Indigenous Veteran's Day
In acknowledgement of Indigenous Veteran’s Day, the Multicultural Association of Wood Buffalo hosts workshops at the Royal Canadian Legion to share Indigenous and War history teachings, as well as a commemorative flag making activity for local RMWB schools.
Would you like to get your school involved in this year’s Indigenous Veteran’s Day workshop?
Contact outreach@mcawb.org to learn how!
Observed annually on November 8, Canada acknowledges the dedication, contributions, experiences and sacrifices that Indigenous soldiers and service workers made during World War I, II, and the Korean War.
This day focuses on the vital role that Indigenous veterans have when it came to defending Canada and further shaping the nation’s freedom, even as they faced additional challenges in Canadian society.
The establishment of November 8 as being Canada’s Indigenous Veteran’s Day first took place in 1994 as a way to honour the distinct contributions of Indigenous soldiers and service members (including First Nations, Mètis, and Inuit peoples).
The reason that a distinct day for Indigenous Veterans was created instead of also being on November 11 came from the result of the fact that, while they did fight alongside fellow Canadians during major conflicts, it was often that their experiences and sacrifices were frequently overlooked. Efforts to address these oversights led to November 8 being established as Indigenous Veteran`s Day, providing a dedicated time to recognize, appreciate, and acknowledge the thousands of Indigenous soldiers and service members who served in World War I, II, and the Korean War.
