Ottawa – The staff and board of the Native Women’s Association of Canada have collectively determined names of three late iconic Indigenous women to put forward for the open nomination process to add a woman to the next Bank of Canada note.
As the voice of Indigenous women in Canada, NWAC feels that it is our duty to celebrate the powerfully influential role Indigenous women play in our collective history. By showcasing any of the following incredible women, not only would the Bank of Canada be taking a strong step toward reconciliation, this department would be joining our communities in embracing the leadership and resilience of our women.
The three women NWAC has selected for submission to the Bank of Canada include:
- E. Pauline Johnson (1861-1913), Emily Pauline Johnson (Mohawk name: Tekahionwake) was a Mohawk woman from the Six Nations Reserve of Grand River in Ontario. She made a name for herself in the arts as a celebrated writer, poet and performer. Johnson’s work has been published and received wide acclamation across Canada, the United States and Great Britain;
- Annie Mae Aquash (1945-1975), (Mi’kmaq name: Naguset Eask) was a Mi’kmaq woman from Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia. An unwavering advocate for Indigenous empowerment and sovereignty, Aquash was a lifelong activist in the American Indian Movement of the 1970s; and
- Shannen Koostachin (1995-2010) was a fearless, young Cree activist from Atta ...
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