Some Indigenous artists are channelling their anxieties about the COVID-19 pandemic into making unique face masks using traditional crafting techniques and materials.  “During the pandemic, I’m trying to learn to relax and do stuff for me,” said Marlana Thompson from Akwesasne, a Mohawk community straddling the Ontario, Quebec and New York state borders.  She created a mask…

People in Akwesasne will now be able to get tested for the novel coronavirus without leaving the community. The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne received permission from the Eastern Ontario Health Unit to operate a mobile testing clinic to address the unique geographic challenges of the Mohawk community, which straddles the Ontario, Quebec, and New York State borders. Prior,…

Mi’kmaw communities across Nova Scotia, also known as the ancestral territory of Mi’kma’ki, are showing their support for the victims of a mass shooting that spanned 50 kilometres across the province.  The 12-hour ordeal began late Saturday, and resulted in a gunman killing at least 20 people, including an RCMP officer. It’s considered to be…

A cluster of COVD-19 cases on Cormorant Island, B.C., has led to the declaration of a local state of emergency for the ‘Namgis First Nation, Whe-la-la-u Area Council and Village of Alert Bay.  Speaking at her daily news briefing on Monday, Dr. Bonnie Henry said “my understanding is there’s somewhere around six or eight people…

Playwright and novelist Drew Hayden Taylor is among the 11 writers longlisted for the 73rd Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour. Taylor is nominated for the play Cottagers and Indians. The prize, worth $15,000, is awarded to the best book of humour each year. There were 84 books up for consideration this year. The 2020 longlist includes…

While the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increases in First Nations across the country, some communities have issued lockdowns, erected checkpoints, and implemented curfews to curb the spread of the pandemic. The Opaskwayak Cree Nation near The Pas, Man., passed a motion to evict tenants who continue to disobey physical distancing rules by having large gatherings,…