The next meeting of Council will be held at 10 am on Thursday, July 23, 2020. At this meeting, Council will review the Audited Financial Statements for the Year Ending March 31, 2020. Salome Barker will also be sworn in as the new Youth Representative.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, this meeting will be closed to members.

Emily Laite is a Mi’Kmaq youth from Gander who stays connected to her culture by attending band meetings and taking part in cultural days and activities. “There is still so much I don’t know about my culture,” said Emily. “I want to be able to learn about my culture and be able to pass it along to other members of the community for years to come.

For Emily being a Mi’kmaw youth means being a part of a greater community.  She said, “I am proud to live as a Mi’kmaw person and to be able to learn about my heritage and my culture from other members of my community.”

Emily has always taken part in meetings and cultural events over the years but plans to become more involved in her hometown of Gander now that she has finished her post-secondary education and is living home again.

Among her long list of accomplishments Emily is currently on the Board of Directors for the Atlantic Summer Institute, “that takes place in Prince Edward Island in which we do a lot of work with Indigenous people and their mental health,” she explained.

She is also on the Premier’s Youth Council where she has the opportunity to meet with the Premier and several ministers to discuss various topics, “I strive to not only represent youth in this role but also indigenous peoples; therefore, I advocate for different ways of thinking about topics such as mental health, education, and healthcare practices.”

When discussing Qalipu’s Comprehensive Community Plan, Emily said that a part of her vision for the future of Qalipu is that there will be more cultural activities held in Central Newfoundland, “to allow Band members to learn more about our culture and to become more involved,” she said. Right now, Emily said there are not many events held in her area that allow indigenous youth, such as herself, to learn and engage with Mi’kmaq culture.

Emily’s vision for the future of Qalipu also includes seeing initiatives put in place to teach Indigenous education island-wide, “this could involve children having access to resources to help them learn how to speak Mi’Kmaq and also to learn about their ancestors and cultural practices,” said Emily.

The Qalipu Cultural Foundation, along with a multitude of Indigenous community partners, is happy to report that the first-ever “virtual celebration” of National Indigenous Peoples Day was a huge success.  Thousands of people tuned into the online content from throughout the country and participants were happy to have the chance to connect to their culture and their community from anywhere with internet access.  The event was so well received in fact that even when face-to-face celebrations can resume, the planning team commits to offering a digital connection for years to come!

Qalipu Band Chief Brendan Mitchell commented on the positive aspect of the community working together during difficult times.  He said, “Witnessing our Nation finding a way to come together to celebrate and share was such a positive light during this unprecedented and unpredictable time.  This event demonstrates the strength of our community when we work together, and I hope to see many more virtual celebrations in the future.”

Content that was shared included a medicine bag teaching and tutorial, stories, messages from community members, song sharing and a bed-time story for the little ones.  If you missed the day, you can access all uploaded videos on the Qalipu First Nation Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/QalipuFirstNation/videos/

The Qalipu Cultural Foundation and Band would like to thank the following groups and individuals for taking part and sharing in the event:

St. John’s Mi’kmaq Women’s Circle
Michelle Bennett
Mi’kmaq Drumming and Cultural Circle, Inc.
Colleen Paul
Aspen Woodworks Demonstration
St. George’s Indian Band
Burgeo Band of Indians
Indian Cove Women’s Circle
Qalipu First Nation
Qalipu Youth Network
North Shore Aboriginal Group Inc
Dean Simon
Exploits Aboriginal Community Group
Tyrone Mulrooney
Benoit First Nation
Kikmanaq Indigenous Cultural Revival Association
People of the Dawn Indigenous Friendship Center
Newfoundland Aboriginal Women’s Network
Parks Canada

The Qalipu Cultural Foundation has partnered with Ulnooweg Indigenous Communities Foundation and the Mastercard Foundation to bring you this opportunity to win an iPad! If you’re a student struggling to afford an electronic device, please see below for more details including eligibility criteria and how to apply.

• Join ‘Comprehensive Community Plan’ Facebook Group to download the colouring page.
• Share your child’s completed art on social media with #CCPColouringContest.
• E-mail coloured image to sgardiner@qalipu.ca
• Your child could win one of three kids prize packs!

Click here to visit the Comprehensive Community Plan Group and participate in this colouring contest (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1707570856049539)

Qalipu First Nation is dedicated to providing support and creating opportunities for Mi’kmaq artists and craftspeople. Mi’kmaq people who create traditional and modern art and craft act as a catalyst to cultural revival; artists and craftspeople are preserving and promoting our traditional skills.

Experience Qalipu is partnering with the Deer Lake Airport Gift Shop to provide retail space to Mi’kmaq artists and craftspeople. Brent Marsden, the owner of the giftshop, is working with the Experience Qalipu team to create a section of the store dedicated to authentic Indigenous art and craft. Marsden shares that he is “looking forward to showing visitors another aspect of Newfoundland culture.” This retail space will create an economic and promotional opportunity for Mi’kmaq artists and craftspeople.

Tara Saunders, Director of Community Development at Qalipu First Nation says ” We are extremely excited to work with the Deer Lake Airport Gift Shop to offer this opportunity to our Indigenous community.  We will continue to work on other retail opportunities for our crafts people and artists throughout our region and beyond.  Promoting Indigenous products not only creates economic growth for our people, but also helps to preserve important elements of who we are for many generations to come.”

If you are a Mi’kmaq artist or craftsperson who is interested in selling your items at the Deer Lake Airport Gift Shop, please contact Alex Antle for more information, aantle@qalipu.ca. Please note that you do not need to be a member of the Qalipu First Nation Band to take advantage of this opportunity, this retail space is open to all Indigenous people.

If you are a Mi’kmaq artist or craftsperson who is interested in staying up to date with all Indigenous art and craft opportunities, please sign up for the Experience Qalipu Art and Craft Opportunity Mailing list: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ArtistMailingList

If you are a Mi’kmaq artist or craftsperson who is interested in staying up to date with all Indigenous art and craft opportunities, please sign up for the Experience Qalipu Art and Craft Opportunity Mailing list: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ArtistMailingList