Corner Brook Mount Moriah Massey Drive Huges Brook Irishtown / Summerside Meadows Gilliams

McIvers Cox's Cove Steady Brook Pasadena Little Rapids Gallants Spruce's Brook

Introduction:

The Corner Brook Mi’kmaq Band was the first Indian Band council formed on the West Coast of Newfoundland and the first organizational meeting was held in the early 1970’s.

In attendance, was a small group of interested people of Mi’kmaq descent. The purpose of the meeting was to devise a strategy that would one day move the aboriginal movement closer to reaching their goal of gaining status as registered Mi’kmaq people. Likewise, it was the goal of the meeting to gather other Mi’kmaq people to join with the Conne River Band to aid in their plight with The Department of Indian and Northern Affairs for recognition. Eventually, the group would join with Conne River and a band from Labrador and become The Native Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (N.A.N.L.)

A copy of the N.A.N.L. news dated May 17, 1975 carries a report from the Corner Brook Band Council dated April 20, 1975. This report states that an annual meeting was held at the Holiday Inn in Corner Brook and guest speaker for the evening had been Mr. Bart Jack who was the president of the Native Association of Newfoundland and Labrador. An election was held that evening and Mr. Jack Mitchell was elected President and Marie Mitchell was elected Vice-President.

Eventually the Labrador contingent withdrew from the N.A.N.L. and went their separate way.

Another report from the newspaper (the Caribou) printed in St. George's dated June 30, 1982, stated, that at a meeting of the Corner Brook Indian Band Council, a motion was passed to change the name of the band to the Bay of Islands Indian Regional Band Council. An election was held at that meeting and Mr. Gerard Webb was elected as President. From 1982 onward, the band decided that elections would be held every two years instead of every one.

Eventually the Bay of Islands Indian Regional Band was dissolved and the Corner Brook Band and the Benoit’s Cove Band operated independently.

By 1984 the Conne River Band received their status from the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs that left the rest of the bands on the island having to deal with Indian Affairs from a new vantage point.

An election held in 1999 saw Ms. Marie Newman elected as chief for two years. An election held in January 2004 saw Ellen Edmunds elected Chief. To date Ms. Edmunds has resigned and Ed Webb is currently acting Chief.

Band Activities:

Corner Brook Aboriginal Women’s Association       

Address:	PO Box 373 Corner Brook, NL A2H6E3
Telephone:	(709) 634-8303
Fax:	(709) 639-1093
Email:	cbaboriginalwomen@hotmail.com

The Corner Brook Aboriginal Women’s Association would like to take this opportunity to introduce our Association. This commencement took place in April 2003.

We are a grassroots and aboriginal women’s organization committed to the promotion and enhancement of the rejuvenation of our cultural and spiritual heritage.   Our vision is to build strong Aboriginal families proud of their culture by:

Enhancing and respectfully learning the Aboriginal culture Promoting community awareness of the Aboriginal culture Liaising with other Provincial and National Aboriginal Organizations with common goals Developing programs and activities for Aboriginal women and families Being a voice for Aboriginal women Addressing issues faced by Aboriginal women Serving as a resource within the community

Board of Directors
Co-Chairs:	Gwen Campbell & Michelle Gillette
Secretary:	Michelle Matthews
Treasurer:	Shelley Connolly
Elder Representative:	Elizabeth Campbell
Youth Representative:	Sonya Bennett
Members at Large:	Gail Anderson, Jean Murphy, Joanne Keough

Since our commencement, we have had meetings on the second Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm at the Corner Brook Women’s Centre.  Special guests have included Candace Russell and a youth drummer who performed Mi’kmaq songs and cultural speaker who joined us in the early fall, 2004, and Victor Muise who participated in a Talking/Healing Circle ceremony at a Pot Luck meal prior to Christmas. During our meetings we have discussed and performed sweet grass ceremonies using tobacco, sweet grass, sage and cedar. We have had topics of discussion regarding the medicine wheel, dream catchers, talking stick and sweat lodges. We created an Awareness Board for June 6th Aboriginal Day. We have had the wonderful experience to make and taste bannock. Our latest and largest task was a submission of the very first Aboriginal Float for the Corner Brook Christmas Parade. Its purpose was to create awareness that this group is very active and to welcome any new, interested Aboriginal Women to join us at our monthly gatherings. We were pleasantly surprised to have won 1^st place in non-commercial category. We have done several fundraising projects to offset expenses incurred for these activities such as a 50/50 Draw, Halloween and Christmas Baskets. We must thank the 35-40 active members for the donations they have made.

We are very proud of what we have accomplished since our commencement and we are looking to what the future holds for the Mi’kmaq Women in Corner Brook and the rest of Newfoundland. For further information, contact our Co-Chairs Gwen Campbell @ 634-8308 or Michelle Gillette @ 632-3079.

In December, Corner Brook Aboriginal Women=s Association held a Taking/Healing Circle Ceremony headed by cultural speaker, Victor Muise. Joining him are the elders that attended the ceremony.

Corner Brook Youth

The youth in Corner Brook have been involved in a number of initiatives, and have been active members in their band area. There have been a small number of youth involved with the youth activities hosted by the FNI youth program, but their dedication is unparalleled. The youth of the Corner Brook Band have also been involved in such initiatives as the E-Spirit Business Plan Competition, which is sponsored in part by the Business Development Bank of Canada, which saw them competing with hundreds of Aboriginal Youth in Prince George, B.C. during the summer of 2004. They have also been involved with fundraising efforts to attend various cultural events, namely the 2nd annual Conne River Powwow, in which they fundraised the highest amount of funds per person to attend the event. Richard Louvelle, is the leader for the Corner Brook Youth Group. He is a very dedicated young Aboriginal Person who has learned a significant amount about his culture since he began his involvement in 2003.

Below is an example of the Column “Youth Speak” that was created by the FNI Youth Committees and developed by Youth Leader Cindy Kyle of the Flat Bay Indian Band Council Youth Group:

Richard Louvelle, Leader of Corner Brook Youth Group

Youth Group Leader

Richard Louvelle is sixteen years old and a member of the Corner Brook Indian Band Council.

Richard became very interested in finding out more about his Mi’kmaq culture after attending the Youth Crime and Victimization Conference in September of 2003.  When he was informed of the creation of Youth Committees Richard leaped at the opportunity of getting involved.

He did this by becoming a youth leader of the Corner Brook Indian Band Youth Committee.  As youth leader, Richard plans educational activities, fundraisers and meetings.  He also helps the youth get involved by letting them know that these events are there for them to experience.

Being involved with the youth committee has helped Richard in a variety of ways.  He has become a very strong leader and it has raised his self-esteem.   For example, at one point in time Richard was extremely shy and not comfortable to speak in public.  However, since his leadership of the youth committee he has found the confidence to make such speeches.  He feels that it has also given him the experience to deal with a number of situations that at another point in time he could not have handled. 

In addition to communication skills Richard has been able to learn a great deal about his culture.  Through being involved with the youth committee, he has become introduced to various Mi’kmaq crafts and has taken up making dream catchers in his spare time as a result.  He has also learned a great deal about the traditions and ceremonies.  He has had the opportunity to meet individuals with this knowledge and participate in some ceremonies such as the sweet grass ceremony.

Over all Richard says that being involved makes him feel great as an individual and that it has helped shape the outcome of tomorrow for him.

Council:

Ed Webb (Acting Chief)	Phone:	(709) 634-1696
	Email:	ewebb_234@hotmail.com
Daphne Park (Secretary)	Phone:	N/A
Brenda Power, Treasurer	Phone:	N/A
Derek Baldwin, Board Member	Phone:	N/A
Shannon Morgan, Board Member	Phone:	N/A
Eugene Webb, Board Member	Phone:	N/A
Joan Oxford, Board Member	Phone:	N/A
Ellie Edmunds, Board Member	Phone:	N/A
Marie Sparks, Band Elder	Phone:	N/A
Chrissie Pike, Youth Representative	Phone:	N/A