AHA Media

AHA MEDIA filmed at DTES Smudge Ceremony 2010 at Main and Hastings in Vancouver

June 19, 2010 ahamedia 1 comment

The Downtown Eastside Smudge ceremony came to be through a vision and has been carried out by a very dedicated group of women. The Aboriginal Women’s Working Group is made up of traditional ceremonial women and men that work within organisations in the helping field. Over the past two times the smudge was carried out WAVAW took the lead to help with the organising of the ceremony, the working group has many partners and this year we are proud to say that the Pacific Association of First Nations Women is taking the lead with the organising. These women are taking leadership with the help of our men to bring this ceremony to the people to pray for the healing of the world and to bring an end to violence against women beginning with mother earth.

Each direction will have a youth to lead the way bearing the sacred flag, a traditional firekeeper bearing medicines to cleanse the sacred mother earth, one ceremonial man and women of each of the sacred races in the east yellow, the south black, in the west red, and north white. Also in each direction there will be four aboriginal ceremonial women and four aboriginal ceremonial men. These people are all known to the people as our helpers and healers. The drummers are also in ceremony and a sundance drum is used. The traditional people of these territories have given permission to do this work and all protocol of ceremony is followed for the entire ceremony from the first offering of tobacco to the closing.

Below are photos of the DTES Smudge Ceremony from an aerial view perspective

Below is a video of Sacred Races in the west Red marching to Main Street in DTES Smudge Ceremony 2010 in Vancouver

This video was filmed by April Smith of AHA MEDIA on a New Media camera – Panasonic DMC-ZS3. AHA MEDIA is about exploring mobile media production through New Media cameras. For a better quality version of this video or for additional footage, please DM April Smith @AprilFilms on Twitter or Facebook.com/AprilFilms

Below is a photo of Jenny Kwan, MLA

***Additional photo and video footage of this event is available upon request***

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Below are photos taken by Hugh Lampkin at National Aboriginal Day Celebration at Oppenheimer Park

Below is Rockin’ Randy giving a Big Smile

Categories: Aboriginal, AHA Media, April Smith, Community Engagement, Downtown Eastside, DTES, DTES Smudge Ceremony 2010, First Nations, Hastings Street, Hugh Lampkin, Main Street, Native, Vancouver, Vancouver Downtown Eastside, Women, Youth

AHA MEDIA welcomes David Murray, Community Advocate for Social Justice back home in Vancouver Downtown Eastside

June 18, 2010 ahamedia Leave a comment

Recently David Murray went on the 75 Anniversary of the On to Ottawa Trek where he spoke about the Red Tents Campaign to Parliament Hill in Ottawa

David Murray is now home in the Vancouver Downtown Eastside where he is sharing his many exciting experiences and memories. Among his favorite memories was meeting the folks of ADDICQ ( Association for Defending Rights and Inclusion of people who use drugs in Quebec ) and when he toured through the House of Commons in Ottawa!

http://openparliament.ca/bills/1991/

On to Ottawa Trek
Statements By Members

June 15th, 2010 / 2 p.m.
See context

NDP

Libby Davies Vancouver East, BC

Mr. Speaker, on the 75th anniversary of the historic “On to Ottawa Trek”, I am proud to welcome eight modern day homelessness trekkers from my riding of Vancouver East, who are here in Ottawa.

Am Johal, Diana Hart, Al Mitchell, Georges Maltais, Shawn Millar, David Murray, John Richardson and Garvin Snider left Vancouver on June 6 to re-enact the 1935 workers’ protest against poor wages and abysmal working conditions in government camps during the Great Depression.

This wonderful group is also marking the end of the 2010 Homelessness Hunger Strike Relay, which I was honoured to participate in.

These groups and over 50 major Canadian organizations are calling on the government to support a national housing strategy and to vote yes to Bill C-304.

Categories: AHA Media, April Smith, Community Engagement, David Murray, Downtown Eastside, DTES, Homelessness, Housing, Human Rights, Libby Davies, On to Ottawa Trek, Ottawa, Red Tents, Social Justice, Vancouver, Vancouver Downtown Eastside

Mr. Bill Wong and Steven Wong of Modernize Tailors in Vancouver

June 18, 2010 ahamedia Leave a comment

April Smith of AHA MEDIA recently had the honor to meet Mr. Bill Wong and Steven Wong of Modernize Tailors in Vancouver

Below is a photo of Gary Lee and David Wong before the building of Modernize Tailors at Carrall and Pender

It’s the historical Chinese Freemason Building and the birthplace for Modernize. We were there for 50 years and spent 40 more at our present store and now we’re going to clock a few more decades at 5 West Pender…

Below is a photo and video of David Wong meeting with Mr. Bill Wong

Below are photos of David Wong with Steven Wong, son of Mr. Bill Wong of Modernize Tailors

5 West Pender
Vancouver, BC
604-685-0610

ABOUT MODERNIZE

Modernize Tailors is the last Chinese tailor shop in Vancouver’s Chinatown. It’s run by brothers Mr. Bill Wong and Mr. Jack Wong. Their father opened the shop in 1913 after apprenticing to a British master. Mr. Wong and Mr. Wong took over the trade in the 1950s. Over the years, we’ve created suits for all occassions and all walks of life, from movie stars to lumberjacks. No matter who you are, we put the the same care and attention to detail into our tailor-made suits of ever-lasting style.

Categories: AHA Media, April Smith, Chinatown, Community Engagement, David Wong, Modernize Tailors, Vancouver

Red Robinson with Gary Lee and Joanne of Foo’s Ho Ho Restaurant in Vancouver

June 17, 2010 ahamedia Leave a comment

In the next photos and video, April Smith of AHA MEDIA was so happy to film the Legendary Canadian Disc Jockey and Broadcaster Red Robinson, together with Gary Lee and Joanne of Foo’s Ho Ho Restaurant in Vancouver

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Robinson

http://redrobinson.com/blog/

Categories: AHA Media, April Smith, Chinatown, Community Engagement, Foo's Ho Ho, Gary Lee, Red Robinson, Social Media, Vancouver

On to Ottawa Trek 75 Anniversary Ceremony on Sunday June 6, 2010, 1 – 3 pm, in Crab Park, Vancouver

June 7, 2010 ahamedia 3 comments

AHA MEDIA attended the On to Ottawa Trek 75 Anniversary Ceremony on Sunday June 6, 2010, 1 – 3 pm,
in Crab Park, Vancouver

June 2010 marks the 75 anniversary of the 1935 On to Ottawa Trek, when thousands of young men were inspired to climb atop boxcars and personally deliver their demand for “work and wages” to the source of the problem. It was a magnificent response to the harsh conditions endured by Canada’s depression era unemployed. These same conditions echo around us today.

Speakers included:

Libby Davies Vancouver East MP;
Jim Sinclair, BC Federation of Labour President;

Vancouver City Council representative;

Am Johal, Impact on Community Coalition;

Special guests and music;

Plaque Unveiling to commemorate the national historic significance of the On to Ottawa trek;

2010 Homelessness Trek to Ottawa send-off.;

Download pdf of Handbill; Download pdf of Poster;

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In this video Joey Hartman and Jeri Sparrow speak at On to Ottawa Trek 75 Anniversary on June 6, 2010 at Crab Park in Vancouver