Gwendolyn Lucy O'Soup Crane

Gwendolyn Lucy O'Soup Crane (1930–2005) was born on August 12, 1930 in The Key First Nation, Saskatchewan and died on August 10, 2005 in Regina, Saskatchewan.[1] She was Canada's first female First Nations Chief, and first elected.[2][3][4][5]

Indigenous Peoples History

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission 94 Calls to Action are dependent on identifying and making publicly available the history and legacy of residential schools and the history of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. There is a lack of documentation for their history as it was one of forced assimilation[6][7][8][9][10] by a dominant culture looking to erase those cultures,[5][11][12][13] which means little may be available. Plus digitization efforts to date have not prioritized items under copyright nor non-mainstream cultures and languages, resulting in claims of digital or electronic colonialism. Thus the paucity of information and references for this notable Indigenous person who was publicly honoured by an Indigenous organization (FSIN) for her lifetime achievements.[14]

Early years

She was born Gwendolyn Lucy O'Soup in 1930. Her brothers and sisters include Raymond Brass, Frances Crowfoot, and Geraldine Wardman.[15]

Personal life

She married Clifford Crane of the Key First Nation after his service in World War II[15] and raised nine children, Terry, Dennis (residential school specialist[16] and later, Chief[17]), Garda, Gilda, Trent, Brenda, Joy, Karen, and Cliff.[15] Norman predeceased his parents in 1956 at just over 2 years of age.[1][5][18]

She lived in Moose Jaw (1961-67) and Edmonton (1967-84) with most of her children before returning to the reserve to retire.[16]

Gwen Crane was a lifetime member of the Anglican Church and sat on the national Anglican Council for Indigenous People (ACIP).[19] "She spent the last few years trying to convince the province and the federal government to recognize the old St. Andrew's Anglican Church, which was built by members on the reserve in 1885, as a historical monument."[20]

Kookum[21] ["grandmother"] to Corey O'Soup, the first Advocate for Children and Youth for the province of Saskatchewan with Indigenous heritage.[22]

Career

At the age of 24 she was nominated for the position of Chief and won by three votes in December 1954, becoming Canada's first female, First Nations Chief[23][24][25][26] and first elected under the current electoral system.[1][15][16] There are reputed to be other female Chiefs pre-contact but the colonial, male dominated culture refused to deal with women, and thus the decline in balanced leadership[2] until her win. Political service was limited to a two-year term[27] at the time, which she fulfilled (1954–56[17]). Her mandate was Indigenous education and revitalizing a health care centre (Union Hospital[16][27]) in Norquay,[28] and that "our main thrust is to get the Indians working together in harmony."[17] She was a seamstress in a clothing factory in Moose Jaw.[16] She was also the first woman porter at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton.[16][27] She is reported to have also cleaned buses and did housecleaning while living in Edmonton.[16]

Awards

Honoured by the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations Chiefs Assembly for her lifetime achievements.[14]

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References
  1. Hammond, Stephen (2017). "Human Rights a Day: August 12, 1930 - Gwen O'Soup Crane [podcast]". player.fm. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  2. Warick, Jason (July 26, 2017). "'The time is here': Sask. has record number of female First Nations chiefs". CBC News. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  3. Anuik, Jonathan (2011). First in Canada: An Aboriginal book of days. Regina, SK: University of Regina Press. ISBN 978-0889772403.
  4. "Woman Chief". The Miniota Herald. January 6, 1955. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  5. Jiwani, Yasmin (March 27, 2016). "Obituaries as Markers of Memory: Grievability and Visibility in Representations of Aboriginal Women in the National Canadian Imaginary". Cultural Studies ↔ Critical Methodologies. 16 (4): 387–399. doi:10.1177/1532708616638691.
  6. "Forced Assimilation". Wikipedia. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  7. Kirmayer, Laurence; Simpson, Cori; Cargo, Margaret (2003-10-01). "Healing Traditions: Culture, Community and Mental Health Promotion with Canadian Aboriginal Peoples". Australasian Psychiatry. 11: S15–S23. doi:10.1046/j.1038-5282.2003.02010.x. ISSN 1038-5282.
  8. Battiste, Marie (May 29, 2004). "Animating Sites of Postcolonial Education: Indigenous Knowledge and the Humanities". CiteSeerX 10.1.1.488.6642. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. Woolford, Andrew (2009-04-22). "Ontological Destruction: Genocide and Canadian Aboriginal Peoples1". Genocide Studies and Prevention. 4: 81–97. doi:10.3138/gsp.4.1.81.
  10. Neegan, Erica (2005-01-03). "Excuse me: who are the first peoples of Canada? a historical analysis of Aboriginal education in Canada then and now". International Journal of Inclusive Education. 9 (1): 3–15. doi:10.1080/1360311042000299757. ISSN 1360-3116.
  11. National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (2019). Reclaiming power and place: Executive summarymof the Final Report, National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (PDF). National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. ISBN 9780660309514.
  12. "Harper's manifesto: Erasing Canada's Indigenous communities | rabble.ca". rabble.ca. Retrieved 2019-08-06.
  13. News; Canada (2018-05-29). "'A key player in Indigenous cultural genocide:' Historians erase Sir John A. Macdonald's name from book prize | National Post". Retrieved 2019-08-06.
  14. "Gwen Crane, 74". The Globe & Mail. August 16, 2005. p. S9.
  15. "Gwen Crane: Obituary". The Leader-Post. August 12, 2005. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  16. Chaput, John (September 14, 2005). "GWEN CRANE, NATIVE ELDER 1930-2005". The Globe & Mail. p. S9.
  17. Bellegarde, Verna (September 1982). "Key Reserve celebrates treaty centennial". Saskatchewan Indian. 12 (7): 12–14.
  18. Hammond, Stephen (2008). "August 12, 1930 - Gwen O'Soup Crane". Steps in the Rights Direction: 365 Human Rights, Celebrations & Tragedies that Inspired Canada and the World. Vancouver: Harassment Solutions. ISBN 9780973495416.
  19. Pollon, Carole A. (January 2006). "Gwen Crane". The Saskatchewan Anglican. 34 (1): 5.
  20. Regina Leader Post (August 13, 2005). "First female chief remembered". Saskatoon StarPhoenix. p. A4.
  21. National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Truth-Gathering Process Part III Expert & Knowledge-Keeper Panel : Human Rights Framework. Part III Volume VI Panel II: "International Human Rights Law as a Foundation for the Inquiry's Work and Recommendations" (PDF). Ottawa, ON: National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. 2018. p. 83.
  22. "Saskatchewan Advocate - A Voice for children and youth". Saskatchewan Advocate for Children & Youth. 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  23. Van de Sompal, George (October 1955). "Progress noted on Pelley Agency" (PDF). Indian Missionary Record. XVIII[8]: 5.
  24. "Woman Chief of Key Reserve" (PDF). Indian Missionary Record. XVIII[1]: 6. January 1955.
  25. "Frown on claim" (PDF). Indian Missionary Record. XVIII[2]: 5. February 1955.
  26. "About Our Town". The Gazette (Montreal). July 8, 1955. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  27. Farag, Essam (January 2006). "Canadian Aboriginal women (part I)". The Ambassadors: The Forum for Cultures and Civilizations. Online Magazine. 9 (1).
  28. "Saskatchewan Indigenous history - key dates". RezX. 2 (7): 14–15. June 2014.
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