Re: Indigenous veterans

by **Wolfman** Sun 08 Nov 2020, 6:33 pm

11.08.2020

by **Wolfman** Sun 08 Nov 2020, 6:34 pm

11.08.2020

by Marshall Fri 13 Nov 2020, 10:07 am

Canada’s Indigenous Veterans - November 13, 2020

Nov. 8 is Indigenous Veterans Day, a separate day of commemoration for Indigenous veterans.

https://www.queensjournal.ca/story/2020-11-13/news/canadas-indigenous-veterans/

by **Silversun** Wed 18 Nov 2020, 4:20 pm

Indigenous veterans - Page 3 RSSDailies_d9e1d622_aad4_415f_afda_b8d430509252_Image1_Super_Portrait

Private member’s bill introduced to honour Murray Whetung

Whetung, 99, one of 7,000 Indigenous men and women who fought with Canada

By Angela Lavallee Peterborough This Week
Wednesday, November 18, 2020

Peterborough MPP Dave Smith introduced a private member’s bill in the Ontario legislature recently to recognize and honour Second World War veteran Murray Whetung.

A Curve Lake First Nation resident, Whetung, 99, served in the Second World War and was among 7,000 Indigenous men and women who served with Canada.

The Murray Whetung Community Service Award would go to a navy, army or air cadet who demonstrates outstanding community leadership and involvement. Whetung served in the Canadian Army in 1942 and came home to Curve Lake First Nation three years later.

After coming home, he worked at General Electric in Peterborough. A biography written in 2000 by Karen Richardson of Memories and Memoirs chronicles parts of Whetung’s life. It tells a story about his family and his time in the army.

He was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion but later resigned after a decision that if he were to protest, then the legion was not for him. Whetung says he initially wanted to join the air force but the regiment was full, so Whetung was accepted to the army as a signalman. He left his wife and kids at home while he went to fight for Canada.

According to MPP Smith, Indigenous men and women were not drafted to the army, all volunteered to serve their country. But Smith says while serving Indigenous peoples lost their status, which to him was an injustice.

“We cannot forget the history, but we can fix and never repeat,” said Smith.

Smith says Murray Whetung is a prime example of values of leaderships and those traits continue with his granddaughter, Emily Whetung, who is the current chief of Curve Lake. His son, Lorenzo Whetung, sat on band council for over a decade and his son, James Whetung, is the keeper of wild rice in his business Black Duck Wild Rice.

Smith says Whetung raised a family with good values that were passed down. Smith says he thought of Murray Whetung and wanted to figure out a way to honour him as well as the 7,000 First Nation men and women who joined the war effort.

MPP Smith says many people don’t know that Whetung worked with Department of National Defence (DND) for years to help support First Nation vets.

“Murray Whetung has dedicated his life and time in giving back to his community. I will be very surprised if this doesn’t pass in the second reading.”

https://www.mykawartha.com/news-story/10269465-private-member-s-bill-introduced-to-honour-murray-whetung/?fbclid=IwAR0qoOc12DHe-PJrZRqejOITGxkSjfQ_WxzFGu54Jc4ZVqewyAne_t3yZ7w

by **Starman** Mon 22 Feb 2021, 4:43 pm

The Métis Nation, with support from Veterans Affairs Canada, announce the Métis Veterans Legacy Commemorative Program

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Métis National Council
Feb 22, 2021

Métis Veterans

by **Vmaxocalz** Sun 09 May 2021, 4:13 pm

A Debt of Honour Part 2’: Indigenous Circle, 2000

WATCH: This segment from the archives looks at the lack of compensation experienced by Indigenous Veterans. Hosted by Nelson Bird.

Sunday, May. 9, 2021

by Covert Tue 20 Jul 2021, 9:45 am

Lest we forget our Indigenous veterans July 19. 2021

Fistbumps and kudos to the historians whose work made it possible to mark the final resting places of fallen soldiers with the tribute they deserve.

In last week’s News/North we reported that thanks to the work and funding from the Last Post Fund, Indigenous veterans who were buried in the territory are now memorialized for their service with proper headstones to acknowledge their contributions to the country.

Dene National Chief Norman Yakeleya headed a ceremony on July 12 that saw the unveiling of gravestones for Indigenous veterans. Now, anyone walking by will know that this person sacrificed everything for Canada.

The department of national defense estimates as many as 12,000 First Nations, Metis and Inuit people have served in Canada’s overseas conflicts and peacekeeping missions over the past hundred years. At least 500 of them made the ultimate sacrifice.

Canadians made a name for themselves as scrappy and effective allies in world wars and Indigenous peoples were no exception to excellence.

During the Second World War, for example, Indigenous peoples volunteered for overseas service with the Canadian military en masse.

Canada also deployed an elite unit of Cree “Code Talkers” during the war — including the famed Charles Checker Tompkins — who proved an invaluable asset to the Allied powers communications.

The Korean War saw Tommy Prince, an Ojibwa, become one of the country’s most decorated soldiers — even earning the rare honour of the United States Presidential Unit Citation for distinguished service.

It is beyond comprehension why those who were not even considered citizens under Canadian law until 1960 volunteered to risk their lives to fight for the freedoms we now enjoy.

They are gone, though now — finally — their final resting places are marked in memory of their service.

While the Last Post Fund is not just for Indigenous vets (any former Canadian military personnel would qualify) it seems especially important to create a lasting, visual reminder of those who served a country that still does not serve them.

A monument was erected in Ottawa to honour the service of Indigenous women and men in Ottawa in 2001.

A bronze wolf, bear, bison and caribou form the base of the memorial while an eagle flies overhead. The spiritual guides are joined by four people — two women and two men — who represent the diversity of First Nations, Metis and Inuit people, facing each cardinal direction.

Erecting a statue could be dismissed as political grandstanding but the truth is, visibility matters. Representation matters.

The 94 Calls to Action, published by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2015, say as much.

The commission’s Call to Action number 79 asks the Canadian government to “develop a reconciliation framework for Canadian culture and commemoration” which includes amending the “Historic Sites and Monuments Act to include First Nations, Inuit, and Metis representation on the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada and its Secretariat.”

The 79th call to action also asks the Government of Canada to revise the policies, criteria, and practices of the National Program of Historical Commemoration to include Indigenous history and heritage values as part of Canada’s national heritage and history.

Visual reminders matter — it’s why we pin poppies to our lapels every November.

Indigenous military personnel continue to serve in Canada’s military organizations — as reservists in the Canadian Rangers, for example. A group that operates primarily in the North, Rangers use their “intimate knowledge of the land” to maintain an Arctic military presence — otherwise Putin might decide to play a little Risk.

Gravestones and public art might not seem like much of a step toward realizing the outcomes sought by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s report but they are long-lasting, public reminders that there is honour in serving the greater good — especially when the system is rigged against you.

Lest we forget our Indigenous veterans

by Lucifer Wed 04 Aug 2021, 4:51 pm

A Soldier's Land

Anthony Towstego and Alexander Tawpisim tell us about a documentary on Indigenous and Metis veterans.
Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021

by Firefox Thu 19 Aug 2021, 9:40 pm

Grave Injustice: Honouring Indigenous Veterans

The Indigenous community has strong military roots, but many late veterans have been laid to rest without a proper grave marker.

Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021

by Seawolf Wed 22 Sep 2021, 3:53 pm

Governor General participates in annual ceremony of remembrance for Indigenous veterans

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Governor General of Canada
Sep 22, 2021

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/governor-general-participates-in-annual-ceremony-of-remembrance-for-indigenous-veterans-851439905.html

by Stealth Tue 19 Oct 2021, 4:15 pm

Last Post Fund offers unique program to honour Indigenous veterans in N.W.T.

Charlotte Morritt-Jacobs
Oct 18, 2021

The Last Post Fund is helping to refurbish nearly a dozen gravesites where Indigenous veterans lie in Yellowknife.

The program was helped along by Floyd Powder, a veteran and researcher with the charitable organization.

Edna Powder of Fort Smith remembers her cousin Joseph Xavior Powder who left his community to serve in the Second World War at the age of 15.

“I’m really happy about this because this stone will be here for ages whereas Joe just had a wooden cross. This is something that will last forever,” she says.

This year a total of eleven headstones were provided by the organization in Yellow knife, Bechoko, Fort Simpson, Hay River and Fort Smith.

Cathy Allooloo contributed Information to the Last Post Fund.

“I think the headstone says it all ‘Lest We Forget.’ If I could talk about one of the problems in the world today is we do forget,” she says.

“We forget the sacrifices people have made and the contribution.”

Because of the pandemic, ceremonies have been postponed and are scheduled for June 2022.

According to its website, the Last Post Fund has a mandate “to deliver the Veterans Affairs Canada Funeral and Burial Program which provides funeral, burial and grave marking benefits for eligible Canadian and Allied Veterans.”

The “Indigenous Veterans Initiative” was started in 2019 and, according to the site, has two components which are, “to provide grave markers to Indigenous Veterans deceased for over 5 years and lying in unmarked graves,” and, “to add traditional names of Indigenous Veterans to existing military grave markers.”

https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/last-post-fund-northwest-territories-indigenous-veterans/

by Sandman Fri 05 Nov 2021, 5:45 pm

For thousands of Indigenous soldiers who fought for Canada, war was an escape from the grim realities of life at home

Blair Crawford
Publishing date: Nov 05, 2021

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/indigenous-veterans-day

by **Accer** Sun 07 Nov 2021, 2:21 pm

Indigenous Veterans Day: A time to reflect and remember, and hope we can learn from mistakes

Gordon McIntyre
Publishing date: Nov 06, 2021

It's estimated at least 12,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit people served in the three large wars in the 1900s

https://vancouversun.com/news/indigenous-veterans-day-nov-8

by Ironman Sun 07 Nov 2021, 9:31 pm

Why Indigenous Veterans Day is important

Monday marks National Indigenous Veterans Day, an important time according to AMC Grand Chief Arlen Dumas.

Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021

by Callvery Mon 08 Nov 2021, 1:51 pm

Indigenous veterans in B.C. call for recognition, more support on Aboriginal Veterans Day

Akshay Kulkarni · CBC News · Posted: Nov 08, 2021

Indigenous veterans - Page 3 Indigenous-veterans

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/aboriginal-veterans-day-2021-1.6239775

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