Roger Chum, president of the Ontario Native Education Counselling Association (ONECA), is asking Canadians to help honour Francis Pegahmagabow, the most highly-decorated First Nations soldier of the Great War.
ONECA wants to create the first life-sized bronze sculpture honouring the war hero from Wasauksing First Nation.
The bronze will be installed at the Charles W. Stockey Centre for the Performing Arts in Parry Sound, Ont., and will be unveiled in June 2016.
The fundraising campaign kicked off March 25.
“We’ve applied to the public sector for funding, and we need to raise $85,000 in matching funds,” said Chum. “The Wasauksing First Nation (Parry Island) has taken the lead, and pledged funds to honour one of its bravest sons. We want Canadians to hear Pegahmagabow’s story, to remember him, and to learn more about Aboriginal people’s military service to Canada.”
The hope is that the monument will be “spirit-building, and an inspiration to all, especially aboriginal youth.”
Tyler Fauvelle, a professional sculptor based in Sudbury, Ont., will create the sculpture. Francis Pegahmagabow enlisted in 1914, and fought overseas for almost the entire war, seeing action in some of its most horrific battles: Second Battle of Ypres, the Somme (where he was wounded), Passchendaele, and the Battle of the Scarpe.
A superior scout and sniper, he was awarded the Military Medal in 1916, and later received two silver bars to the Military Medal, denoting further acts of valour under fire. Fewer than 40 Canadians have ever been awarded the Military Medal and two bars; to this day, no Aboriginal soldier has ever received as many battle awards.
Pegahmagabow continued to fight when he came home, but this time the enemy was oppression and racism. He twice served as Chief of the Parry Island Band (Wasauksing First Nation), and as Supreme Chief of the Native Independent Government, an early Aboriginal political organization.
Suffering from lung damage caused by chlorine gas during the war, Francis Pegahmagabow died in 1952.
Donations can be made by cheque payable to “Parry Island Hero”, and sent to ONECA, P.O. Box 220, 37 A Reserve Road, Naughton, Ontario, P0M 2M0, or online (via Pay Pal) at www.oneca.com
