Joe & Josephine Crowshoe
Elders spend a lifetime preserving traditions and religion
By Rob McKinley
Windspeaker Staff Writer
Joe
Crowshoe, 92, and his wife Josephine, 81, are the last living
ceremonial Elders of the Peigan Nation in southern Alberta.
During their long lives, they have educated Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people about Native culture, tradition and history.
It is because of their commitment and dedication to preserving Aboriginal culture and promoting the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, that they were chosen as recipients of a National Aboriginal Achievement Award this year.
The sun dance requires a man and a woman as head of the religious practice because neither man or woman are complete in this life without each other, said Josephine in the video presentation to the audience. They were presented the award jointly in the Heritage and Spirituality category for saving the knowledge and practices of the Blackfoot people.
The award will add to their already impressive collection of awards and accolades.
The two received the Order of Canada in 1991. Joe received an Alberta Achievement Award in 1989, has an Honorary Doctorate of law from the University of Calgary, an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from the University of Montana, was a member of the official welcoming committee at the 1991 Royal Visit, has a Citation of Citizenship from the Government of Canada and is a lifetime councillor at the Peigan Nation.
Both Josephine and Joe are highly respected spiritual leaders. Josephine, a Holy Woman, is the Keeper of the Natoas (sun dance) Bundle and Joe is the Holder of the Blackfoot Short Thunder Medicine Pipe Bundle. He retrieved an important sun dance bundle from a museum.
To be referred to as the old man and the old woman in the Blackfoot culture is the highest religious title that can be bestowed by the four tribal groups which consitute the Blackfoot Nation.
During the dark era when it was illegal for Aboriginal people to speak their languages or practice their traditions and religions,the Crowshoes worked as farmers by day with Joe also serving as part of the Anglican clergy.
At night, he organized community members to preserve ancient Blackfoot knowledge.
For the couple, the timing of the National Aboriginal Achievement Awards couldn't have been better. Joe celebrated his birthday on Jan. 3 and Josephine's birthday is in July, so having the award presented right in between the two events was a nice birthday present for them both, said Josephine.
"This is good, and I'm looking forward to it," she said a few days before the awards were presented.
Despite the international recognition as spiritual and traditional leaders which has taken them to China, New Zealand and Mexico, Josephine said the trip to Toronto would be her first and she was looking forward to it.
They made the trip accompanied by two of their 11 children.
Josephine said that she and her husband certainly have a lot to be thankful for and have many accomplishments.
If it wasn't for some poor health which has affected the couple recently, Josephine said they would be out doing more things to educate the world about Aboriginal culture.
"I wish we could do something more," she said. "But I can't do a lot of the things I used to do."
At the awards reception, the Crowshoes spoke in their Blackfoot language about the importance of the award and what it meant to them.
Joe, through an interpreter, said, although the award was important for the couple, they really wish it to have a strong message for all races of people.
"We are glad to have received this award, but I want the people to know that it is more important that both cultures work together," he said.
Josephine said she hopes the younger generations will work hard to gain the recognition of their peers.
"For the young people, live a good life and try hard to persevere and think about the future because one of these days they are going to be Elders too, and they might be honored like this, too," she said.
As they were presented with their awards by Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine and Rev. Stanley, McKa - last year's award winner in the Heritage and Spirituality category - the couple received a standing ovation from the 3,500 people inside Toronto's Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts.
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