Christine Daniels. Cree. 1931 - .

Christine helped co-found the Voice of Alberta Native Women's Society in 1967, founded the White Braid Dance Society (1976-87), and the White Buffalo Drummers and Dance Society in 1998. Her dancers have toured and performed in a number of foreign, overseas countries and has proved a fine ambassador who has represented her province and country.

Christine is one of the city's most revered Aboriginal Elders for the past dozen years. She has devoted time to the justice system and corrections as well as sitting on the Alberta Native Friendship Centres Association, NorQuest College, Native Counselling Services and the Canadian Native Friendship Centre where she is a lifetime member and the centre's resident Elder. She had four children - all girls.

Robert Henry Cardinal. Cree. 1944 - .

He is proud of the fact that he was able to leave the evils of booze behind him, has turned his own life around and has travelled the Red Road for 20 years now as a traditional and good person.

At times, his role requires him to deal with some fairly delicate human relational issues that require customary protocol and ethics that do not offend individuals, communities or organizations.

His main focus is aimed at meeting man's basic needs by advising and guiding them on whatever journey they are on irrespective of their status in life and in a manner that is positive, constructive and meaningful to achieving their objectives without harm or injury to anyone while exercising fairness, honesty, diplomacy and goodness for the well-being of all concerned.

In his role as a servant of the Creator, Cardinal never promotes himself nor does he hold himself out to be an Elder. He respects the Creator's will in helping others achieve spiritual well-being and, in so doing, touches the lives of hundreds and thousands. A humble servant of the Creator, his work is instrumental to the success and progress of the urban Aboriginal community of Edmonton.

Maria Clara Woodbridge (nee Twin). Cree. 1917 - .

Born Feb. 6, 1917, Woodbridge spent her early years west of Slave Lake at Kinuso until she was placed in the convent at Grouard when she was three and a half years old. She managed to remain fluent in her Native Cree tongue and at age 15, "hoboed" (hopped freight trains) her way to Chisolm with several other girls to work in the production of boxes for bullets used in the war effort.

By 1937, Woodbridge relocated to Edmonton because the work at Chisolm ran out. Otherwise, the girls also laboured on farms, usually at stooking during the summer months> In Edmonton,they hired on at the Royal Cafe for a year, then worked for Snowflake Laundrynear the railway tracks where the CN Tower stands.

To rent a room back then was a mere 35 cents a day. For the same amount of money, one could purchase a good meal. Woodbridge always possessed a great sense of humour and appreciated a good joke and lots of laughter which is good medicine for anyone.

She's a superb storyteller with a lot to share and enjoys spending time talking with anybody and everybody.

Eva Bereti. Cree. 1938 - .

Born and raised in Saskatchewan on August 2, 1938, at the Kawacatoose Indian Reserve, Eva Bereti (nee Poorman) found herself in a residential school at Lestock by age six. She spent eight years in the school before moving to Lebret for her high school. Then it was on to Saskatoon for three years to seek work. Apart from work she also found herself a husband with whom she moved to Calgary for six years. From there it was on to Edmonton where she located employment as a nanny for a city alderman with eight children.

For the last three dozen years she's volunteered with figure skating, brownies, guides, Bosco Homes, the Voice of Alberta Native Women's Society, women's prison and social service advisory boards. A very special focus for Bereti has been her work in the area of cancer, in particular with the Canadian Breast Cancer Society and she now sits on the world body that deals with breast cancer.

A job she actually dreamed about long before being hired for it was her 27-year stint (1975 - 2002) with the Edmonton Catholic Schools as a Native facilitator/counsellor. With four children of her own, she appreciated the weekends, holidays and summer months off. Speaking of education, 16 years ago she originated the Wahkotowin (We're All Related) Society, a non-profit group dedicated to promoting the development and achievements of Aboriginal school children she explained.

"Getting to know parents and seeing their children improve," is a high point for Bereti. She has given her best years to Aboriginal youth in Edmonton and says, "We, as Native people, have a lot to share."

Eva Ladouceur, Metis. 1922 - .

Ladouceur came into this world on April 1, 1922, and grew up traditionally as she and other family members fished, trapped and picked berries. When not performing those chores, she'd most often be found babysitting someone's children including her own siblings.

It was not until she was nine years of age that she attended school for 10 months at Holy Angels School. Three years later, she sat through another four months and such was the total extent of her formal education. Still, she explained, they were happy times, especially when she was singing - a talent that she nurtured for several decades later.

Ladouceur left the trapline at age 20 and move south to Oakland, California, with her husband. A few years later she found herself in Edmonton. It was the end of World War 11 and she worked as a waitress and at housekeeping including a 10 and a half year stretch with two of the province's Lieutenant Governors - Ralph Steinhauer and Frank Lynch-Staunton.

For 21 years Ladouceur sang lead in church choirs at St. Joseph's and at Native Pastoral Centre meetings. She's put in 43 years of singing at the annual Lac St. Anne Pilgrimage. Then, too, there was the singing trio of Eva, Audrey and Connie, that travelled all over the country singing at weddings, funerals and so on.

They were referred to as the "Singing Angels" as well as "The Three Musketeers."

Ladouceur is frequently hired to open conferences and special events with her powerful Cree/French/English rendition of O Canada. The 2001 IAAF World Games in Edmonton was such an occasion, one that she recalls proudly. Despite her 82 years, Eva Ladouceur still has "the voice."

Joe Patchakes Cardinal. Cree. 1921 - 2003.

He conducted traditional ceremonies (pipe, smudge, etc.), and counselled and/or mentored students, teachers, law enforcement officers, social workers ande many others about Aboriginal culture, traditions, protocol and ethics.

Cardinal was born Nov. 19, 1921, in northeastern Alberta but moved to Saddle Lake when he was eight. He attended Blue Quills School in St. Paul up to Grade 6, then enlisted in the Canadian Army at age 19. He served overseas in Germany, Italy and France, including the infamous Beaches of Normandy where so many Cnaadians lost their lives. He survived to return home where he married his sweetheart, Jenny, and led others by example. He went on to serve on numerous boards and committees such as Native Counselling Services, Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta, Dreamcatcher Aboriginal Youth Conference, the National Parole Board, Alberta Community Development, Amiskwaciy Academy, Poundmaker/Nechi, RCMP K Division, etc.

It didn't matter to Cardinal whether a person was a Treaty Indian, Metis, Inuit or non-Native; they all received equal attention from Cardinal who always maintained, "We are all the same." And, yes, he always had or made time for all people, bar none. Indeed, Cardinal was a man who cared about others, a man who made a difference, a man who lovingly sacrificed and gave of himself for the betterment and future of others.

Cardinal passsed on to Big Sky Country on Dec. 12, 2003.

Adrian Montrose Hope. Metis. 1903 - 1987

In Metis country, he was the consumate poet, orator, storyteller and statesman. He was, likewise, a walking history book, a "keeper" of Metis culture. And, long before the term ever came into usage in Native circles, Adrian Montrose Hope was lovingly referred to as "the Senator" while also possessing the monicker "Pete" by those back home on the Kikino Metis Settlement who knew him personally.

Born at Morinville in 1903 of Cree and Scots parents, Hope farmed, ranched, fished, rode broncs, hopped freight trains and served as a Cree-English interpreter at the Indian Residential School in St. Albert. His forte, however, was his oratorical abilities. As a storyteller, speech maker, poet and humourist, he was unparalleled. Hope was frequently sought out to be a feature speaker or storyteller. Indeed, it seemed that schools, government and conferences were forever beating a path to his door to have him share his wit, humour and knowledge.

Here, too, was a die-hard Metis who held his head high, carried himself straight and tall, and profusely flaunted the strength and beauty of his Metis people. For several years in the 1960s he was the president of the Metis Association of Alberta with headquarters based in Edmonton. Although he had a home on the Kikino Settlement, his work also required him to reside in the city where he had to spend a good amount of his time. It was like a dual residency thing.

Well educated, this staunch cultural advocate mentored many of those who became future leaders and some who now mentor the younger generation of today. Hope was a friend to all and was not really known to have a bad word said about him. He had a brother by the name of Bob and you can figure the rest. That's right, his name was Bob Hope! Well, you better believe he often became the brunt of many a joke or story.

"Be that as it may," one of Hope's favourite expressions, the respected Elder passed away in February of 1987. In his wake, he left a far stronger bridge of understanding and acceptance of Metis people thanks to his educating the masses about Metis people, culture and history.

Lloyd Joseph Auger. Cree. 1934 - .

While at Blue Quills, Auger learned two things that would stay with him -- rasising cattle and shooting pool. The latter became a sport he really got to love and still manages to execute well despite his advancing stages of Parkinson's Disease. Upon leaving school,the six foot-three Auger worked hard at farming, logging and constructioin. At the age of 30, he returned to school to take Grades 9 - 12. He also proved quite adept at hunting and oncce bagged 190 mallards one fall.

In 1954, he moved to Edmonton where he worked in construction. Eventually though, he found his niche as a probation officer, a job he stuck with from 1968 until 1993. It's a job he's rightly proud of. So is his involvement as one of the original people that kick-started Poundmaker/Nechi, an addictions treatment centre whose programs became world renowned. He served with that board from 1974 to 1999 and could often be seen making the rounds at powwows, round dnaces and so forth, sellig 50/50s to raise funds for various causes. On one such occasion, at one of Poundmaker's powwows, he helped raise 8,000 dollars clear.

Auger has also sat on a number of boards such as the White Braid Dance Society, the Indian-Eskimo Association, Native Women's Pre-employmnet Services and the Canadian Native Friendship Centre with which he was an original board member. He also got to travel to Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Austria.

Auger's many, many years of dedication in the Aboriginal community in Edmonton and elsewhere was especially meaningful to him because, "I'm giving to the people," he explained. And wouldn't you know it . . . despite his ailment, Auger continues to pound the pavement and sell 50/50s to assist charities and other worthy causes.

As well, he continues to shoot one mean game of pool.

Georgina Bell Donald (nee Grandbois). Metis. 1932 - .

One of 10 children, Donald was born Nov. 10, 1932, at Calling Lake where she spent her first seven years. Then, she moved to Athabasca and Edmonton where she took her Grade 6 and more.

Like many women of her era she first worked at housekeeping including two years at the veteran's home (now Government House by the Provincial Museum). She put her work behind her when she got married in order to devote full time and attention to raising six children. After that, she didn't hesitate to re-enter the work force, eventually winding up as a referral worker with the then-fledgling friendship centre. Little did she know that she was destined to spend over 30 years with the organization.When one spends that kind of time with the same employer, what's left to say or do? Donald went from the bottom rung of referral worker to the extreme height of the ladder as executive director between 1966 and 1998.

Along with then-sports director, Gordon Russell, Donald fondly recalls working at so many programs and they all commanded a great deal of time and effort. That extra time, however, never meant anything to them as they moved forward to help meet the needs of youth and adults alike, especially in the areas of sports, recreation, crafts and social functions. A particular high point for Donald was the weekend dances to live music.

To see the growth and development of the centre was all the more special to Donald who went on to devote a lifetime to the retention of Metis cultural dancing. She had her dancers compete and win at numerous contests including the perenial Back to Batoche celebrations at Batoche, Sask., as well as performing in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Vancouver, the Dakotas, Montana and the Northwest Territories.

A number of those journeys were accomplished on shoestring budgets and it was not unusual for the group to sometimes survive on such simple staples as weiners and beans or bologna sandwiches. Still, they wouldn't change a thing. One year, the group had the pleasure of performing at Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill in Ottawa for Prime Minister Chretien and all the dignitaries.

Today, Donald (age 72) remains active in Metis dancing with the youth and is a lifetime member of the Native friendship centre.

Dr. Maggie Hodgson (nee Lacerte). Fraser Lake, B.C. 1944 - .

Maggie Hodgson (nee Lacerte) was born Sept. 27, 1944, and is married to Saint Don Hodgson. She worked a good 16 years with justice initiatives, then followed through with even more years devoted to education and healing. Keep The Circle Strong has grown from involving a respectable 25 communities to 1500 with 700,000 people involved! But that's not the half of it.

This amazing lady has also co-authored four books, served as a community developer and lobbyist for church and government policy, has managed an Aboriginal education research and health promotions institute for 18 years, is a key presenter to innumerable conferences in North America as well as parts of Europe and down under, and was invovled in the formation of several local, national and international societies/foundations.

She served on the Lac St. Anne Pilgrimage board, Pathways Board, the Social Planning Committee and chaired the Advisory Committee to the Minister of Child Welfare. Additionally, she's worked with national television focussing on family violence issues, sits on a dozen different service organization boards and was active as the chairperson for Alberta's off-reserve head start programs.

At the time of this writing she is actively involved with residential school healing and reconciliation matters that affect thousands across the country.

Her achievements have been recognized and acknowledged at both the mainstream level as well as that of the Aboriginal community at large. She is the recipient of the prestigious National Aboriginal Achievement Award, the United Nations Community Development Award, two honourary doctorates (University of Alberta and St. Paul University, Ottawa), an Alberta Aboriginal Role Model Award, the Alberta Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Commission Award of Excellence and more.