager of the New Voices program and a longtime television producer.
The National Screen Institute (NSI) which receives almost all its funding through corporate sponsors and government agencies, launched New Voices three years ago as a way to allow young Aboriginals to learn in a close-knit environment that is culturally supportive.
A spiritual adviser is available to help the students, some of whom come from reserves in other provinces. During the August 28th graduation ceremony, the students were handed sweet grass instead of diplomas.
“Aboriginals have a unique approach to storytelling… and now I can tell the stories from our communities,” said Kerry Barber, 34, who left her home in Dawson City, Yukon to attend the institute.
The students now face the daunting task of finding a job.
“What’s next? Who knows?” said Chris Gabb, 31, of Winnipeg. “My goal is to be involved in the production of a television show.”
Gabb’s schooling included a stint with Manitoba Film and Sound, a government agency, where he helped scout locations for filmmakers.
The practical experience, which all students are required to undergo, allowed Gabb to make connections that could lead to work in the future, he said.
Susan Aglukark nominated for 3 Nammys
Nominations for the Ninth Annual Native American Music Awards were announced August 6th by The Native American Music Awards & Association (N.A.M.A). Due to a record number of recording submissions received in the past year, the Awards have expanded both its number of categories and nominees; from 26 to 30 music categories and from five to six nominees in each category. This year, 180 nominees are featured throughout the 30 music Award categories.
Topping this year’s nominations are; Brule’ and AIRO featuring Paul LaRoche (Lakota) with five nominations for Kinship and Silent Star Night; Jim Boyd Band (Colville) for Live At Two Rivers, Jana (Lumbee) for An American Indian Story, and new artist Shelley Morningsong (Northern Cheyenne) for Out of the Ashes all with four nods each. Arigon Starr, JSK, Pipestone, Susan Aglukark, Tamara Podemski and Arvel Bird have three each.
“This is an absolutely incredible assemblage of professional artists and talent that have exceeded our expectations for the year. They truly are the best of the best. These outstanding music initiatives are reflecting the tremendous growth and artistic expressions taking place within our genre and in our communities not only in the United States but also from other parts of the world including; Canada, South America and Australia,” states Ellen Bello, Founder/CEO of the Native American Music Awards. “The Ninth Annual Awards show will be nothing less than a monumentally magnificent show.”
The Ninth Annual Native American Music Awards will be held on Saturday, October 6th, 2007 at the Seneca Niagara Casino Events Center in Niagara Falls, NY and will be broadcast on the new MHZ Networks in November 2007.