Happy Canada Day! In honour of my father, who did a lot of missions work with the Inuit and the Blackfoot, Blood, and Cree First Nations peoples, I am writing this article. This article is also dedicated to my Blackfoot sister, Leeanne. Leeanne became my sister through an ancient thumb-blood smear ceremony we did as children. Our fathers wanted us to be Blackfoot together.
Truth and Reconciliation are the two words that are infiltrating various parts of my life right now. The first place of impact is in the area of my father’s life (and later my mother’s). After finishing missions work with the Inuit, my father moved to work in Cardston, Alberta. I know there has been so much news recently regarding Residential Schools and all of their atrocities. I cannot and will not deny these facts.
Through the darkness that enshrouded and still enshrouds the whole concept of residential schools, God did provide some God-fearing, well-meaning staff to be beacons of light to St. Paul’s in Cardston, from 1958-1959. Two of these beacons were my dad and later my mum, who met while working at the school. Had any atrocities occurred during my dad’s time at the school, he would have been the first one to speak loudly in defence of the students. My dad was very passionate about his work and relationships with our First Nations people and always stood up for the rights of others. (Obviously, his passions have been passed on to me.)
Some of St. Paul’s more famous graduates include: Mike Mountain Horse – wounded twice at Vimy Ridge and awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal; and Evelyn Eagle Speaker, who at the age of 19, became the first Native woman to be crowned “Calgary Stampede Queen” (1954). She would later become the first Native woman to be named Princess Wapiti, representing the five Treaty 7 tribes. The most famous graduate of St. Paul’s was Senator James Gladstone.
Senator Gladstone was the first native to represent First Nations’ peoples in the Senate (1958-1971). His six children were also well known graduates of St. Paul’s School. His daughter, Nora, represented Canadian Native peoples at the 1937 Coronation of King George VI in London. England. James and my father were good friends. James was a great advocate both for his people and St. Paul’s. I had the honour to meet him when I was a child and our last meeting was just before his death. He had 3 passions in life; his family, his people, and his country.
Speaking of reconciliation, God provided an opportunity to do some of that at my aunt’s (my dad’s youngest sister) memorial on Tuesday June 16. Six, out of the eight cousins, were under the same roof for the first time in 40 years. I had seen Malcolm 3 years ago when my mother passed away. With much prayer, I had my aunt come to reconcile with my mum for all their past hurts. I knew it had to be done for both their sakes before my mum passed. It happened and my aunt was there when my mum passed. Malcolm and I had our own reconciliation. My aunt’s memorial brought reconciliation that was 40 years in the making.
When we go to England (hopefully later this summer), there is a lot of reconciliation to happen there. From welcoming back adopted cousins to setting this generation straight. It is never too late for reconciliation!!!
- MJ
Truth and Reconciliation are the two words that are infiltrating various parts of my life right now. The first place of impact is in the area of my father’s life (and later my mother’s). After finishing missions work with the Inuit, my father moved to work in Cardston, Alberta. I know there has been so much news recently regarding Residential Schools and all of their atrocities. I cannot and will not deny these facts.
Through the darkness that enshrouded and still enshrouds the whole concept of residential schools, God did provide some God-fearing, well-meaning staff to be beacons of light to St. Paul’s in Cardston, from 1958-1959. Two of these beacons were my dad and later my mum, who met while working at the school. Had any atrocities occurred during my dad’s time at the school, he would have been the first one to speak loudly in defence of the students. My dad was very passionate about his work and relationships with our First Nations people and always stood up for the rights of others. (Obviously, his passions have been passed on to me.)
Some of St. Paul’s more famous graduates include: Mike Mountain Horse – wounded twice at Vimy Ridge and awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal; and Evelyn Eagle Speaker, who at the age of 19, became the first Native woman to be crowned “Calgary Stampede Queen” (1954). She would later become the first Native woman to be named Princess Wapiti, representing the five Treaty 7 tribes. The most famous graduate of St. Paul’s was Senator James Gladstone.
Senator Gladstone was the first native to represent First Nations’ peoples in the Senate (1958-1971). His six children were also well known graduates of St. Paul’s School. His daughter, Nora, represented Canadian Native peoples at the 1937 Coronation of King George VI in London. England. James and my father were good friends. James was a great advocate both for his people and St. Paul’s. I had the honour to meet him when I was a child and our last meeting was just before his death. He had 3 passions in life; his family, his people, and his country.
Speaking of reconciliation, God provided an opportunity to do some of that at my aunt’s (my dad’s youngest sister) memorial on Tuesday June 16. Six, out of the eight cousins, were under the same roof for the first time in 40 years. I had seen Malcolm 3 years ago when my mother passed away. With much prayer, I had my aunt come to reconcile with my mum for all their past hurts. I knew it had to be done for both their sakes before my mum passed. It happened and my aunt was there when my mum passed. Malcolm and I had our own reconciliation. My aunt’s memorial brought reconciliation that was 40 years in the making.
When we go to England (hopefully later this summer), there is a lot of reconciliation to happen there. From welcoming back adopted cousins to setting this generation straight. It is never too late for reconciliation!!!
- MJ
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