George Manuel facts for kids

George Manuel, OC (February 21, 1921 – November 15, 1989), was an important Indigenous leader in Canada. He was born and grew up in British Columbia. He became very active in politics there and in Alberta.

In 1970, he was elected as the chief of the National Indian Brotherhood. This group is now known as the Assembly of First Nations. He served in this role until 1976. In 1975, he also started the World Council of Indigenous Peoples and was its president until 1981.

George Manuel wrote a book called The Fourth World: An Indian Reality in 1975. In this book, he shared his thoughts on how European settlement affected Indigenous peoples across the Americas. Later in his life, from 1979 to 1981, he was the president of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs.

George Manuel: A Champion for Indigenous Rights

Early Life and Family

George Manuel was born in 1921 on the traditional lands of the Secwépemc people in British Columbia. His mother was Maria, and his stepfather was Louie Manuel. George took his stepfather's last name. He first went to school at the Kamloops Indian Residential School.

Later, he became sick with tuberculosis. He was moved to a special hospital for Indigenous people near Chilliwack. There, he met Marceline Paul, who was from the Kootenai people. They later got married and had six children together.

A Leader for Indigenous Peoples

George Manuel became very involved in politics that focused on Indigenous issues. He was elected as the chief of the Neskonlith Indian Band. In 1959, he became the head of the North American Indian Brotherhood.

After this, the Canadian government's Department of Indian Affairs hired George Manuel. He worked as a Community Development Officer for the Cowichan Tribes government in Duncan. He helped the Cowichan people and also worked to teach others in the government about the challenges they faced.

Manuel then worked for the Alberta Brotherhood, which represented Indigenous peoples in Alberta. He worked closely with another political leader named Harold Cardinal. This job helped Manuel learn about many different issues facing Indigenous communities across Canada.

Working for Change Across Canada

Harold Cardinal encouraged George Manuel to run for the national chief position of the new National Indian Brotherhood. This group was created to represent almost 250,000 'status Indians' in Canada. Manuel became its first national chief, serving from 1970 to 1976. In the early 1980s, the National Indian Brotherhood changed its name to the Assembly of First Nations. This change helped it work more directly with First Nations.

A Global Voice for Indigenous Rights

In 1975, George Manuel helped create the World Council of Indigenous Peoples. He was elected as its president and served until 1981. In this role, he traveled around the world. He met with and spoke up for Indigenous people in countries like Argentina, Chile, and Peru.

He thought deeply about how European settlement had affected Indigenous societies in the Americas. He called these native peoples "the Fourth World." He believed they shared many experiences because of colonization. Manuel wrote a book about this idea called The Fourth World: An Indian Reality. He wrote it with Michael Posluns, and it was published in 1975.

From 1979 to 1981, George Manuel was the President of the Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC). He continued to inspire Indigenous action. He helped create an important paper on Aboriginal Rights. He also organized a big project called the Indian Constitutional Express. Under his leadership, the UBCIC became highly respected by Indigenous people and the public.

His Lasting Impact

George Manuel received many honors for his important work:

• He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.
• The World Council of Indigenous Peoples often recognized him for his international efforts.
• In 1983, he received an honorary degree from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.
• In 1984, Manuel and Dr. Rudolph C. Ryser started the Center for World Indigenous Studies.

His sons, Robert and Arthur Manuel, also became active in Indigenous politics, just like their father. His oldest daughter, Vera Manuel (1948-2010), became a famous playwright and poet. She was also a respected community leader. His younger daughter, Doreen Manuel, is a filmmaker.