CBC Aboriginal's top picks for the week, sneak peek of Unreserved

Last Saturday, we launched a brand new radio show called Unreserved, which takes listeners behind the headlines of the top-trending stories from indigenous Canada.

Canadians can now get aboriginal stories from the four directions of the country via the radio airwaves, as well as continuing to get news and stories online at CBC Aboriginal.

If you live in Saskatchewan, Manitoba or in Canada’s North, you can tune in to hear Unreserved on CBC Radio One. Coming very soon to all of Canada — our weekly podcast.

In the meantime, here are our top five picks for this week.

1. Most-read story: First Nations girl's family rejects chemo, hospital goes to court to force treatment

Who should decide? A First Nations mother is defending her decision to remove her child from chemotherapy treatment. Her daughter underwent chemo for 10 days at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton before the family decided to discontinue treatment because it conflicts with its beliefs.

Lawyers from the McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton have gone to court in an attempt to force the Brant Children's Aid Society to intervene and return the child to chemotherapy treatment. We are continuing to follow this story.

2. Top tweet: Opinion: What's in a name: Indian, native, aboriginal or indigenous? ​

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (AMC) and Anishinabek of Ontario, representing 42 First Nations, have both passed resolutions rejecting the name "aboriginal."

Don Marks writes: "The issue here is not so much about a word as it is about reclaiming identity. In a spiritual and cultural sense, names like aboriginal deprive the people of their own identity and force them to adopt a new one."

This was our top tweet this week, and many of you weighed in on Facebook as well. Turns out there are even more names to consider.

3. Recommended audio: Kitigan Zibi artist and graphic novelist Jay Odjick talks about a new indigenous super hero

Move over Spider Man — Hello Kagagi! Matthew Carver is an average 16-year-old high school kid just struggling to fit in.

Or at least he was yesterday.

Today, Matthew has discovered that he has inherited awesome powers and abilities as the protector of his people. This indigenous superhero comes from the imagination of Jay Odjick, who is Algonquin from the KitiganZibi community in Québec.

Kitigan Zibi artist and graphic novelist Jay Odjick soared into Studio 12, CBC Ottawa, to share the news that his superhero Kagagi is about to take flight on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network this weekend. And Unreserved gives this interview another spin.

4. Top music pick: Leela Gilday

Dene singer/songwriter Leela Gilday is a passionate, soulful performer and she has just finished her fourth studio album, Heart of the People. Her song lyrics reflect her northern roots and embrace the essence of Dene life from an urban perspective.

Leela is from Yellowknife, N.W.T. and has won many national awards, including a Juno and Western Canadian Music Award for her second album Sedzé.

Heart of the People is so new that hard copies aren't available until Oct. 14th. (But you can hear a sneak peak on this week’s edition of Unreserved.)

Best pictures: 2nd annual National Orange Shirt Day commemorates Indian residential school experience

The second annual Orange Shirt Day took place across the country on Tuesday. People from all walks of life wore orange shirts to remember the experiences of former students of Indian Residential Schools and to commit to ongoing reconciliation.

And you sent in great pictures. Thanks again!

For more top stories visit CBC Aboriginal.

Unreserved can be heard on CBC Radio One every Saturday in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Yukon, N.W.T. and Nunavut. CBC listeners from across Canada can stream the show online. In the very near future, a weekly podcast will be available on the CBC Aboriginal website.

Unreserved is hosted by writer, broadcaster and all-round rabble rouser Rosanna Deerchild. She hails from South Indian Lake, Man., and when she is not hosting Unreserved, she is behind the microphone at Manitoba's premier indigenous radio station, NCI-FM.

Broadcast times:

5:05 p.m. ET in Nunavut.
6:05 p.m. ET in Manitoba and N.W.T.
7:05 p.m. ET in Saskatchewan and Yukon.