MATAWA FIRST NATIONS CONGRATULATE ERIC SHEWAYBICK ON DAREARTS 2017 LEADERSHIP AWARD
THUNDER BAY, ON: Webequie First Nation Chief Cornelius Wabasse, joined by Matawa First Nations Management CEO David Paul Achneepineskum, congratulates Eric Shewaybick from Webequie First Nation in receiving a DAREarts award at a gala in Toronto yesterday evening.
Canada’s DAREarts is a national charity that empowers at-risk children with the confidence and courage to be leaders, using all the arts. They answer invitations from Indigenous communities to deliver arts programming that aligns with their culture, exposing the Indigenous children to creative learning opportunities and hope for the future. They have been in a number of Matawa communities including Webequie and Marten Falls First Nations on a “Spirit Bear” project which will be featured this summer at the Statford Festival’s Indigenous production of The Breathing Hole.
For receiving a DAREarts young 2017 Leadership Award, Shewaybick is celebrated as a young person who has used the power of the arts to ignite change in the lives of Canadian at-risk children—namely, those from his own community. He is one of six youths to be awarded a medallion and financial support. Jack Linklater Jr. from Attawapiskat First Nation was another Indigenous youth recognized amongst the six. DAREarts also honoured Canadian artist Gord Downie with a Cultural Lifetime Achievement Award.