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William Commanda Tribute
In Remembrance Of A
Great Person
William Commanda
1913-2011
William Commanda,
Algonquin Elder, and spiritual leader to Aboriginal people, died August 2 in
his home in the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation reserve near Maniwaki,
Quebec.
Born November 13,
1913, under the name ‘Ojigkwanong’, Commanda shared lineage with Pakiniwatik,
an Algonquin chief from the 1800s. Pakiniwatik
who led his people, in 1854, from the Lake
of Two Mountains area near Montreal to the Kitigan Zibi reserve at Maniwaki,
Que., 130 kilometres north of Ottawa.
William Commanda was the
carrier of three wampum belts of historic and spiritual importance: the
Seven Fires Prophecy Belt – which represents choice, the 1700s Welcoming
Belt – which represents sharing our grand natural resources and values of
the First Peoples with the newcomers and the Jay Treaty Border Crossing Belt
– which recognizes Turtle Island as a coherent entity.
His funeral, set for
Friday, Aug. 5, will commence a three-day gathering of the Circle of All
Nations, founded by William Commanda with a focus on sacred places. The
annual event, which takes place at his home and now in its 41st year, is a
gathering to promote environmental stewardship and respect for the land.
William Commanda was born on
November 11, 1913 to Alonzo and Marie Commanda
and passed away on August 3, 2011 his Algonquin Name was"Ojigkwanong ,
meaning "Morning Star". William was an Algonquin elder, spiritual leader,
and promoter of environmental stewardship. William Commanda served as Band
Chief of the Kitigàn-źb́ Anishinàbeg First Nation near Maniwaki, Quebec,
from 1951 to 1970. In his life, he worked as a guide, a trapper and
woodsman, and was a skilled craftsman and artisan who excelled at
constructing birch bark canoes. He was Keeper of 3 wampum shell belts, which
held records of prophecies, history, treaties and agreements. In 2008 he
received the Order of Canada.
Commanda
had several notable ancestors, including his grandfather Chief
Louizon Commanda, and his great-grandfather Chief Pakinawatik,
who in 1854 led his people from Oka, Quebec to Kitigàn-źb́.
William Commanda was baptized in a Catholic church eight days
after his birth.
His
youth was spent in severe poverty and difficulty on the reserve.
On one occasion he resorted to hiding in the bush in order to
avoided the Canadian Indian residential school system.The
Commandas' seven children frequently went hungry, and sources of
income were infrequent.For work, William became a master birchbark canoe
maker, and also worked in lumber camps. His health, weakened
from his years living in poverty, finally began to improve in
1961.
From 1951 to 1970,
Commanda served as Band Chief of the Kitigàn-źb́
Anishinàbeg First Nation. In 1970, his community
presented him with three sacred wampum belts,
precious historical records and artifacts. The three
Wampum Belts that were under his care are:
the Seven Fires
Prophecy Belt (considered a founding document of
the Algonquin Nation)
the Jay Treaty
Border Crossing Belt; and
the Three Figure
Welcoming/Agreement Wampum Belt.
He built canoes at
Expo 67, and in 1969 he founded and held the first
Circle of All Nations, a gathering to restore
aboriginal culture and spirituality. For this, he
invited people to his home for a summit every August
to promote good relations between nations, healing,
peace, and the protection of Earth. This meeting
continues to be held annually, and includes others
interested in ecology.
William although he was
married, never had children, though he was referred
to with the respectful name "Grandfather." In his
later years he was accorded numerous honors as he
continued to act as a spiritual leader for his
people and as a campaigner on behalf of peace,
indigenous rights, and environmental consciousness.
He received the key to
the city of Ottawa along with an honorary doctorate
degree from the University of Ottawa, and a lifetime
achievement award from the National Aboriginal
Achievement Awards Foundation. Commanda also
participated in activities and ceremonies in the
United Nations, organized international meetings of
seniors and world leaders, and conducted peace pipe
ceremonies for the Rio Earth Summit in 1991. In 1987
he was asked to build a canoe for Queen Margrethe of
Denmark. Also in 1987, at the fourth First
Ministers' conference on inherent rights and
self-government for Aboriginal people, William
Commanda began teaching about the messages of the
wampum belts. He was invited in 1990 to provide a
traditional blessing of the Canadian Human Rights
Monument in Ottawa with the Dalai Lama. In 1998,
William Commanda participated in a ceremony at which
he presented Nelson Mandela with an eagle feather on
behalf of the First Nations of Canada. That same
year, William organized Elders Without Borders, a
gathering of Aboriginal Elders and spiritual leaders
from both North and South America.
In 2008 He was made
an Officer of the Order of Canada. He continued to
work until his final days for the preservation of
sacred spaces, such as Chaudière Falls at Victoria
Island in Ottawa, and South March Highlands in
Kanata. He promoted returning the Chaudière Falls to
its original state, freed from the concrete.
He celebrated his
96th birthday with Prince Charles at Rideau Hall,
opening the dinner with a First Nations prayer.
Around 150 guests were present at the dinner, which
was followed by a potluck at his home.
William had been
suffering from kidney failure and was in the
hospital over the months preceding his death. He
died early on the morning of August 3, 2011 at his
home on the Kitigàn-źb́ reserve. In the days after
his death, many Native leaders and others praised
Grandfather Commanda's work and his legacy. They noted that he
had been a strong advocate for the rights of his
people, and First Nations and Indigenous peoples
everywhere; hadspent years advocating for
the reconciliation with non-aboriginals; had become
a role model, especially for troubled youth and
people seeking guidance over the residential school
experience; and had organized national and
international gatherings of Elders and world
leaders.
Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn A-in-chut
Atleo said: "He was a truly unique and exceptional
man who dedicated his life to building bridges
between people of all nations and all generations.
His wisdom, his dedication to his people and his
example were an inspiration to leaders not only of
my generation but across many generations of First
Nations". And the Vice Grand Chief of the Algonquin
Nation Tribal Council, Marlene Jerome, said: "A page
of our history has closed with William Commanda, but
Algonquin people will have an everlasting memory of
a great man dedicated to defending his people and to
the protection of the environment".