Monument to salute Shannen’s Dream

By Martha Troian

She’s been praised in the House of Commons and even immortalized as a comic book heroine. Now plans are underway for a monument to honour Shannen Koostachin, the young Cree girl from Attawapiskat First Nation.

Koostachin was just a teenager when she took on the federal government in her fight for a new school for her northern Ontario community and improved education for all First Nation children across Canada. She rose to prominence when she famously challenged then Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl on the steps of Parliament in 2008.

After creating a wave of interest across Canada in her fight for better education, tragically Koostachin was killed in a car accident on May, 2010 on Highway 11 near Temagami.  She was just 15 years old and attending high school off-reserve in New Liskeard, hundreds of kilometers south of her community.

Rosa Thornton, 56, of Haileybury was also killed. Two other passengers sustained non-life threatening injuries.

“There’s no real monument for Shannen,” says Jules Koostachin, a relative of Shannen’s and a filmmaker who is part of a committee heading up the project to erect a memorial to the young girl near the scene of her fatal accident. “We want this to be about education for the kids and about access to education.”

Shannen was one of six children of Andrew Koostachin and Jenny Nakogee. She was raised in Attawapiskat, an isolated First Nation community made up of 2,000 on-reserve members.

Her fight for improved schooling was born out of her own experience. Koostachin attended classes in makeshift portables near a site contaminated by a 50,000-litre diesel spill during the late 1970’s.

Fed up with their school conditions, Koostachin and other children of Attawapiskat started their campaign for a new school using social media and a letter-writing blitz.

Koostachin said First  Nations children living on reserve only wanted what any other kid in Canada had – a “safe and comfy” school.

Because of her advocacy and hard work, at age 14, the Nobel Laureates nominated Shannen for the International Children’s Peace Prize.

After her death, a campaign called “Shannen’s Dream” was created in her memory and as a reminder for better education for First Nation children.

It is now the goal of Jules Koostachin and the committee to create a national monument for Shannen.  NDP MP Charlie Angus and Metis novelist Joseph Boyden will also be lending their support.

“Shannen loved butterflies, so we want a Cree style butterfly motif streetlight,” says Jules Koostachin.”We’re hoping for a little rest area where people can pull off to pay their respect and have a plaque there that talks about education in Canada.”

Andrew Koostachin says he is overwhelmed with emotion and pride by the project.

“Having this monument at the site, I think it is a tremendous dedication. It is really touching to us.”

A long-standing advocate for the community of Attawapiskat and for Shannen’s Dream, Charlie Angus says this monument will only bring more attention to this great young leader.

“She has helped fundamentally changed the discussion about First Nation education in this country,” says Angus.”The fight for education justice still has a long way to go but Shannen’s story continues to put pressure on politicians to finally deliver on their obligations to First Nation youth.”

Although the federal government pushed to implement its own  First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act – a billion-dollar education strategy — First Nation leaders across the country withheld  their support.  Instead leaders across the country pressured for a community-based education plan.

That’s something Shannen Koostachin also wanted.

The committee will soon be launching an Indigogo campaign to raise approximately $100K for the monument. Once the funds are raised, a selected artist will design the butterfly motif and streetlamp.

The committee will be asking youth in Attawapiskat to get involved in the process.

“It’s a high honour and dedication in memory of my late daughter,” says Andrew Koostachin.  “I always watch videos of her and reflect on things that had happened and realize how much of an impact she had created and how much of an inspirational she is.”

This past year, Abenaki filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin released her documentary about Attawapiskat’s educational struggles in her film “Hi-Ho Mistahey!”  The film also examined “Shannen’s Dream”.

DC Comics, one of the largest American comic companies will also soon be unveiling a Cree superhero inspired by Shannen.