These smoke signals aren’t as clear yet as I intend them to be, so bear with me. “Blogging” has become a lot more sophisticated since I used to do it regularly, so there are a few new tricks this old dog’s gotta learn. I’ve got lots of photos I still wanna upload, but you can dig the work in progress on the right there (“W’s eyes” link). Also, you’ll notice a link to my old site, where the old blog still exists. That one peaked during my years in Toronto, so if you really wanna know what kinda cool guy I thought I was back then, check out those old posts. 

Thanks for tuning in so far! I appreciate all the feedback. The revolution starts now.

Winnipeg’s media outlets got together today at Academy Uptown Bowling Lanes for Bowl for Kids Sake – a fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Winnipeg. It was a really fun event with some good-natured rivalry between some of the newspapers and radio and TV stations in town. We were all teamed with some awesome kids and their Big Brothers/Big Sisters. CBC was well represented with two full teams, but it wasn’t enough to take the mounted bowling shoe that was the top prize. That went to CityTV (although they had a ringer for a Big Brother!). Not sure what the final fundraising tally was, but it was a lot. And most importantly, all the kids there had a blast.

CBC News at Six’s Sheila North-Wilson, the weird Winnipeg Goldeyes mascot, and HOT103′s Ace Burpee.

The rest of the CBC team.

He’s got his own statues, upright and proud in various historic locations around town. His face is on t-shirts, worn by proud youngsters and naive hipsters alike. His death row writings fetched more than 30 Gs on the auction block. His image and posthumous popularity are reaching Che- and Tupac-like proportions. Canada killed Louis Riel more than 120 years ago, but today his people are resurrecting him as a modern-day messiah.

That spirit is simmering to a scorching boil here in the heart of Métis country – Winnipeg. This week marked the second annual Louis Riel Day: a midwinter holiday to celebrate his accomplishments as a revolutionary leader and founder of this country. A country that executed him now celebrates his contributions, and that has solidified what was once a tenuous (and maybe ambiguous) cultural identity called Métis. People with only vague notions of Métis in their bloodlines are now finding out what that really means, and those who have celebrated it all along are screaming even louder.

In a lot of ways, an historic face is shaping the character of a new generation not only here in Manitoba, but across the country. It’s quite remarkable, and I share in the pride of my Métis brothers and sisters in this modern revelation of Louis Riel. Honestly, it makes me a little jealous. Being a proud Anishinaabe, I have my own cultural icons who have played a huge role in shaping the history of this continent. But they don’t have holidays named after them. On a superficial level, I want t-shirts of some of my Ojibway heroes to sort of hiply objectify my background. At least it’s awareness. 

And that awareness goes beyond getting “the card” or wearing a sash, just like with any aboriginal culture struggling to maintain its relevance and traditions in a rapidly evolving society. The Metis foundation here in Manitoba is now so much stronger, and it’s up to the young people to keep building that momentum. We saw lots of sashes and jigging this week. But it’s up to the youth to ensure this doesn’t become one of those “only go to church on Christmas” kinda deals. Like my dad always said, “You can’t just be Indian only when it’s convenient for you.” That’s not to say at all that this current cultural renaissance is in any way purely cosmetic. Rather, the seed is in the ground, and it’s so empowering to see the rain get stronger, and a new generation of Métis flourish.

Winnipeg has been called “Capital Rez” for a long time now, because of the strong Aboriginal presence here. And now it’s officially the Metis capital of Canada too. I’m proud to call a place with so much indigenous history and pride my current home. And because Louis Riel’s face is now everywhere, I’m excited to see what’s in store for this town.

My bro Musky and Louis, September 2007.