Aboriginal AIDS Awareness Week kicks off in Fredericton

Raffles, games, free food, and face painting were all part of the draw at the St Mary's Cultural Centre Tuesday night. 

But the focus was on the prevention and awareness of AIDS in aboriginal communities. 

Leslie Labobe, a community health educator with the 'Healing Our Nations' AIDS Network says events like this are important because statistically, Indigenous people are at a higher rate of HIV infection.

"Health Canada came out with 1 to 2 Aboriginal people are infected daily and we only make up 4 percent of the population." 

"So more education is needed," said Labobe. "This brings people together and starts a conversation." 

The awareness event was geared towards all ages with trivia games that tested knowledge of the virus, as well as some plain old luck of the draw bingo. 

Labobe says part of why AIDS is much more prevalent in Indigenous populations is due a lack of education, sexual abuse and drug abuse. 

"When you look at HIV infection it's usually because of sex," said Labobe. "But mostly now we're looking at a lot of IV drug use as well. Places such as in Saskatchewan where it's at epidemic levels among First Nations." 

Labobe says the lasting impact of abuses, such as those suffered at residential schools, can be directly or indirectly responsible for the spread of the HIV virus in the past. 

"So we combat that now with education," said Labobe.  

 Awareness campaigns will continue throughout the week involving 33 different First Nations across Atlantic Canada.