TELLING OUR STORY
Aboriginal Voices Media Conference
June 16-18, 1999
University of Toronto
Part of the Aboriginal Voices Festival
Current issues in print journalism, publishing, radio and television, and webcasting on the Internet
June 21, 1999
by Tehaliwaskénhas
Kick-starting the summer of '99, in Toronto thousands took in the Aboriginal Voices Festival at Harbourfront, including a film festival, music, artists, dancers-traditional and contemporary.It wraps up with a Buffalo Jump peace march from Nathan Philips Square, city hall down to the waterfront today, National Aboriginal Day in Canada.
At the Aboriginal Voices Media Conference in Toronto, delegates were told by network officials that the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network is on target and will go on the air September 1st.
Participants came from across North America to tackle technology questions, and tackled tough topics such as accountability in aboriginal communities and the role of the media.
One workshop included a discussion of the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky affair.It was discussed in the context of Indian Country and the belief by some that aboriginal leaders are expected to respect higher standards set for them.
Film-maker Alanis Obomsawin delivered an emotional message at the start of the three-day media gathering, and she also received special recognition as part of the Aboriginal Voices Festival at a special tribute dinner that included a mini-festival of her films.
As Obomsawin helped launch the media gathering being held at the University of Toronto she became overwhelmed with emotion as she talked of how aboriginal people are going somewhere new...moving away from all the pain, toward a better place for the people, a place of gifts and no more tears.
As an example of hope and progress, Obomsawin cited this fall's launch of the APTN Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.She said it will help move the people forward.
(Click above for the video and audio from a workshop held this summer in Toronto as part of the Telling Our Story aboriginal media conference. You will need real player or quicktime or another media player for this to work for you.)
Southwest Meets Southwest in the North!
Bernadette Chato, News and Public Affairs Director
KTNN and KWRK, Windowrock, Arizona and
Ben Winton, Editor Native Peoples Magazine, Phoenix, Arizona
Members of the Media get the Scoop on Registration
VIP Delegate CBC Newsanchor Carla Robinson
Beginning with Words and Prayers
Dan Smoke,President of Native News Network
of Canada
Respecting the Spirit of Tradition and Culture
Dan Smoke of the Seneca Nation and
Mary Lou Smoke, Batchewana Bay First Nation
Drumming and Singing-in
the Ancestral Spirits for Guidance
Conference Participants Receive
Smudge smoke from Dan Smoke
All contents are copyright 1998,1999 by INFOCOM Management-
a Native owned and operated company.
