Indigenous Veterans, Communities, and Youth: A Time to Gather and Commemorate

• In Event: Indigenizing K–12 Educational Environments: Relational Curriculum, Intergenerational Literacies, and Decolonizing Teacher Professional Development

Abstract

Indigenous Veterans have not always received the heroic status of their contemporaries of European descent. In receiving more recognition, through public commemorations, Indigenous veterans, youth and communities are storying the contributions of their ancestors. This paper will explore the impact of one such example, in relation to a sense of pride, and intergenerational learning and sharing. In documenting the experiences of Veterans, community members and Youth on the 100th anniversary of Vimy in Ottawa, Canada, and perhaps more importantly the connections made before and those maintained after this event, as part of a longitudinal study, this research is beginning to document a tremendous sense of Métis pride, revitalization and not only personal connections, but spiritual connections between and amongst Métis.

Author

• Laura-Lee Kearns, Saint Francis Xavier University