December 2011 Edition

Aboriginal author Calvin Helin’s book The Economic Dependency Trap was recently recognized as a finalist in the highly competitive in the “Self-Help: General” category.

The 8th annual USA “Best Books” awards honors outstanding mainstream and independent books. Finalists and winners have the right to highlight their awards on their book cover, website, and marketing material.

While the real purpose of Helin’s work is to help those people facing adversity to help themselves, he notes, “It is still nice to be recognized for something that most people toil away at never expecting such acknowledgement.” He also commented that although, “The Economic Dependency Trap was the result of my original writing, the contributions and fine work of the principal Canadian editor Peter C. Newman, American editor Ellen Kleiner, artist Bill Helin, graphic artist Angela Werneke, New York literary agent Joseph Veltre and advisor Italia Gandolfo also need to recognized.”

What makes this recognition even more remarkable is that it is the first time any of Helin’s books have ever been entered into a book awards contest. To be recognized at such a high level in the largest book market in the world is extraordinary.

Helin continues forward with the message of self-reliance and self-responsibility set out in The Economic Dependency Trap with speaking engagements for Social Workers at a conference in Edmonton on November 9, 2011 and to social service recipients from the Walpole First Nation in southern Ontario on November 17, 2011.

Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards winners announced

The 6th annual Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards were handed out at MTS Centre in Winnipeg November 4th.

Lorne Cardinal and Kyle Nobess hosted the spectacular show, which was televised live on APTN. Errol Ranville was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The audience of just over 4000 enjoyed performances by Derek Miller, Ghost Keeper, Elisapie Isaac, Kelly Daniels, Don Amero, Samian with Florent Vollant, Pacific Curls, and C-Weed Band with Ali Fontaine.

Awards were handed out in nine categories. And the winners are (in red):

BEST COUNTRY CD
• **ALI FONTAINE | SAGKEENG, MANITOBA
**Ali Fontaine
• DON AMERO | WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
The Long Way Home
• DONNY PARENTEAU | PRINCE ALBERT, SASKATCHEWAN
To Whom It May Concern
• GENEVIEVE FISHER | LONDON, ONTARIO
Without Borders
• LEANNE GOOSE | INUVIK, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
Got You Covered

BEST RAP / HIP HOP CD
• JB THE FIRST LADY | VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Get Ready Get Steady
• KASP | PENTICTON, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Muskwa
• SAMIAN | ROUYN- NORANDA, QUEBEC
Face À La Musique
• SHAWN BERNARD | EDMONTON, ALBERTA
Collabonation
• **WINNIPEG’S MOST | WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
**GoodFellaz

BEST POW WOW CD - CONTEMPORARY
• A TRIBE CALLED MI’KMAQ | MI’KMAQ FIRST NATION, NOVA SCOTIA
We Honour The Water
• BAD NATION | FORT THOMPSON, SOUTH DAKOTA
V
• **BLACK BEAR | MANAWAN, QUEBEC
**Out of Hibernation
• BROWN EAGLE SINGERS | ONTARIO
Rockin the Pow Wow Trailz
• ELK SOLDIER | MARTY, SOUTH DAKOTA
A Warrior Society

BEST POW WOW CD - TRADITIONAL
• BLACKFOOT CONFEDERACY | FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA
Hail to the Chiefs
• **BLACKSTONE | DUFFIELD, ALBERTA
**Live in Alexis
• SAGE HILLS | KAMLOOPS, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Sage Hills
• SMOKE TRAIL | IVRY SUR LE LAC, QUEBEC
A Long Red Road
• ZOTIGH SINGERS | ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO
It’s A Good Day To Dance

BEST NEW ARTIST
• **ALI FONTAINE | SAGKEENG, MANITOBA
• CERAMONY | JAMES BAY, QUEBEC
• CRIS DERKSEN | VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
=• DIYET | BURWASH LANDING, YUKON
• GHOSTKEEPER | HIGH LEVEL, ALBERTA

SINGLE OF THE YEAR
• ALI FONTAINE | SAGKEENG, MANITOBA
Say to Me
• DEREK MILLER | SIX NATIONS, ONTARIO
Stoned for Days
• SAMIAN | ROUYN- NORANDA, QUEBEC
Tshinanu by Samian & Florent Vollant / Claude McKenzie
• TERRI-LYNN | SURREY, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Call To The Ancestors
• **WINNIPEG’S MOST | WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
**Don’t Stop

ABORIGINAL SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR
• CERAMONY | JAMES BAY, QUEBEC
The Last Great Man by Rakesso Mukash & Matthew A. Iserhoff
• **DEREK MILLER | SIX NATIONS, ONTARIO
**Stoned for Days
• DON AMERO | WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
Right Where I Wanna Be by Don Amero & Jay Tooke
• SAMANTHA CRAIN | SHAWNEE, OKLAHOMA
Santa Fe
• SAMIAN | ROUYN- NORANDA, QUEBEC
Tshinanu by Samian & Florent Vollant / Claude McKenzie

ABORIGINAL MALE ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
• DALLAS ARCAND | CALGARY, ALBERTA
• **DEREK MILLER | SIX NATIONS, ONTARIO
• DON AMERO | WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
• DONNY PARENTEAU | PRINCE ALBERT, SASKATCHEWAN
• INDIGENOUS | SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA

ABORIGINAL FEMALE ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
• ELISAPIE ISAAC | MONTREAL, QUEBEC
• JB THE FIRST LADY | VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
• KRISTI LANE SINCLAIR | VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
• **LEELA GILDAY | YELLOWKNIFE, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
• YVONNE ST. GERMAINE | SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN

ABOUT MANITO AHBEE
The Manito Ahbee Festival celebrates and showcases Aboriginal music, art and culture, with the 6th annual festival taking place in Winnipeg from November 2-6. Manito Ahbee – which means ‘where the Creator sits’ – honours a sacred site in Manitoba’s Whiteshell Provincial Park where Aboriginal people have gathered for hundreds of years to share teachings and wisdom. There are several petroforms at this site including one shaped like a turtle that represents Turtle Island, another name for North America. The Board of Governors, staff and organizers of Manito Ahbee express deep gratitude for all participants, supporters and communities who have come together to make the festival what it is today.

2011 Miss Manito Ahbee Travelling Princess crowned

The 2011 Miss Manito Ahbee Travelling Princess was crowned on Saturday, November 5, 2011. Torry Marie Eagle Speaker received the crown this year, which was given out in honour of Cherisse Houle -- the 17-year-old whose body was found in a stream near Winnipeg in 2009. Speaker, who is 17 herself, is from Cardston, Alberta. The Manito Ahbee Festival wrapped up on Sunday at MTS Centre. The highlight was the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Awards on Friday. In the photo below, outgoing Princess Sage Speidel (left) crowns the new princess.