Opaskwayak Cree Nation is home to many talented people who have a variety of gifts to share. When it comes to music, everyone knows there’s a star in the community and he’s been a part of the music scene for quite some time. Ahab Constant started playing music at a very young age and grew up around several musical influences within his own family.
“I started playing the fiddle when I was very young,” said Constant. “We were living in Barrows at the time. My uncles were living around there too and they had a couple of instruments, a guitar and a fiddle. I was more interested in the fiddle than the guitar.
“One day I went to visit my uncle and he told me to just play the guitar, and not to touch the fiddle that was hanging on the wall. While I was there, he was getting ready to go somewhere to see some friends, and told me once again to not touch the fiddle on the wall. I started playing the guitar and he left. I kept looking out the window, while playing the guitar, to see how far away he was. Finally, he was out of sight, and then I picked up the fiddle.

Many of us don’t realize the power and healing that can come by sharing lived experiences and one’s culture with others. This has been a powerful journey that Steven Nipin-Muskwa has been on and discovered through the course of his life. He didn’t grow up immersed in his Indigenous culture, but he has taken the time to rectify that and share it with others.
“My family is originally from The Pas and my mother was a Sixties Scoop survivor,” said Nipin-Muskwa. “She was raised in the U.S. by a non-Indigenous family. I grew up knowing nothing about my Indigenous culture and about 15 years ago I went to my first pow wow with some friends. I didn’t know anything about where I was from or my family, but watching the pow wow, I was drawn into it and it was amazing.

Canadian social media sensation, Gurdeep Pandher, has caught the eye of many followers online with his Bhangra dancing and spreading messages of joy, hope and positivity. Pandher makes videos of his Bhangra dancing and shares them on his social media. This all started as a result of the pandemic and as a means of lifting people’s spirits up.
“I live in the Yukon territory, in an off the grid cabin in the wilderness,” said Pandher. “When the pandemic started, I became passionate about Bhangra dancing and sending out positive and joy during that time when it was very much needed. I started making a video each day, dancing in the wilderness around my cabin and posting it on social media as sending messages of joy, hope and positivity across the country and beyond.

Kelsey Learning Centre first opened its doors to students in the fall of 1996. The center began as a partnership between UCN (which was Keewatin Community College at the time) and Kelsey School Division. With only two instructors and one of them acting as part-time administrator, one room, and about 25 students, Kelsey Learning Centre fast became the place for adult students to complete their Mature High School diploma. Throughout the 27 years of its existence, KLC has helped 983 adult students receive their Mature Adult Diploma!
KLC is a Manitoba certified Adult Learning and Literacy centre. Adult students with all kinds of literacy and academic needs are welcome. In terms of programming, KLC offers full time day and some evening classes toward a Mature Adult Diploma, academic upgrading for high school, as well as academic upgrading for post-secondary programs.

A long-standing volunteer with The Pas Arts Council has been given a prestigious recognition for her many years of dedication and service. Elaine Bollman received the Governor General’s Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers last week in a local presentation amongst friends and colleagues.
Bollman was drawn into volunteering for The Pas Arts Council when she went to a meeting to learn more about the organization.
“In 1985, I saw an advertisement in the paper and it said The Pas Arts Council was hosting a meeting,” said Bollman. “I had heard of the group and only lived a block and half away, so I decided to see what they were all about. I thought it was a good way to learn about the organization. I attended the meeting and the group welcomed me in, and by the time I left the meeting, I was the vice-president.”

The Town of The Pas continues to work on the Housing Accelerator Fund. The first initiative to support transport of manufactured, prefabricated and modular homes to The Pas. The incentive program will cover some or all of the costs associated with transporting manufactured, prefabricated or modular dwelling units to sites in The Pas, up to $20,000 per unit delivered. Along with that it could cover incentive payments, administrative costs and advertising materials to publicize the program. It’s estimated at $360,000 and estimated 18 units permitted under the initiative.

Simon the Scientist made finals for Pow-Wow Pitch by winning the Youth category. Simon will not be pitching at the finals on October 19. Go Simon!

It’s hard nowadays for people to understand how vitally important it is to locally grow and source your own food. Many of us rely on the convenience of what the supermarket and grocery stores offer, but The Pas Helping Hands 4-H took in a more hands-on approach to putting together a meal.
“The 50-metre Meal has been done around the world in many different shapes and forms,” said The Pas Helping Hands 4-H Leader Cheryl Antonio. “Shawn, from Round the Bend Farm and I have had a great 4-H farm relationship for a long time and we will quite often join forces to host events and activities. We were brainstorming one day and Shawn said he had been thinking about the 50-metre Meal for some time.

The Rotary Club of The Pas President Don McKay and Rotary District Governor Sonja Susut, visiting from Moose Jaw, SK, recently presented the Paul Harris Fellow Award to six deserving community members. The Paul Harris Fellow is the highest form of recognition a Rotary Club can bestow. It is presented to a Rotarian or a member of the community who has made an outstanding contribution to the community. The individuals recognized recently are: