It's almost the Aboriginal Achievement Awards

I don’t get out very much but when I do it has to be something down right enticing to pull me off the couch. It’s like catching a Black Maria with a number two Mepp’s Spinner. The Aboriginal Achievement Awards caught my attention and I was ready to bite when my enthusiasm dropped like a stone. Tickets cost three hundred dollars apiece! I know people whose monthly rent is less than that. Ouch. I could buy a decent Sony Trinitron for that much, watch it at home and keep the TV.

I was told by people who attended, it was a wonderful and exciting evening. The Centennial Auditorium was full. Andrea Menard shone like the sun but Michael Greyeyes was wooden and stiff. The Great Plains Dance Troupe made Saskatchewan proud. The award winners glowed.

Four hundred dream catchers purchased from locals at twenty dollars apiece were handed out to quests. Locals, including needy First Nations University of Canada students, were also hired as couriers and casual labour. The ticket sales were donated to an Aboriginal bursary. I grudgingly accept the hefty ticket price did benefit many people.

I never had much use for elitist Indians but I was prepared to rub shoulders with the crème de la crème as they say. I was ready to dab on the Old Spice wear my Value Village suite, VO5 the hair and go for it but alas it was not to be.

I remember back in the early 1970’s when the Saskatoon Indian Metis Friendship Center was located on Twentieth Street above a vacuum cleaner store. In this compact space the Knight brothers band played endless renditions of Neil Young songs at local dances. “Cinnamon Girl“ remains burned in my mind.

From such humble beginnings came Chester Knight and the Wind and from his brother Harvey, daughter Allison aka Eekwol. Eekwol is a rising talent. I think this girl is going to surprise a lot of people. She’s got the singing voice, the intensity and the song writing skills to rip anyone away from their velcroed couch. She’s that good. Eekwol performed at the after show party for the Aboriginal Achievement Awards.

The Knight family were always musical. It’s nice to see this gift carry on to new generations. The late David Knight, patriarch of the family, was Chief of Muskoday First Nation for many years.

Aboriginal performing arts has definitely come some distance from “Tribal Trails” to today’s Aboriginal Achievement Awards and Aboriginal Peoples’ Television Network APTN. This is all fine and good but the only way I’m going to shell out three hundred dollars for the Aboriginal Achievement Awards is if Shania Twain stars and Neil Young sings the real rendition of “Cinnamon girl“. Eekwol would be a nice touch too. For those of you organizing next years awards this is great advice freely given.

I’ve heard of warring families on Dakota Tipi First Nation in Manitoba burning down each other’s homes. Then I spoke with a Chief from our province who had his home burned down too. He tells me things are getting so bad he predicts some Chief is going to be killed within three years. Add into this mix, addiction, broken families, boarding school issues, youth gangs, crime and the growing gap between the few rich and powerful Indians vs. the many poor and powerless and it becomes very apparent we are well into a dangerous time indeed.