The Honour of One Is the the Remarkable Contributions of These First Nations Graduates Honour of All Honour the Voices of Our Ancestors Table of Contents of Table
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The Honour of One is the The Remarkable Contributions of these First Nations Graduates Honour of All Honour the Voices of Our Ancestors 2 THE HONOUR OF ONE Table of Contents 3 Table of Contents 2 THE HONOUR OF ONE Introduction 4 William (Bill) Ronald Reid 8 George Manuel 10 Margaret Siwallace 12 Chief Simon Baker 14 Phyllis Amelia Chelsea 16 Elizabeth Rose Charlie 18 Elijah Edward Smith 20 Doreen May Jensen 22 Minnie Elizabeth Croft 24 Georges Henry Erasmus 26 Verna Jane Kirkness 28 Vincent Stogan 30 Clarence Thomas Jules 32 Alfred John Scow 34 Robert Francis Joseph 36 Simon Peter Lucas 38 Madeleine Dion Stout 40 Acknowledgments 42 4 THE HONOUR OF ONE IntroductionIntroduction 5 THE HONOUR OF ONE The Honour of One is the Honour of All “As we enter this new age that is being he Honour of One is the called “The Age of Information,” I like to THonour of All Sourcebook is think it is the age when healing will take a tribute to the First Nations men place. This is a good time to acknowledge and women recognized by the our accomplishments. This is a good time to University of British Columbia for share. We need to learn from the wisdom of their distinguished achievements and our ancestors. We need to recognize the hard outstanding service to either the life work of our predecessors which has brought of the university, the province, or on us to where we are today.” a national or international level. Doreen Jensen May 29, 1992 This tribute shows that excellence can be expressed in many ways. Focusing their unrelenting energy and persistence on creating a better world for First Nations people, these men and women have ignited fi res of First Nations pride and self- determination that now burn brightly in the hearts and minds of the people they’ve touched. 6 THE HONOUR OF ONE he remarkable contributions of these First Nations graduates honour Tthe voices of our ancestors. It is our pleasure to present them to you. 7 THE HONOUR OF ONE William Ronald Reid Georges Erasmus Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 1976 Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 1993 George Manuel Verna Jane Kirkness Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 1983 Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 1993 Margaret Siwallace Vincent Stogan Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, 1985 Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 1995 Simon Baker Alfred Scow Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 1990 Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 1997 Phyllis Amelia Chelsea Clarence Thomas Jules Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 1990 Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 1997 Elizabeth Rose Charlie Simon Lucas Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 1990 Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 2002 Elijah Edward Smith Robert Joseph Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 1991 Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 2003 Doreen Jensen Madeleine Dion Stout Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, 1991 Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 2004 Minnie Croft Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 1993 We plan to continue the tradition of recognizing distinguished First Nations people by extending this sourcebook to include the photographs of future University of British Columbia honourary graduates. 8 THE HONOUR OF ONE William (Bill) Ronald Reid Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa,1976 9 THE HONOUR OF ONE orn in Victoria Reid has always this University’s large collection Bbeen proud of his heritage and of totem poles. When he found strongly attached to his maternal these too decayed for restoration grandfather, a Haida silversmith and he created seven new poles and carver. While in Toronto working two Haida-style long houses, with for the Canadian Broadcasting the help of ‘Namgis carver Doug Corporation, he studied the Cranmer. These now stand behind Northwest Coast art displayed in the Museum of Anthropology. the Royal Ontario Museum, and completed a two-year course in Bill Reid has displayed great jewellery-making at the Ryerson versatility throughout his career. His Institute of Technology. Following wood-carvings and jewellery, in gold a brief carving apprenticeship with and silver, became known across the Chief Mungo Martin in Victoria, continent and in Europe. A selection he accepted an invitation to restore of the fi nest pieces of Native art of tthehe NorthwestNorthwest CoastCoast fromfrom thethe majormajor ccollectionsollections ofof AmericaAmerica resultedresulted iinn anan exhibitionexhibition atat thethe VancouverVancouver AArtrt GalleryGallery forfor whichwhich hehe wrotewrote thethe ccatalogue.atalogue. HHisis largelarge goldgold casketcasket broughtbrought statusstatus ttoo thethe CanadianCanadian PavilionPavilion atat ExpoExpo ‘‘67.67. GGracingracing CCanadiananadian museumsmuseums aarere ccountlessountless otherother works,works, includingincluding oneone ooff hhisis mmostost ffamousamous ppieces,ieces, RRavenaven aandnd tthehe FFirstirst Men,Men, onon displaydisplay atat thethe MMuseumuseum ofof AAnthropology.nthropology. Photo by Bill McLennan 10 THE HONOUR OF ONE GeorgeGeorge ManuelManuel Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 1983 11 THE HONOUR OF ONE pre-eminent speaker, not only He became President of the National A for the First Nations people Indian Brotherhood in 1970 and of Canada, but also for indigenous led that organization through its people throughout the world, formative years. Subsequently, he George Manuel had become by 1960 became President of the Union of Chief of his Shuswap Band and the British Columbia Indian Chiefs. major spokesperson for interior First During the 1970s he devoted Nations of British Columbia. His increasing attention to the needs of dedication to his work was so strong peoples in other parts of the world. that even after four heart attacks, In 1975 he founded and became and being confi ned to a wheelchair, the first President of the World he still functioned as Chief of his Council of Indigenous Peoples. In reserve. that position he was untiring in seeking redress for the plight of these peoples, especially those in LLatinatin America.America. IInn hhisis threethree decadesdecades ofof politicalpolitical aactivism,ctivism, ManuelManuel receivedreceived manymany hhonoursonours iincludingncluding threethree nominationsnominations fforor thethe NobelNobel PeacePeace PrizePrize andand thethe OOrderrder ooff CCanada.anada. HHee wwasas tthehe fi rrstst ppermanentermanent GrandGrand ChiefChief ofof thethe UUnionnion ooff BritishBritish ColumbiaColumbia IndianIndian CChiefshiefs inin 1981.1981. Photo: Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs 12 THE HONOUR OF ONE Margaret Siwallace Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, 1985 13 THE HONOUR OF ONE argaret Siwallace was born in to pharmacology. A true scholar and MKimsquit, B.C. Educated at scientist in her own right, she fought the Crosby Indian Girls School at for First Nations rights, working for Port Simpson, Margaret Siwallace her own community as well as for was an excellent translator, moving good relations amongst others. easily between English, Chinook, and her own native Nuxalk (Bella Siwallace mediated and unraveled Coola) language. An intercultural many knotty problems in politics, woman of great personal and law, customs, science and more scholarly integrity, Siwallace was the general scholarship. Trained for principal source for many papers chieftainship from an early age-- and theses in fields that ranged which offi ce of the Nuxalk people from ethnobotany to linguistics, she graced with rare ability for many history to nutrition, ethnomedicine years--she was a great historian. A mother of five, grandmother of eeighteenighteen andand great-grandmothergreat-grandmother toto tthirty,hirty, throughthrough a longlong lifelife whichwhich hhasas kknownnown diredire tragedytragedy aass wwellell asas tthehe eextremesxtremes ooff mmaterialaterial ppoverty,overty, MMargaretargaret SiwallaceSiwallace hhasas alwaysalways bbeeneen ggenerousenerous ooff hherself,erself, ffreelyreely ssharingharing wwithith othersothers thethe qualitiesqualities andand wwealthealth ofof herher mindmind andand heart,heart, herher kknowledge,nowledge, hherer ssympathyympathy aandnd hherer iinsight,nsight, aandnd hhasas eearnedarned tthehe rrespect,espect, aadmirationdmiration aandnd lloveove ooff aallll wwhoho eencounteredncountered hher.er. Photo by Kent Danielson, 1985 14 THE HONOUR OF ONE Chief Simon Baker Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, 1990 15 THE HONOUR OF ONE hot-la-cha (Man with the He founded the North West Coast KKind Heart) was born on the Indian Cultural Society, the first Capilano Reserve. Much of his life such organization in B.C. has been spent keeping First Nations culture alive, not only among his First Nations people across the own people, but in the hearts and continent have shown their minds of the general population. appreciation and respect for Simon An ambassador of his culture and of Baker by bestowing upon him the human spirit, Baker served his such titles as honourary Chief of people as councilor and chairman the Sechelt Nation, and honourary of the Squamish Indian Band for 40 member of the Oshewekan Nation years. He has worked in Canada and Lacrosse Family of Ontario. He abroad as a fi sherman, longshoreman, also has an honourary lifetime public lecturer, actor and performer. membership in the Native Brotherhood of B.C. and in 1989 was nnamedamed KKinging ooff EElderslders iinn BB.C..C. TThehe UUniversityniversity ofof BritishBritish ColumbiaColumbia hashas bbenefienefi tedted fromfrom hishis invaluableinvaluable adviceadvice aandnd counselcounsel onon suchsuch projectsprojects asas thethe FFirstirst NNationsations HouseHouse ooff LearningLearning andand tthehe NNativeative IIndianndian TTeachereacher EEducationducation PProgram.rogram.