On Friday, August 25, 2017, our Nation will proudly honor and pay tribute to our veterans by unveiling the Ochapowace Veterans Monument at the Chief Denton George Memorial Multiplex (CDGMM). The monument has many years in the making and of great thought in design by our Elders. The time has come for its’ unveiling. The monument was to be unveiled last Remembrance Day; however, it received some damage during transporting which delayed its delivery to our Nation.
In the early 1990’s, the Late Ms. Ida Wasacase, our Education Director at the time, lead the annual community Remembrance Day celebrations. She always promoted the importance of paying tribute to our service men and women, who served in the different wars and at peacetime. As part of the Kakisiwew School curriculum and community awareness, with great esteem, Ida always reminded us that we must never forget the role that our veterans played during war and peace time and all the sacrifices they endured to ensure the protection of our people and home fires. In accordance to Treaty making with the Crown in the 1800’s, our people were not required to go fight for Canada, but some of them did.
The leadership of yesterday and today want to thank our Elders for all the work that they did to fulfill a vision of tribute to all our service men and women of Ochapowace by erecting a veterans’ monument in their honor. We also thank Kakisiwew School for the continued Remembrance Day services in the school to educate our children on what it all means. In the event that any of our service men and women names were missed on the monument, we apologize to the family, and please know that names can be added, as required.
We welcome our people to the Veterans Monument Unveiling tomorrow at 10:00am at the CDGMM. Let’s all join in great honor and celebration!
Respectfully,
Okimaw Iskwew Margaret Bear
Headmen & Headwomen
AGENDA
8:00 a.m. Pipe Ceremony
Chief Denton George Memorial Multiplex Teepee
10:00 a.m.
Master of Ceremonies: Morley Watson
Unveiling of Veterans Monument
Tiffany Watson, Bombardier, 18 Battery 10 Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
Ronald Redwood, Vice President, South Branch Saskatchewan First Nations Veterans Association
Veterans Monument Smudging & Opening Prayer Elder Sam Isaac & Elder Alvin Kaye
Flag Raising & Victory Song
Kakisiwew School Drum Group
The Last Post & (2) Minutes of Silence
Abe Driedger, Bugle from Broadview
Welcoming Remarks
Okimaw Iskwew Margaret Bear
Invited Speakers
Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations
Saskatchewan First Nations Veterans’ Association Grand Chief Steven Ross
Honoring Veterans & Dignitaries
Closing Remarks Senator Wesley Bear
Thank You Prayer & Blessing of the Food
Elder Ross Allary
Lunch
Provided by Ochapowace Chief Denton George Memorial Multiplex
Veterans Memorial Presentation Justin Bear