# data[].attributes.body
In 1914-1915, the Ministry of Militia attempted to dissuade enlistment, but there was no official policy of exclusion. They were extremely cautious about including us Indigenous peoples in an expeditionary force. There was some apprehension that it might violate treaties. Since The British North American Act did not grant us the rights and obligations of citizenship, the government did not count on us to volunteer. My father was eager to volunteer his service, whereas my uncle felt mixed about contributing to the war, because of a difficult relationship with the government and because this was not their war. However, my father managed to persuade him, and they were both given permitted to enlist. They assured me that by Christmas, it would be over.

# data[].attributes.body
When many Indigenous men, including my father and uncle, joined the military, they brought valuable skills with them. For those who had come from communities where hunting was a way of life, patience, stealth, and marksmanship were very well skills. My father was one of many Indigenous soldiers who became snipers after relying on traditional hunting techniques. He met Francis Pegahmagabow, one of the most decorated Indigenous soldiers of the First World War. My father looked up to him since he was awarded the Military Medal plus two bars for acts of bravery in Belgium and France.

# data[].attributes.body
My father had written several letters to my family and me, the majority of which were about the Trenches. He mentioned that they had been dug 2 meters into the ground. When it rained, it would fill with water. As a result, it had become a breeding ground for diseases and pests such as rats and lice. Due to the wet and unsanitary, my uncle contracted trench foot. Thankfully, despite the fact that his feet swelled to three times their normal size, he didn't have to get them amputated.

# data[].attributes.body
When my father and uncle had safely returned they had hoped their wartime service and sacrifice would increase their rights in Canadian society. However, when they returned to civilian life, Canada did not treat them the same as other Veterans. The war and their contributions had no effect on Indigenous people's political, legal, economic, and social positions.  My family was heartbroken since my father and his brother volunteered to put their life on the line and found themselves largely excluded from the benefits offered to returning soldiers because they were already considered to be "looked after" by the government as Status Indians. They were denied full Veteran benefits and support programs.

# data[].attributes.body
Duncan Campbell Scott, Deputy Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, mandated that every First Nations child between the ages of 7 and 16 attend government-run residential boarding schools. This means I'd have to be forced to go. My home was hundreds of kilometres away from the school. For months at a time, I was separated from my family.

# data[].attributes.body
My family and I lived on reserves in Canadian towns and cities, where we faced discrimination and prejudice. We had few opportunities to find good jobs and make a living, so we were poor and hopeless. They believed that we would be confined in a reserve until we became "civilized," and that once we had learned the "proper habits" of the workforce, we would be released into general society as full citizens with equal rights. In reality, the reserves were established to contain and control us Indigenous People while allowing Europeans and Canadians full access to the fish, animals, water, trees, and mineral resources that had previously sustained Indigenous life and culture.

# data[].attributes.body
Before the arrival of the Europeans, we used fermented beverages and herbs in spiritual rituals and regarded them as sacred, but not for everyday use. Contrarily, Europeans used substances, like alcohol, in social settings or for entertainment. The British and French quickly adjusted their trading strategy to take advantage of the addictive properties of alcohol in our territory. Colonial powers took advantage of the struggles and used addiction to spread misinformation and racist stereotypes about us Indigenous peoples.

# data[].attributes.body
On the home front, my Indigenous community participated in the national war effort in diverse ways, by donating money, clothing and food to worthy causes and also granted the use of portions of our reserve lands to allow for the construction of new airports, rifle ranges and defence installations and working for the war industry. Despite our contributions and sacrifices, however, we remained marginalized, without basic civic rights like the right to vote.

# data[].attributes.body
Brazeau, Patrick, and Sophie Roy. n.d. “Indigenous Issues in Canada and the INERTIA of the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT the Office of the Honourable Written By.” https://sencanada.ca/media/367956/indigenous_issues_in_canada_en_final.pdf.

# data[].attributes.body
Canada; 2014. “Indigenous Contributions during the First World War.” Rcaanc-Cirnac.gc.ca. 2014. https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1414152378639/1607908713791.

# data[].attributes.body
In 1946, Parliament established a Special Joint Committee on the Indian Act. Indigenous leaders, representing First Nations and political associations, were called to testify. My family was concerned about losing our Indian status, treaty rights, and tax exemptions which divided indigenous opinion on gaining the right to vote at the federal level. After three years of public hearings, the Committee produced a final report in 1948. The goal of Indian policy was to recast from assimilation to integration. In view of the new policy slant, the Committee recommended that we will be allowed to vote in federal elections.

# data[].attributes.body
Chang, Jonathan, Meghna Chakrabarti, and Tim Skoog. 2021. “Stories from Canada’s Indigenous Residential School Survivors | on Point.” Wbur.org. WBUR. July 28, 2021. https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2021/07/28/stories-from-survivors-of-canadas-indigenous-residential-schools.

# data[].attributes.body
“First Nations in the ‘Roaring Twenties.’” 2023. The Roaring Twenties? 2023. https://historysummativewenusa.weebly.com/first-nations-in-the-roaring-twenties.html.

# data[].attributes.body
During this period, we experienced a lot of challenging times. However, I dealt with them along with your uncle. As you are aware, we enlisted in World War 1  despite the fact that we didn't speak French or English and had little contact with other Canadians outside of our immediate communities. We encountered a range of attitudes toward us, both positive as well as negative. We were integrated into regular military units rather than serving in segregated "all-Indian" units. We found it difficult to adjust to military discipline and daily life, and those who disobeyed army rules risked punishment or even discharge. Not to worry, we quickly adjusted to life as soldiers and turned out to be important members of our companies. It was challenging to comply with military demands because they clashed with some of our Indigenous traditions. For instance, some of the Indigenous soldiers we interacted with were let go from the military because they refused to cut their hair. I believed that joining the military would allow me to demonstrate my abilities on a global scale while also using my traditional skills, such as scouting, tracking, hunting, and navigation. Hopefully, everything will be worth it in the end for our community because we made a major sacrifice by serving this nation. We will be back by Christmas, I miss you all so much!

Sincerely, Azaadi Nakoolak

# data[].attributes.body
“First Nations Peoples and the Right to Vote Case Study | Elections Canada’s Civic Education.” 2015. Electionsanddemocracy.ca. 2015. https://electionsanddemocracy.ca/voting-rights-through-time-0/first-nations-and-right-vote-case-study.

# data[].attributes.body
While everyone else was having the time of their life in the Roaring Twenties, I was forced to attend a residential school. We were not allowed to speak in our native languages, and schools taught me nothing about my Native culture. Luckily, I could understand my native language at the time even though I couldn't speak it. My classmates frequently lost touch with their traditions and families. If someone were to speak their language they would make us watch the supervisor strap them with a strap made out of a fire hose. Since the schools were divided based on gender, we were separated from our siblings. When we arrived on the first day I remember that there were supervisors at the door. My sisters went in one direction, and I followed my older brother in another direction. This supervisor asked me to follow him to the third floor. The corridors were long and dark. It was cold, really cold. The daytime and night both felt very uncomfortable. Food was of poor quality and quantity, and preparation did nothing to increase its appeal. All my classmates hated clothing because it was uncomfortable, unhygienic, and, in the case of winter clothing, did not provide enough protection from the weather. It should come as no surprise that we were prone to illnesses and had poor health. They would force us to work for half the day in order to cut operating costs, which reduced the amount of time available for teaching us. Many of the teachers at residential schools were not properly trained and lacked professional certification and qualifications. Staff frequently belittled our Indigenous spiritual practices while devoting a lot of time and attention to their religion. Poor housing conditions brought on by insufficient funding had a negative impact on our safety and well-being. If they had gotten impatience and correction we would serve severe punishment, such as physical and sexual abuse. I felt lonely and isolated because visits by the family were rare and often forbidden or impossible.

Sincerely, Asin Nakoolak

# data[].attributes.body
There have been verse changes in women's roles. My mother and other women played important roles working behind the scenes of war and made significant sacrifices as well. With a general labour shortage in Canada, the number of women working in the industry increased dramatically. Many worked in munitions factories and other war industries. It's ironic that prior to 1914, these heavy industry jobs would have been considered unsuitable for women due to the difficult and occasionally dangerous working conditions. This change in women's roles marked a turning point in history, as it helped pave the way for women's increased participation in the workforce in the decades to come. My aunt was one of the many women who helped harvest the crops because there weren't many men left to work on the farms. My mother had told me that Indigenous women contributed to the home front through charitable work with the Red Cross and patriotic organisations. She also informed me that the Six Nations Women's Patriotic League (SNWPL), which was formed on-reserve, was the first Indigenous women's patriotic organisation. These organisations contributed to the war effort by making knitted socks, sweaters, mufflers, and bandages for soldiers. Even young girls like my sister and her friends in Indigenous communities produced handmade items to send to soldiers. Gradually, these contributions came to the attention of Canadians, who enthusiastically embraced them. I read newspapers and magazines that proudly reported on Indigenous efforts during the war, particularly in communities with a large Indigenous population.

Sincerely, Asin Nakoolak

# data[].attributes.body
“Indigenous Peoples and the First World War | the Canadian Encyclopedia.” 2022. Thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. 2022. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/indigenous-peoples-and-the-first-world-war.

# data[].attributes.body
“Indigenous Peoples and the Second World War | the Canadian Encyclopedia.” 2022. Thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. 2022. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/indigenous-peoples-and-the-second-world-war.

# data[].attributes.body
“Indigenous Suffrage | the Canadian Encyclopedia.” 2016. Thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. 2016. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/indigenous-suffrage.

# data[].attributes.body
Natural Resources Canada. 2016. “Indigenous Place Names.” Nrcan.gc.ca. 2016. https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/earth-sciences/geography/indigenous-place-names/19739.

# data[].attributes.body
“The Residential School System.” 2020. Arts.ubc.ca. 2020. https://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/the_residential_school_system/.