Remembering a great hero

By Vince Chechock, Rez 91

I have just a very young person’s memory of Francis Pegahmagabow, since I was born in 1946 and he died in 1952.  My memory is of Francis singing during mass at Christ the King Catholic Church here in our community, while my grandmother played the church organ.  It was a time when it was not uncommon to see people in uniform since the Korean Conflict was still going on and the end of World War II wasn’t yet a decade old.  At that time war was more a place than a horrific event to me. It was also a time when people from our community who took part in those overseas conflicts were talked about as being “zhmaagnishiik”; or warriors.  Among the names spoken were those of my uncles, Joe, Alfred and Willis as well as Isaac Rice and Francis Pegahmagabow.  It was sometime later, during the early 1960s, that I had first heard anything about Francis’ World War I accomplishments, and it was from William “Bill” Wheatley. Bill and his brother, Ross, were also veterans and members of the local Legion.  It was a fellow Legion member’s accounting of Francis’ phenomenal record as a sniper, that Bill related to me.  Bill mentioned the Legion member’s name, but it didn’t stay with me.  I only remember Bill sounding somewhat indignant about the fact that one of our people, who had put his life on the line for this country and was wounded, wasn’t receiving the acknowledgement that he deserved.

More than half a century has passed since that conversation with Bill Wheatley and in the meantime much has been said and written about Francis Pegahmagabow and his experiences. With the help of the Pegahmagabow family, Francis’ place in our collective history has been elevated to deserved status.  Their memories and family stories have helped authors like historian, Adrian Hayes, record events of a remarkable life for the benefit of posterity; as in the novel, Pegahmagabow Life Long Warrior.

The name of Francis Pegahmagabow has been entered into the Indian Hall of Fame and had the Ranger Patrol Group’s headquarters at CFB Borden was renamed in his honour in 2006. Locally, on the Algonquin Regiment Rotary Fitness Trail in Parry Sound, a plaque commemorating and honouring the Algonquin Regiment pays special tribute to Francis.  A bronze statue, by artist Tyler Fauvelle, should be ready for unveiling by June of 2016.

On Saturday, June 20 2015, the community of Wasauksing First Nation and the Ontario Heritage Trust, unveiled a provincial plaque in honour of Francis Pegahmagabow.

The Pegahmagabow family was very well represented with most of the surviving members in attendance.   I asked a couple of them for their thoughts and feelings about this acknowledgement and recognition of their ancestor. Surprisingly, neither of them made mention of the fact that Francis Pegahmagabow was the most highly decorated aboriginal soldier during WWI. A proud great-granddaughter, Julia Pegahmagabow, first of all expressed relief that her great grandfather had survived that horrific ordeal and was able to return home and raise a family.  She also expressed satisfaction that there is also recognition being given to other great  Anishinaba leaders such as Medwayosh, Francis’ great great grand father, who took part in the War of 1812.  Francis’ great-grandson, Dr. Brian McIinnes, said that he isn’t aware of the existence of too many personal accounts by his forefather about his experiences and accomplishments during the Great War.   Dr. McInnes,  attributed this to a “culture of respect” which was part of the fabric of our existence, where acts of bravery were more connected to the saving of life than the taking of life.  In some cultures the taking of more than three hundred lives might be a bragging point; especially if you had the decorations to go along with it.   Dr. McInnes recalls his aunt Marie saying, that her father never had a satisfactory sleep for the remainder of his life, due to perhaps, the conflicts of spirituality in his soul; commonly known today as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Other veterans of both World Wars became alcoholics, perhaps to deal with that inner conflict.  Wasauksing citizen, David Rice, also spoke about some of the veterans like his grandfather, Isaac Rice and Levi Nanibush, who still vividly remembered a fellow warrior losing his life in a horrible manner, right next to him.

The plaque unveiling, on Wasauksing, was also attended by  Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee and Ontario MPP David Zimmer, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs.

Grand Chief Madahbee described Francis Pegahmababow as a “true warrior”.  Francis didn’t have to put his life on the line, he wasn’t legally required to do so but he did,  in defence of the British crown. He continued to fight, in the spirit of a true warrior, upon his return home.  He fought for the recognition of Aboriginal rights and self-government in the capacities of chief and then councillor for Parry Island/Wasauksing and later as Supreme Chief of the Brotherhood of Canadian Indians.

Minister David Zimmer said that military history owes much to aboriginal warriors; a fact that he is very pleased is finally receiving public recognition.  This acknowledgement only adds to the overall reconciliation that is being striven for these days and can only strengthen the fact that we are “all treaty people”.

Wasauksing Chief, Warren Tabobondung, declared “this is a great day for Wasauksing First Nation” and he was very pleased that this acknowledgement was finally happening for Francis Pegahmagabow.

Rez 91 can be livestreamed at www.rez91.com