They Will Be Missed

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They Will Be Missed

Lavina Washines, the first woman to lead the Yakama Nation Tribal Council, walked on June 2, 2011.

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They Will Be Missed

Alma Kytwayhat, a Cree elder and former senator of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, walked on September 19, 2011.

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Amy Trice, who was leader of the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho when it declared a peaceful war on the United States in 1974, walked on July 21, 2011.

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Catherine Velky, a Schaghticoke elder who had served on the tribal council since the mid-1960s, is seen here with her son in 2004. She walked on August 3, 2011.

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Elouise Cobell, the Blackfeet Nation tribal citizen who fought the United States government and won, walked on October 16, 2011.

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Ernest House Sr., long-term chairman and council member of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe in southwestern Colorado, walked on September 17, 2011.

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Ernest Kaientaronkwen Benedict, a renowned Mohawk elder and one of the first Canadian First Nations people to earn a college degree, walked on January 8, 2011.

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Ethan Yellowbird, the 5-year-old grandson of Samson Cree First Nation Chief Marvin Yellowbird, was killed by a stray bullet fired outside his Alberta reserve, on July 11, 2011.

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Glen Douglas, a Lakes-Okanogan Indian of the Colville Tribe, was a veteran of World War II, and the Korean and Vietnam wars. He walked on May 22, 2011.

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Gordon Tootoosis, a Cree actor who appeared in more than 40 films, walked on July 5, 2011.

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Helen Hornbeck Tanner, a champion of Native American rights and author of Atlas of Great Lakes Indian History, walked on June 15, 2011.

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Jack Forbes, a Powhatan-Renápe/Delaware-Lenápe author and Native American studies trailblazer, walked on February 23, 2011.

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Jack Layton, a champion for aboriginal rights, passed August 22, 2011, less than a month after he stepped down from his position as New Democratic Party leader “temporarily.”

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U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Joe Michael Jackson, a Gila River Indian raised on the Yakama Nation reservation, walked on April 24, 2011.

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Joe Morris Sr., a Navajo code talker from World War II, walked on July 17, 2011.

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Jose Kusugak, an Inuit champion for land-claim, linguistic and cultural rights, walked on January 18, 2011.

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Dr. Katherine Siva Saubel, a Cahuilla elder, scholar and co-founder of the Malki Musuem, walked on November 1, 2011. She was one of the few fluent speakers of the Cahuilla language.

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Olive Patricia Dickason, Métis, a prolific author of books that highlighted aboriginals’ role in creating Canada’s early economy, walked on March 12, 2011.

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Paingut “Annie” Peterloosie, an Inuit healer, counselor and actor, walked on November 12, 2011.

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They Will Be Missed

Salli Benedict, Mohawk daughter of Ernest “Ernie” Kaientaronkwen Benedict, was a champion of aboriginal rights who walked on May 15, 2011.

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William Commanda, Anishinabek, was the great-grandson of Pakinawatik, the hereditary Algonquin chief who led his people to their current territory near Maniwaki, Quebec. He walked on August 2, 2011.

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Mary Hunt Kahlenberg, collector of Native textiles, walked on October 27, 2011. Her traveling exhibit, The Navajo Blanket, presented Navajo weaving as fine art.

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Sargent Shriver, who worked on issues of poverty, Indian affairs and women’s equality, walked on January 18, 2011. He was also the founding director of the Peace Corps and was married to Eunice Kennedy.

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They Will Be Missed

By:

ICTMN Staff

December 17, 2011

Indian country has lost many leaders and visionaries this year, featured here are just a sampling of those who are no longer with us.

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