Lakehead University honours Indigenous veterans

By Rick Garrick

THUNDER BAY — Fort William Elder Sheila DeCorte emphasized how First Nations people had to give up their rights to serve with the Canadian Armed Forces during Lakehead University’s Indigenous Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 10.

“In order for them to be able to go fight in the war, they had to give up their Indian status, their Indian rights, their identity — sign away who they are as Anishinaabe people, as warriors,” says Elder DeCorte, who did the opening prayer. “And then when they returned from the war, they weren’t treated the same way; they weren’t allowed to go into the Legions with the other veterans. I’m happy to say one of the Legions here in town has some of our Fort William First Nation veterans now displayed outside their Legion, so that’s a huge success, I’m really happy to see that.”

Elder DeCorte says her community has a Cenotaph for the Fort William war veterans on Anemki Wajiw, noting that she always attends the Remembrance Day ceremony on Anemki Wajiw.

“That one is just always so powerful,” DeCorte says. “Sometimes, we get not-too-good weather up there, but that’s OK because we’re rewarded; there’s usually some eagles that fly over at that time. So if you haven’t been up to Anemki Wajiw for [Remembrance] Day, you might want to venture up this year.”

Lieutenant Colonel Ret’d Darla Oja, who served with the Canadian Armed Forces for 31 years and is now studying concurrent degrees in social work and Indigenous learning at Lakehead University, says it was an honour to speak about something that carries deep personal meaning, the contributions of Indigenous people to Canada’s military.

“Indigenous military service is not new, it goes back generations to the warriors and protectors who stood guard over their people before Canada existed as a nation, throughout our country’s history, fighting with, sometimes against, and into present day,” Oja says. “When Indigenous men and women volunteer to serve in global conflicts, many did so at a time when their own rights were limited, status was taken away, the right to vote was denied, and yet, still they stood up, they still showed up. Why? From my perspective, because service for many Indigenous people has always been more than allegiance to a government, it’s about responsibility, to protect the land, to safeguard life and to honour community.”

Biinjitiwaabik Zaaging Anishinaabek’s David Thompson, research developer and project manager for the Native Veterans Association of Northwestern Ontario, says one of their recent developments is a partnership with the Thunder Bay Museum, Thunder Bay Public Library, and Lakehead University to create the Indigenous Veterans of Northwestern Ontario Travelling Exhibit.

“That’s a good thing because it’s going to bring healing for us and it’s going to bring learning for everyone, and with that is going to come the hard truth that people have to hear of what we went through as Anishinaabe people and as our zhimaaganishag, our soldiers went through,” Thompson says. “We’ve lost a lot, there’s a lot of pain that we’ve had to endure and carry; loss of land, loss of rights.”

Thompson says Indigenous Veterans Day was first observed in Winnipeg in 1994.

“That started in Winnipeg and it’s taken root across the country now, and south of the border,” Thompson says. “And we get flak for doing stuff like that on our own. As the Anishinabek, the first people of these lands, it is our right. As Willy (the late Red Rock Indian Band veteran Charles ‘Willy’ John) once put it, ‘Those days of being told what to do are over — we don’t need no more Indian agents.’”

Long Lake #58 and Keewaywin’s Corrina McKay, collections intern at the Thunder Bay Museum, is proud of the logo she created for the travelling exhibit.

“I feel like it’s a step towards truth and reconciliation, as we learn about our history and teaching other people about our history as well,” McKay says, noting that being able to collaborate with other people and to talk about the elements she wanted to share on the logo was really important. “I learned a lot on how to express certain teachings and symbolisms I wanted to share with others on a bigger scale. I’m really proud of it and I’m really happy that people like it.”