Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
18TuesdayFebruary192013ByRENEFRANCOEUREdnaSchaeferofFortSmithdoesntliketobeinthespotlight.Imoneofthosewholiketoworkbehindthescenesshesaid.Idontlikebeingthecentreofat-tention.Youdonthelpoth-erstoberecognized.SowhenSchaefer73re-ceivedacalllastweekin-forminghershewasoneofthe2013winnersoftheWiseWomenAwardshostedbytheStatusofWomenCoun-cilofNWTshewasab-bergastedandoverwhelmed.IdidntevenknowIdbeennominated.IsaidMeAreyousureWhymeshesaidwithalaugh.TheannualWiseWomenAwardsrecognizewomenfromveNWTregionswhoarerolemodelsintheircom-munitiesandwhoarededi-catedtoimprovingthestatusofwomen.SchaeferoriginallyfromFortResolutionisatradi-tionalChipewyancrafts-womanandhasbeenmetic-ulouslysewingmoccasinsmoosehidejacketsandmit-tensfordecades.ShestaughtclassesinlocalschoolsandoffersworkshopsregularlyattheNorthernLifeMuseumNWTdo-goodersrecognizedwithWiseWomenAwardsandCulturalCentreinFortSmith.Schaeferlearnedhowtostitchfromhermotherandremembersbeingtaughttoknitonapairofsix-inchsteelnails.TheknowledgeIhaveIliketopassitdown.Itsourjobtodothatfortheteenag-erstodayshesaid.LouiseFraserhasknownSchaeferforyearsandsaidmanypeopleinFortSmithwillbeoverjoyedtolearnSchaeferhaswontheaward.ShehastouchedsomanyliveswithherkindnessandiskeepingthetraditionalnativecraftsaliveFrasersaid.Shellteachanyonewhowantstolearnwhethertheycanpayfortheirownmaterialsornot.Asidefromherhandi-workSchaeferisalsothatwomaninthecommunitywhoismakingextramealsfornewmomsorcleaninghouseforsickfriendsFra-seradded.WhenIwasfirstdi-agnosedwithcancershewouldcomeseemeandmakejigsawpuzzleswithmespendthewholeday.Thatmeanteverything.ImveryproudofherFra-sersaid.IfsomeoneneedshelpyesIlldropeverythingandgohelp.IcanalwaystakecareofmythingslaterSchae-fertoldTheJournal.Itsthelittlethingsthatpeopleremember.KarenWright-FraserofYellowknifeisalsoatradi-tionalknowledgeholderandafellowWiseWomenAwardwinnerthisyear.Wright-FraserrunsherownAboriginalartsandcraftsbusinessWhisperingWillowsandisalsothecom-munityliaisoncoordinatoratthePrinceofWalesNorthernHeritageCentre.Wright-FraseroriginallyfromInuviksaidsheiswillingtoteachtraditionalGwichinsewingpatternsandjiggingtoanyonewhowantstolearn.Shesaidshealsorunsherbusinesslikeacottagein-dustrytohelpotherswhilestillgivingthemasenseofautonomy.IfIhaveabigorderIllndgoodbeadersinthecom-munitywhoarestrugglingandneedextraincomeandtheycandosomepieceworkshesaid.AndalsoIndAborigi-nalwomenwhosewalotofthemdontgettheirmoneysworthforallthetimetheyputintotheirproducts.Theydontknowwhattocharge.Itrytoencouragethemtoputavalueonwhattheycreateandtosticktoit.Wright-Fraser48grewupinanalcoholichomeandhasbeensobernowfor21years.Ifoundmyvoiceandinnerstrength.Myhopeisformorewomentondtheirstooandforwomentoknowtheirrightstotakeonmoreleadershiprolesshesaid.TaipanaReneOliktoakofUluhaktokintheBeaufortDeltaregionMargaretAnnLandryofFortProvidenceandVivianEdgiManuelofFortGoodHopearealso2013WiseWomenwinners.Thewomenwillbecel-ebratedonMar.8Interna-tionalWomensDayatYel-lowknifesExplorerHotelduringapublicBreadandRosesluncheon.TheWiseWomenAwardshavebeenongoingsince1992.NorthernersWiseWomenAwardsPhotoReneFrancoeurPhotoGiselleMarionWiseWomenAwardwinnerEdnaSchaefershowsoffsomeofhermorerecentsewingprojectsinherhomeinFortSmith.KarenWright-Fraseroneofthe2013WiseWomenAwardre-cipientsenvisionsafuturewhereallwomenknowtheirrights.