RARA Returns on February 8 – Nominations Close Tomorrow
The 32nd annual Regional Aboriginal Recognition Awards (RARA) return on February 8, 2020 at Shell Place. Honouring local Aboriginal people who have made contributions to the region, the celebration has honoured over 700 people thus far across the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo including Fort Chipewyan, Anzac, Janvier, Fort MacKay, Conklin and Gregoire Lake. Nominations close tomorrow.
Tammie Tuccaro, Co-Chairperson RARA Committee shares the background for the celebration.
“RARA was started by a group of volunteers in 1986-1987, who became the founders and the organizing committee. This recognition instills pride in the Aboriginal people. It also show other non-Aboriginal people and institutions that tend to show indifference to Aboriginal people, that we are making many positive contributions to this society. The award recipients are setting examples for others to do well.”
RARA consists of 13 categories ranging from Elder, Leadership, Culture, to Trapper, Lifetime Achievement, Arts, Citizen of the Year (Female), Citizen of the Year (Male), and Volunteer of the Year - to name a few.
“One of our goals is that excellence should be recognized by peers. We recognize these people for their stamina and the impact they have on their communities and the precedence they set for other Aboriginal people, who are climbing to the top to reach excellence. Many of these people being recognized have also been through struggles, pain, discrimination, alcohol and drug use, as well as family breakups, etc. This goes to show that accomplishment can come from adversity,” Tuccaro explains.
Keynote speaker for this year’s event is Teara Fraser, owner of Iskwew Air. She is the first female Aboriginal woman to own her own airline in British Columbia. Entertainment will be provided by the Red Path Movement.
RARA nominations can be submitted via: https://raraevent.ca/.
Tickets are $30 each and can be purchased through snapd Wood Buffalo at https://woodbuffalo.snapd.com/events/view/1296511, or by emailing RARA.RMWB@gmail.com to pay via Email Money Transfer and cash at the NAABA Office located at 1005 Memorial Drive.
