Anishnabe change makers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Anishnabe change makers - Essay Example The Anishinaabe people all speak closely related Anishinaabemowin languages of the Algonquian language family. One of the Anishinaabe change makers was George Manuel, born back in February 21st 1921 to Maria and Rainbow on the Secwepemc side of Shuswap people. Her mother, Maria later married Louie Manuel, and hence George inherited his second name. He started school at the Kamloops Indian Residential School. During this time he was, diagnosed with tuberculosis and later transferred to Indian TB hospital near Chilliwack, British Columbia. During his spell there, George met Marceline Paul; a Kootenai woman from St. Marys Indian Band and made her his first wife. They both married and together, had six children. He gained strength from his family, which added to his leadership quality. George started developing the urge of taking responsibility as a political leader which began to be a developing strain on his life in marriage. First elected as the chief of Neskon Indian Band and during the year 1959 and after the death of his mentor Andy Paul, he took the responsibility as the head of North American Indian Brotherhood. After he had broken up with Marceline, the federal Department of Indian Affairs offered him a position with the Cowichan Tribes at Duncan where he worked as a community development officer. As a change maker, George felt the need to have a vision for his life and his people in general. He opted to work for his community for the aboriginal people and the indigenous people of the world as well. He recognized that for aboriginal societies to effect change, the members of the community had to work together as one in order to achieve this goal. George moved from his position and advanced to a role with the Alberta brotherhood where he developed a strong and firm working relationship with the Cree political leader Harold