The chief of a band that’s fighting for recognition from the Federal government says he wants young people to know more about their history.
Chief Ben Weenie of the Young Chippewayan First Nation says he hopes many youth attend today’s ceremony on the Sweetgrass First Nation to honour the memories of eight fallen warriors.
The warriors were hung by the government after being accused of treason in 1885.
Weenie says many people don’t know the circumstances that led up to that event and many others like it.
For instance he says many of the people in that particular area at the time were starving:
“And these incidents happened because of that and we got to let our young people understand our history in that sense; that it was rough time for us.”
Weenie says he hopes today’s event also helps foster greater understanding among the general public as well.