by Janet Smellie
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 24/97) - With topics dealing with from everything from division of the territories to the Macarena, high school students in the Northwest Territories are taking part in a special time capsule project next weekend.

In celebration of their 25th anniversary, Northern Images, the arts and crafts marketing division for the Inuit and Dene co-ops, has asked high school students to help put together the capsule.

The capsule, to be sealed on March 1, will be officially opened in 50 years.

Under the theme "Northern Images of the 1990s," contributions include a copy of The Lesser Blessed written by author Richard van Camp.

The 25-year-old author is also providing a message, to be read when the time capsule is officially opened.

"The United Nations," van Camp writes, "said that by the time you read this there will only be three native languages left here in Canada -- Cree, Inuktitut and Ojibway. Tell me we proved them wrong. Tell me they still sing and pray in Dogrib."

Van Camp's message also delves into what will become of mankind in the next half centuries.

"Right now AIDS is carpeting the Earth. New viruses are whispering our names every day. But still we love. In my time some forgot the trees, some forgot their songs ... some bred like rats ... a light and darkness war was being fought that nobody told us about, but we all felt it. We all did. Who won? The light? The darkness?"

Another message to be frozen in time comes from David Staples -- who co-penned The Third Suspect -- the novel about the deadly labor dispute at Giant Mine in Yellowknife.

"Nine men, nine miners, eight wives, 21 children. Nine pawns in an ugly labor dispute, but also nine players, men who made choices, just as the murderer, Roger Warren, made his choice.... These men, all of them, including Roger Warren paid a terrible price for their choices.

"In my mind, the only judgment that matters has been made -- that Roger Warren is indeed guilty -- no other judgments are worthy of this dark, complex, heart-breaking episode. So let's not make any quick judgments about them, not now in 1997, not later in 2050, not ever. Let's just try to understand, and if possible to forgive."

The capsule will be placed in the ceiling of the Yellowknife Centre mall, where Northern Images operates.