David Ahenakew facts for kids

David Ahenakew CD (July 28, 1933 – March 12, 2010) was an important Canadian First Nations leader. He was a member of the Cree people. David Ahenakew served as the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. This is a big group that represents First Nations people across Canada.

David Ahenakew was born in Saskatchewan. His birthplace was the Sandy Lake Indian Reserve. He and his wife, Grace Ahenakew, had five children together.

Early Life and Service

David Ahenakew joined the Canadian Forces in 1951. He served in the military until 1967. During his time in the forces, he was stationed in different countries. These included Germany, Korea (during the Korean War), and Egypt. Another record shows he was with the Canadian Armed Forces Engineers Corps. He served from 1962 to 1968 and became a Sergeant.

In 1967, David Ahenakew left the army. He then started working for the Saskatchewan government. He also became very involved with the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN). He was elected president of the FSIN in 1968. He held this important role until 1979. He said his time in the military helped him choose politics. He saw similar unfairness happening to his people as he had seen in other countries.

Leading and Achieving

While he was president of the FSIN, David Ahenakew worked on many projects. He released a report about "Indian Education in Saskatchewan." He also helped start two important schools in 1972. These were the Saskatchewan Indian Cultural College and the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College. These schools helped First Nations students get a good education.

David Ahenakew received special recognition for his work. In 1977, the University of Regina gave him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. This is a high honor for someone who has done great things. In 1978, he received the John Stratychuk award. This award came from the Saskatchewan Human Rights Association.

He also received the Order of Canada in 1978. This is one of Canada's highest honors. It recognized his long service to First Nations and Métis people. The award also noted his work in changing education in Saskatchewan. However, he later lost this award in 2005. This happened because he made comments that caused a lot of upset.

In 1981, he was appointed to a director position. He worked for the Saskatchewan Public Service Commission. In 1982, he was elected Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. This made him a national leader for all First Nations people in Canada.

Later Years

David Ahenakew bravely fought cancer for a long time. He passed away on March 12, 2010. He was 76 years old. He died at a hospital in Shellbrook, Saskatchewan.