SYLVIA TENNISCO is an Algonquin Artist who resides in the Ottawa Valley, promoting Native Awareness and Cultural Diversity. She uses various mediums such as: Acrylic/Oil paints, to mix media- Acrylic/Computer Design and Inks. She received her Graphic Design Diploma in 1997 at St.Lawrence College Campus in Kingston, Ontario. After completing her studies, she moved to Montreal, Quebec to continue to pursue her art career by illustrating several children’s books in the cree language, spot illustrations for magazines and working as a Graphic Designer. After a few years, Sylvia decided to move back to the Ottawa Valley to continue her work as an Algonquin Artist. Sylvia has had several write-ups about her work in promoting Native Awareness and plans to continue using a Modern Contemporary Style in her ArtWork.

 A LITTLE HISTORY

This is my Great Great Grand Parents the Late Lucy and Dave KooKoo now known as Kohoko by the Federal Government. Kookoo meant Owl in AlgonKin. They live on the Golden Lake Reserve and spoke there true Algonkin Language.

This is my Great Grand Parents the Late Francis(Teddy) and Leona DitKonneenee in (Algonkin). The name was replaced by the Hundson Bay Company as Benoit. They are standing with their daughter and my grandmother Isobel Ditkonneenee, they lived on the Golden Lake Reserve and spoke the language.

This is my Late Grand Mother Isobel Commanda who's maden name was Benoit recognized by the Governement. Her algonkin name is Ditkonneenee. A lot of algonkin names where replaced by new names given by the authorities at that time. She grew up on the reserve, however left at age15 by hopping the trains and ending up in Ottawa. My Grand mother 's second language was english she spoke Algonkin first. She took part in the Catholic school systems on the Reserve until grade 6, however was not allowed to speak her own language. She never spoke her mother tongue again until she was 65 years old.

My Grand mother had a very difficult life living on the reserve, a lot of oppresion took place on the reserve and because of this, people drank to forget their depression and socially talked about their oppression. It was a time where people still tryed to hunt to feed  their families and yet at that time the MNR stepped in and took away all rights to hunt. They had their 'Way of Life' taken away from them - left on a concentration camp (Reserves) and where given foodstamps by the Department of Indian Northerns Affairs. 'People where starving around', my Grand Mother told me, she said; 'it was quite normal for neighbours inviting people off the road for soup and tea, since you knew they went around hungry'. That is how they survived, and they did survive, to this day we still have algonkin people or known today as "Algonquin people" living and trying to hold on to the Culture and trying to rekindle the Algonkin language.

There is a lot of past events and stories that happened on the reserve and I hope with todays Leaders, they don't forget about what our families hardship means and that they have the courage and responsibility to do what is right in leadership decisions and not to take lightly or disappoint their Great Great Grand Parents Life in Hardship.