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The Importance of National Aboriginal Veteran's Day

Updated: Nov 6, 2020

By: Chloe Fine


 

This Sunday marks the 26th celebration of National Aboriginal Veterans Day. The holiday was established in Manitoba and progressively adopted throughout the provinces and territories. This day was created to commemorate the military service and sacrifice of Indigenous veterans who served our country in the face of heightened adversity. The participation of Indigenous people in military service has often gone unrecognized. Having an independent day devoted to honouring Aboriginal veterans aids in not only giving thanks for their service but highlights it and further educates the public about all that Aboriginal soldiers have contributed to Canada's defence. Since the first world war, indigenous people have fought in every major military conflict, with over 7,000 fighting in WW1, WW2, and Korea. An unknown amount of Inuit and Metis have also fought in large numbers; however, their contributions were never recorded. Initially, in the first world war, the crown discouraged Aboriginal enlistment, but as the war progressed and casualties increased, they slowly began to encourage it. In many Aboriginal communities, more than one in three eligible men enlisted in the first and second world wars.

As of WW1, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal soldiers fought alongside each other, with Aboriginal soldiers utilizing traditional skills such as hunting, tracking, and navigating for military purposes. Working and socializing amongst each other had previously been relatively uncommon within civilian society, so fighting in a war together offered an excellent opportunity to gain further information and acceptance regarding Indigenous peoples. By the end of the second world war, Aboriginal soldiers were allowed into every military branch. With many gaining a high military distinction, there were Aboriginals at every level of the military. Indigenous women participated in WW1 on the home front through fundraising and volunteering with the red cross but were not permitted to become field nurses during this period. It was not until the second world war that Indigenous women were finally able to serve and enlist as nurses, the first being Mary Greyeyes.

An aspect of Aboriginal service within the second world war that entered into public consciousness only recently was the "code talkers." The elite group used the Cree language to create codes that could safely relay information to one another without enemy forces being able to intercept a message's meaning. It was a dangerous job and directly aided in winning the war, as the allies' adversaries were never successful in breaking their codes. These remarkable acts were kept unknown until recently since code talkers were sworn to secrecy surrounding how they had spent their time in service. Because of their work's confidentiality and lack of records, many of the program's participants remain unidentified to this day.

There have been over a hundred medals awarded to Aboriginal service peoples for acts of extreme bravery. Although Aboriginal soldiers played a critical role in Canada's international conflicts, they did not receive the same aid and opportunities as non-aboriginal soldiers when they returned home. Specific pension plans and loans were not extended with the same level of easy application to status Indians and those living on reserves. It was also harder for Aboriginal veterans to find employment after returning home. Despite receiving less compensation for their service in the military, Indigenous peoples still enlisted in great numbers. National Aboriginal Veterans Day is about remembering their bravery, their strength in the face of many adversities, and their sacrifice.

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