Forgotten Warriors
Nov 14: 4-6pm
Kinsella Auditorium, McCain Hall

Although they could not be conscripted, when World War II was declared, thousands of Canadian Aboriginal men and women enlisted and fought alongside their non-Native countrymen. While they fought for freedom for others, ironically the Aboriginal soldiers were not allowed equality in their own country. As a reward for fighting, the Canadian Soldier Veteran's Settlement Act allowed returning soldiers to buy land at a cheap price. However, many of the Aboriginal soldiers were never offered nor told about the land entitlement. Some returned home to find the government had seized parts of their own reserve land to compensate non-Native war veterans. Whole First Nations communities still mourn the loss of the thousands of acres of prime land they were forced to surrender. With narrator Gordon Tootoosis providing an historical overview, Aboriginal veterans poignantly share their unforgettable war memories and their healing process. We join them as they travel back to Europe to perform a sacred circle for friends left behind, but not forgotten, in foreign grave sites. 1997, 51 min 15 s (source: http://onf-nfb.gc.ca/en/our-collection/?idfilm=33238)

Graydon Nicholas will introduce the film and lead a discussion afterward.

This event is part of a series of events to address how St. Thomas University can participate in meeting the demands articulated by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. It is organized by the Senate Committee on the Reconciliation.