All Canadians need to be aware of one another’s traditional  cultures. The investigation of unmarked First Nation children’s graves at a Kamloops, B.C and the hate crime and killings of a Muslim family in London, Ont. underscore our need for tolerance and understanding.
I was happy to read National Indigenous People’s Day June 21 will have powwow demonstrations at the heritage village at the North Battleford Western Development Museum. Other activities include moss bag and tipi teachings, dry meat making and crushing of frozen chokecherries, perhaps for pelican making. They will also relay interesting stories from the past. These are all included in the museum gate entry fee.
These activities will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday until Aug. 27.
Approximately five years ago I attended a similar event at Battlefords agricultural grounds and it was educational. Locally, we have the Plains  Cree and in Saskatchewan there are five tribes including Dakota, Dene (Chipewyan), Nakota (Assiniboine) and Saulteaux. There are 205 reservations, 10 tribal councils and 11 independent First Nations.
Summer registration for swimming lessons in a lake is a high priority for many families. Within our area lessons are offered at: Glenburn Regional Park (near Maymont) the last week of July; Meeting Lake Regional Park  near Rabbit Lake starting July 5 for two one-week sessions; and Memorial Lake Regional Park  near Shell Lake starting July 5 (register on the beach the Sunday before the commencement of  lessons).  Â
Some kids from our area would drive to Radisson’s outdoor pool for lessons, but the town’s administrator reports lessons are cancelled because of COVID-19.
Golfers are enjoying the exercise, fresh air and companionship of others on the courses these days. Spiritwood has a scenic, lakeside, 18-hole course. It is situated on the historic Carlton Trail near junction of Highways 3. 24 and 378. There are seasonal RV sites available this season. Call 306-883- 2731 or email www. Spiritwoodgollfcourse.ca. Â
Memorial Regional Park offers many specials and contact number is 306-427-2124 or visit for tee bookings. Chitek Lake nine-hole golf course is situated in the boreal forest. A red fox might come dashing out or a hawk may swoop down to grab your ball, adding a little extra entertainment. Office telephone number is 306-984-4514 or email [email protected]. Meeting Lake Regional Park offers mini golf.
The May Top 10 Saskatchewan country charts have Shantaia Poulin, originally from Spiritwood, as number 3. The Canadian charts have her ranked as 28th. Many local folks know her family. Her parents are Alan and Lana Poulin who now reside in Warman. Lana’s maiden name is Tiringer, which is a well-known name in the north. Shantaia resides in Nashville, Tenn.
Twenty-two years ago we got devastating news about one of our sons being in a bad vehicle accident. Greg was in Saskatoon hospitals for seven weeks. Last year, also in this month, Ryan had a terrible quad accident. When  the month of June appears, I always relive the past and thank God that they are both alive.
The crops are maturing well due to the great amount of precipitation .These hot sunny days are drawing us closer to summer and the crops are loving it.
Happy Father’s Day to all of the hard-working dads out there. Enjoy your dedicated day.
