Honouring Indigenous Veterans Across the Country
November 7, 2023
With Remembrance Day being observed Saturday, Nov. 11, this week is a time for solemn reflection and appreciation for Canada’s veterans as well as those who continue to serve this country.
As well, National Indigenous Veterans Day is Nov. 8, so this week also provides Canadians an opportunity to honour Indigenous veterans and learn about the sacrifices they made, while also serving as a reminder of the inequality they faced upon returning home from war.
“This is a day of remembrance and commemoration of Indigenous veterans in the First and Second World Wars, as well as the Korean War, and teachers, staff and students across the District have been including these lessons in their learning this week,” said Mike Pue, District Principal for Aboriginal Education.
National Indigenous Veterans Day was first observed in 1994 in Winnipeg because Indigenous veterans were not often recognized in Remembrance Day ceremonies across the country. Over 12,000 Indigenous people, including 7,000 First Nations people, are estimated to have volunteered the First and Second World Wars, as well as the Korean War.
Students, staff and families are encouraged to learn more about these veterans and their contributions and sacrifices by checking out the following resources:
Information about Indigenous Veterans
https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/people-and-stories/indigenous-veterans
https://learningbird.com/national-aboriginal-veterans-day/
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/aboriginal-veterans-day-2021-1.6239775
Aboriginal Veterans: Equals on the Battlefield, but not at home
https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/aboriginal-veterans
Read about Tommy Prince, one of the most decorated Indigenous war veterans in Canada, here or by watching the videos below.
To learn about Francis Pegahmagabow, an Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) Chief, Indigenous rights advocate and war here, check out the two videos below or click here.