Women's stories

Page 5

Dear Editor:

Current scholars on the Second World War have overlooked the Aboriginal experience, both in combat and on the home front, when examining the 'national' experience. Indeed, only two publications focus on the Aboriginal population in all of Canada's wars and these are Forgotten Soldiers (Fred Gaffen,1985) and Native Soldiers: Foreign Battlefields (Janice Summerby,1983).

Scholarly work on Canadian Aboriginal servicewomen during the Second World War is virtually non-existent. Where are the voices of Aboriginal women? What were their experiences?

As an MA student in Native Studies, my intention is to gather the women's stories by interviewing Canada's Aboriginal Second World War servicewomen and recording their oral histories.

Of approximately 50,000 Canadian women who made a tremendous contribution in land, air, and sea duties, 72 were known Aboriginal women.

Since there was no record of race or ethnicity within the enlistment papers, the Department of National Defence, Veterans Affairs Canada and the National Archives can supply no names.

It is time-sensitive to locate these women and chronicle their stories. Their voices and stories deserve to be heard and it is hoped that willing Aboriginal servicewomen or their surviving families will share stories and provide photographs of service years.

I am willing to travel to any location within Canada to meet with the women and may be reached at: Grace Poulin, 136 Ridgecrest Rd., Thunder Bay, ON. Or call collect at (807) 346-8940 or e-mail me at grace_poulin@hotmail.com