National Indigenous Veterans day memorial held in Stoney Creek

With wreaths and traditional music at the Eagles Among Us Monument in Stoney Creek, the City of Hamilton commemorated its Indigenous veterans on Friday.

“We’re here to recognize the Indigenous veteran,” Travis Hill, Hamilton’s Indigenous Culture Curator said. “On November 11th, its a little bit of a broader scope — but today, we’re recognizing our past warriors as well as all the servicemen and service women.”

Joining the memorial was the city’s police service, something Stacey Hill, the department’s Indigenous Liason Officer, said was an important part of the day. It was a sentiment that Hamilton’s chief of police, Frank Bergen, agreed with.

“To make sure we clearly understand as a community, that we cannot forget,” he said.

The monument is on a battlefield from the war of 1812, where First Nations warriors played a critical role in protecting Canada from an invasion from the United States.

In recognition of the role Indigenous veterans played throughout the country’s history, part of the ceremony was devoted to the roughly 12,000 Indigenous soldiers who fought in the two world wars and Korean war.

For Marilyn Wright, it’s an especially important day. She brought a photo of her grandfather and great uncles, both servicemen who served in 1941. She says they were proud of the role they played, even though they often suffered for it — by losing their official government designation, and with it, the right to live on the reserve.