Indigenous veterans honoured at Membertou Remembrance Day ceremony

Membertou First Nation highlighted the contributions of Indigenous veterans on Remembrance Day.

Within the main ballroom at the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre, in Membertou, N.S., the contributions of Indigenous soldiers were honoured on Remembrance Day.

However, some feel Indigenous veterans are largely forgotten on Nov. 11 outside of First Nations communities, including Membertou First Nation Chief Terry Paul.

“We’re all people, we’re all equal. We all should be equal, and we should all respect each other, and we have a ways to go to make right for the Indigenous veterans in this country,” says Paul.

Mi’kmaq educator Jarvis Googoo, of Dartmouth, N.S., says hundreds of Mi’kmaq soldiers fought in the First and Second World Wars, and the Korean War, even though they would not be allowed to vote in this country until 1960. Adding, at the time of their enlistment, they were not recognized as Canadian citizens.

“It’s the ultimate patriot,” says Googoo. “Where you’re not even recognized as a citizen of your country, you’re treated as second-class, and you’re still willing to serve for it.”

Rev. Bill Burke is the pastor at St. Anne’s Parish in Membertou. He says, until coming to the community 12 years ago, he had no idea the extent to which the Indigenous community participated in those wars.

He says the service held each year on Nov. 11 is a testament to the community’s commitment to remembrance.

“It never weakened here in Membertou,” says Burke. “It was always strong, and it never weakened even when it was doing so in the rest of the country. They have always had a great sense of gratitude to those who have gone before.”

Indigenous Veterans Day is marked in Canada each Nov. 8.

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