tansi ninôtemik,
What does it mean to fight for a country that has not fought for you? For Indigenous veterans, this question carries a complex weight that we may never truly appreciate.
Today, November 8th, we honour the sacrifices and tireless efforts of our soldiers on Indigenous Veterans Day. This day commemorates more than 12,000 Indigenous peoples who answered the call of duty to serve Canada with honour and pride.[1] As stated by Member of Parliament (MP) Harjit Sajjan, while Indigenous peoples upheld the same oath to defend Canada as their comrades-in-arms, they were not granted the same rights and freedoms they valiantly fought to protect.[2]
This day gives us the opportunity to honour the veterans whose legacies of courage and resilience are often overshadowed by mainstream narratives. For instance, individuals like Henry Louis Norwest, a Métis soldier from Alberta and one of the most famous snipers in the entire Canadian Corps, who was awarded the military medal and bar for his courage.[3] Indigenous soldiers also facilitated the transmission of sensitive messages, like Charles “Checker” Tomkins, a Cree Métis soldier from Alberta.[4] Checker Tomkins, one of many Cree “code-talkers”, translated sensitive military messages into Cree to disguise their contents from their enemies in war.[5]
Indigenous Veterans Day gives us the chance to not only honour the sacrifices of the past, but to educate ourselves and hold space for the unsung heroes in Canadian history. Remembrance is not merely about recounting the sacrifices made for Canadians, but also to shed light on the context in which such sacrifices were made. For Indigenous veterans, their service was not met with equal appreciation, rights, and freedoms, until several decades later. And even then, there remains much to be desired for equality regarding treaty rights and respect to Indigenous cultures and traditions.
How might we contribute to a greater recognition of Indigenous veterans’ sacrifices? How can we, in our own unique ways, honour these legacies in our communities? We would love to hear input and continue this conversation further.
ekosi.
The ReconciliACTION Team
Citations
[1] Harjit S. Sajjan, “November 8th, Canadians proudly mark Indigenous Veterans Day” (last modified 8 November 2020), online (video): <https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/corporate/video/leadership/2020/indigenous-veterans-day.html>.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Veterans Affairs Canada, “Indigenous Veterans” (last modified 14 March 2024), online: <https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/people-and-stories/indigenous-veterans>.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Heather Conn, “Charles Tomkins” (25 June 2018), online: <https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/charles-tomkins>.
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