Noel Starblanket facts for kids

Noel Victor Starblanket (born September 26, 1946 – died April 15, 2019) was an important Indigenous leader in Canada. He was a Cree man from Saskatchewan. From 1976 to 1980, he served two terms as the chief of the National Indian Brotherhood. This organization is now known as the Assembly of First Nations. It works to protect the rights and interests of First Nations people across Canada.

Early Life and Education

Noel Starblanket was born in Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan. He was a member of the Starblanket Indian Reserve, which is near Balcarres, Saskatchewan. This area is part of Treaty 4 territory.

He spent eleven years at the Qu'Appelle Indian Residential School. During his time there, he experienced difficult things. Many Indigenous children faced hardship in these schools. Noel later shared his memories in reports like The Survivors Speak. He also contributed to an e-book called Shattering the Silence. A short film, From Up North, was also made about his experiences.

After residential school, Noel Starblanket studied law at the University of Saskatchewan.

Becoming a Leader

Noel Starblanket became a leader at a young age. In 1971, when he was 24, he became one of the youngest reserve chiefs in Canada. He was also elected as the Third Vice-Chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians (FSIN). He worked as the Director of Treaty Rights and Research for this group.

In 1975, he was elected president of the National Indian Brotherhood. He was re-elected for a second term in 1978. As president, he worked to represent and support First Nations communities across the country.

Working with Film and Community

Noel Starblanket was also involved in early Indigenous filmmaking. He was part of the "Indian Film Crew" at the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). In 1969, he helped make the documentary film You Are on Indian Land. He also worked on other films, like Ballad of Crowfoot.

In 1973, the NFB released a 27-minute film simply titled Starblanket. In this film, he talked about his dream of starting a farm for people on his reserve.

Noel Starblanket also worked to support Indigenous businesses. He was president of the National Indian Business Association (NIBA). He also helped create the Lebret Eagles, a Native hockey team.

In 2001, he gave a keynote speech at a conference about death education and counseling. Later, a documentary called Starblanket: A Spirit Journey was made about him.

In 2018, Noel Starblanket became an Elder-in-residence at Scott Collegiate. This is a high school in Regina. He also worked with the University of Regina to help promote Indigenous knowledge and culture.

Later Years

Noel Starblanket passed away on April 15, 2019, at the age of 72. He died in a hospital in Regina, Saskatchewan.