Gerald Starr
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Gerald Starr was a recognized athlete, successful farm manager at a time when most indigenous farms were failing, agricultural leader and businessman within the indigenous community. He was born into the Star Blanket First Nation and "passed on to the Spirit World on July 25, 2013."[1] He attended the Qu'Appelle Indian Residential School, and was one of four nationally recognized Tom Longboat Award winners that came from that school, and a residential school survivor.[2] He was recognized as an Elder at Star Blanket First Nation,[2][3] "having led an exceptional life based on the traditions, customs and culture of First Nations."[4] "The term Elder refers to someone who has attained a high degree of understanding of First Nation, Métis, or Inuit history, traditional teachings, ceremonies, and healing practices. Elders have earned the right to pass this knowledge on to others and to give advice and guidance on personal issues, as well as on issues affecting their communities and nations."[5]
Indigenous Peoples history[edit]
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission 94 Calls to Action are dependent on identifying and making publicly available the history and legacy of residential schools and the history of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. There is a lack of documentation for their history as it was one of forced assimilation[6][7][8][9] by a dominant culture looking to erase those cultures,[10][11][12][13] which means little may be available. Plus digitization efforts to date have not prioritized items under copyright nor non-mainstream cultures and languages, resulting in claims of digital or electronic colonialism. Thus the lack of mainstream culture references for this entry.
Early life and education[edit]
Born in Saskatchewan as a member of the Starblanket Band.[14] He was the great great grandson of Wahpiimoosetoosis, or White Buffalo Calf who signed Treaty Number Four in 1874.[15] One of five or six siblings, his parents were Allan/Allen and Marie Agnes Starr. His obituary also includes the following family information: "Victor and Mary (nee Keewatin) Starblanket, brothers: Chief Irwin Starblanket, Clayton, Ronnie Wakeup, Albert 'Snowman' and his sisters in infancy, Darlene, Frances and Eleanor."[1] Danette Starr-Spaeth identifies her father Gerry Starr and his male siblings "Willard Starr, Irvin Starblanket, Fred Starblanket,and Noel Starblanket"[16] as sons of Victor Starblanket.[17]
He attended Lebret Industrial School also known as Qu'Appelle Indian Residential School, Lebret Indian School, or locally as Indian School or Red School[18] located on the outskirts of Lebret, Saskatchewan in the 1940s. The school was run by the Oblates (in charge of the boys)[19] with the assistance of the Grey Nuns (girls).[20] St. Paul's High School later opened at the Indian School in 1948.[20]
Very little of him at the school is currently available. There is an acknowledgement to "Gerald Starr and Gerry Anaquod for their work on the Gestetner" used to produce Sister Marcoux's history of the Lebret School along with an honourable mention for his work on the school newspaper, the Tee-Pee Tidings.[20] This may represent the fact that the boys were still being taught printing as part of their vocational training into the 1950s.[21] Also, "the Grade 11-12 pupils have elected a student council...secretary, Gerald Starr"[22] and that he won the national Tom Longboat Award when in grade XII at the school (1954).[23]
Gerald Star graduated in 1956 from St. Paul's High School and a photo was published in the September 1956 Indian Missionary Record.[24] He was elected vice-president of the newly established alumni association (1959) for St. Paul's Indian High School, the association to be called Lebret Indian High School Alumni, while he resided in Saskatoon.[20] The winner of the Longboat Award in 1954, Herbert Strongeagle, was appointed Treasurer of the association at the same meeting.[25] He is recorded as "a business college graduate, now employed in Saskatoon," (likely the same 'Saskatoon Business College' as Herbert Strongeagle), on January 17 at a St. Paul's High Alumni meeting in 1958.[26]
Sports career[edit]
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission Call to Action #87 states: We call upon all levels of government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, sports halls of fame, and other relevant organizations, to provide public education that tells the national story of Aboriginal athletes in history.[27] The Tom Longboat Award is a national story, as it was established in 1951 by Indian Affairs and the Amateur Athletic Union of Canada to recognize outstanding indigenous contributions to sport, and relevant because sports were a very important method of assimilation at the residential schools.[28]
Gerald Starr was one of four students who attended the Lebret Indian School and won the Tom Longboat Award. Arthur Obey (in 1951 and 1960), George Poitras (1957), Herbert Strongeagle (1953) were the other three. Starr won the Regional Award in 1954, for his excellence in Track and field, Hockey, Baseball, and Basketball. He likely trained under Art Obey, as Obey was reputed to be Sports Director starting in 1950 and "under Obey's training, the school's track-and-field team dominated many local meets from 1955-1960."[29] Obey also coached the Junior B Champions of S.A.H.A. 1954-1955 hockey team, for which Starr was one of the goalies (with later Longboat Award winner George Poitras on defence).[30] The Winnipeg Free Press of January 24, 1951[31] reports "Jerry Starr starred for Y.M.H.A. with seven" with respect to basketball points.
A photo on him on the Lebret baseball team is available, originally published in the Prairie Messenger, and reprinted in The Indian Missionary Record in 1953. The article notes the following fellow students and their positions: Gerald Starr, R.F., Art Obey, P., Herbie Strongeagle, Ss, and Clive Linklater, C.[32]
Treasurer of the new hockey team formed by the Friendship Centre in Regina in 1970.[33]
Career[edit]
The short film Starblanket (starting at 19:25) discusses Noel Starblanket's desire in 1973 to start a farm for reserve members. The other members in the room are not identified and may include Gerry Starr. In 1979, Gerry Starr is recorded as Manager of the Star Blanket (sic) (or Starblanket) Farm, the "Band Farm commencing"[34] in 1976[2] (original Farm was in the 1880's)[35] "at a time when there were only about 40 First Nations farmers in the province."[36] Gerry Starr, while hosting Mr. Bill Gray, Assistant Secretary in charge of Aboriginal Economic Policy in Australia, is reported as both Farm Manager for the Starblanket reserve and Chairman of the SIAP Board of Directors in 1981,[37] SIAP being a program of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians. He is interviewed and profiles the Band Farm for Saskatchewan Indian in 1985/86.[35] Visual documentation of the SIAP project including photos of Gerry Starr may be found in the Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan Lumby Productions Ltd., 1965-1988 fonds.
"...SIAP offered opportunities for Aboriginal peoples to learn about and gain skills in the agricultural sector"[38][39] and Gerald Starr was an active member.[40] He became Chair in 1981 replacing Lester Lafond (2 years service, resigned),[41][42][43] identified again as Chairman of the Board of SIAP in 1982[44] and when introduced as a guest at the July 8, 1987 meeting[40] of the Saskatchewan Legislative Assembly (approximately 3:52 min into video),[45] and still Chairman in 1990.[46] As a Chairman, he was elected by his District Board[47] and expected to sit on the provincial Board along with representatives of the Department of Indian Affairs (DIA), the Saskatchewan Department of Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan and Federation of Saskatchewan Indians. This provincial group was the management group for SIAP and he also acted as Chairman of that management group. Once incorporated SIAP separated itself from the DIA.[48] In 1988, as Chairman "Jerry Starr... signed an agreement with the provincial government that will provide a wide range of specialty and support services."[49]
In an interview in 1993, Jerry Starr was identified as Chairman of the Board for the SIAP Marketing Co. Inc.(incorporated 1984), a subsidiary of SIAP Inc., to the Royal Commission.[48] It was a successful company[50] that along the way changed its name to Grey Owl Marketing and was held up as an example of skills and knowledge that may be transferred to other programs.[51]
In a 1998 interview he is identified as the Star Blanket Band's Director of Operations and Financial Officer.[52]
As an Elder, he was interviewed on October 11, 2012 regarding traditional land use for the SaskWater Expansion Project - Intake and Pump Station.[3]
Personal life[edit]
Starr married Edith for 39 years, and had five daughters (Darla, Danette, Geraldine, Gail and Jeannie). His obituary notes the existence of numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren at the time of his passing.[1] Acknowledged mosum to Gina Starblanket.[53] Speaker at the Star Blanket Cree Nation day to commemorate residential school survivors at Lebret, but passed away while waiting for his residential school hearing (before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission).[2]
Awards[edit]
In 1954 he won the national Tom Longboat Award, an award that honours outstanding First Nations athletes and sportsmen in each province; national male and female winners are selected from the provincial winners. He received the Regional (R) award at age 17 for Track and field, Hockey, Baseball, and Basketball.[14][23]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Speers Funeral Chapel: Obituary of Gerry Starr". Retrieved July 31, 2018.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Bland, Sue (July 29, 2013). "Remembering Gerry Starr". Poached Egg Woman. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Golder Associates Limited (January 2013). INTAKE AND PUMP STATION: Technical Proposal for the SaskWater Buffalo Pound Non-Potable Water System Expansion Project. Project Number 12-1362-0044 (PDF). SaskWater: Golder Associates Limited. p. 82. Search this book on
- ↑ "Elders". Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre. n.d. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
- ↑ "DEEPENINGKNOWLEDGE :: Elders :: Deepening Knowledge: Aboriginal Peoples Curriculum Database". www.oise.utoronto.ca. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
- ↑ Neegan, Erica (2005-01-03). "Excuse me: who are the first peoples of Canada? a historical analysis of Aboriginal education in Canada then and now". International Journal of Inclusive Education. 9 (1): 3–15. doi:10.1080/1360311042000299757. ISSN 1360-3116.
- ↑ Woolford, Andrew (2009-04-22). "Ontological Destruction: Genocide and Canadian Aboriginal Peoples1". Genocide Studies and Prevention. 4: 81–97. doi:10.3138/gsp.4.1.81.
- ↑ Battiste, Marie (May 29, 2004). "Animating Sites of Postcolonial Education: Indigenous Knowledge and the Humanities". CiteSeerX 10.1.1.488.6642.
- ↑ Kirmayer, Laurence; Simpson, Cori; Cargo, Margaret (2003-10-01). "Healing Traditions: Culture, Community and Mental Health Promotion with Canadian Aboriginal Peoples". Australasian Psychiatry. 11: S15–S23. doi:10.1046/j.1038-5282.2003.02010.x. ISSN 1038-5282.
- ↑ Jiwani, Yasmin (March 27, 2016). "Obituaries as Markers of Memory: Grievability and Visibility in Representations of Aboriginal Women in the National Canadian Imaginary". Cultural Studies ↔ Critical Methodologies. 16 (4): 387–399. doi:10.1177/1532708616638691.
- ↑ National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (2019). Reclaiming power and place: Executive summarymof the Final Report, National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (PDF). National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. ISBN 9780660309514. Search this book on
- ↑ "Harper's manifesto: Erasing Canada's Indigenous communities | rabble.ca". rabble.ca. Retrieved 2019-08-06.
- ↑ News; Canada (2018-05-29). "'A key player in Indigenous cultural genocide:' Historians erase Sir John A. Macdonald's name from book prize | National Post". Retrieved 2019-08-06.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Forsyth, J.M. (2005). The power to define: A history of the tom longboat awards, 1951–2001. A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global: University of Windsor. Search this book on
- ↑ Starr-Spaeth, Danette (2002). Revisiting the meaning of Treaty Number Four in southern Saskatchewan. Regina: University of Regina. pp. iii. Search this book on
- ↑ Starr-Spaeth, Danette (2002). Revisiting the meaning of Treaty Number Four in southern Saskatchewan. Regina: University of Regina. pp. vi. Search this book on
- ↑ Starr-Spaeth, Danette (2002). Revisiting the meaning of Treaty Number Four in southern Saskatchewan. Regina: University of Regina. p. 80. Search this book on
- ↑ Poitras, Evelyn (2012). Buffalo: A memorial [DVD]. Saskatchewan: George Poitras Memorial Foundation. Search this book on
- ↑ Balcarres Free Lance (March 1961). "Art Obey Top Indian Athlete" (PDF). Indian Record. XXIV (III): 7.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Marcoux, Sister G. (1955). History of the Qu'Appelle Indian School, Lebret, Saskatchewan: In Fulfillment of the request by the Department of Education on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the Province of Saskatchewan (PDF). s.n. Search this book on
- ↑ Gontran, Laviolette (October 1984). "Qu'Appelle Indian School Marks 100 Years". The Indian Missionary Record. 47[4]: 9–10.
- ↑ "Qu'Appelle I.R.S. News". The Indian Missionary Record. XVIII[3]: 5. March 1955.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 "All-round athlete". The Indian News. January 1955. Retrieved November 2, 2017. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Thirteen high school graduates at Lebret" (PDF). The Indian Missionary Record. XIX[7]: 1. September 1956.
- ↑ "Lebret School graduates form alumni group" (PDF). Indian Record. XXII[8]: 8. October 1959.
- ↑ "St. Paul's High Alumni Meetings" (PDF). Indian Record. XXI [2]: 7. February 1958.
- ↑ "Indigenous Sport: An Overview". Indigenous Sport History. November 1, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
- ↑ Forsyth, J. (2013). "Bodies of meaning". Aboriginal peoples and sport in Canada: historical foundations and contemporary issues. Vancouver, B.C.: UBC Press. pp. 15–34. ISBN 9780774824224. Search this book on
- ↑ Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2015). Canada's residential schools: the History, part 2, 1939 to 2000. Volume 1. The Final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Montreal & Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press. p. 471. ISBN 9780773546516. Search this book on
- ↑ R.C.A.C. (May 1955). "Qu'Appelle wins hockey championship" (PDF). Indian Missionary Record. XVIII[5]: 6.
- ↑ "Jr. Cagers play triple header". Winnipeg Free Press. January 24, 1951. p. 19. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
- ↑ Prairie Messenger (Oct. 1949) (October–November 1953). "Qu'Appelle Residential School shows constant progress" (PDF). The Indian Missionary Record. XVI[16]: 4.
- ↑ "n/a". The Leader-Post (Regina). September 19, 1970. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
- ↑ "Band Farms: Blessing Or Boondoggle". Saskatchewan Indian. 9[2]: 14–15. February 1979.
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 Ironstar, Martha (December 1985 – January 1986). "Did You Know Starblanket Band Farm Began in the 1880's?". Saskatchewan Indian: 38–39.
- ↑ Rasmussen, Ken (c. 1996). The Case of Saskatchewan-Aboriginal Relations. Royal Commission on Aboriginal People, Canadian Government and Aboriginal peoples Project. p. 63. Search this book on
- ↑ "Canada's role in native economic development". Saskatchewan Indian. 11 (8): 38–39. August 1981.
- ↑ University of Saskatchewan. University Archives and Special Collections. (n.d.). MG 571: Saskatchewan Indian Agricultural Program: Indian 4-H Program (PDF). University of Saskatchewan. University Archives and Special Collections.: University of Saskatchewan. University Archives and Special Collections. p. 1. Search this book on
- ↑ "Training Key to Farm Success". Saskatchewan Indian. 11 (5): 27–28. May 1981.
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan (July 8, 1987). "Debates and Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan" (PDF). Debates and Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan: 1.
- ↑ Ironstar, Martha (June 1981). "Ken Thomas discusses S.I.A.P. policy". Saskatchewan Indian. 11 (6): 38.
- ↑ Wuttunee, Deana (March 1981). "Agricultural students honored". Saskatchewan Indian. 11 (3): 5.
- ↑ "Saskatchewan Indian Farmers Reflect Their Successes Of 1980/81". Saskatchewan Indian. 11[7]: 43–44. July 1981.
- ↑ "The Leader-Post from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada on March 10, 1982 · 26". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ↑ "Legislative Assembly - Video Archive - July 8, 1987". Debates and Proceedings of the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan. July 8, 1987.
- ↑ "Star-Phoenix from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada on January 13, 1990 · 36". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ↑ Kitsaki Development Corporation (1989). Roles & responsibilities of boards of directors of aboriginal economic development organizations (PDF). Kitsaki Development Corporation. pp. 31–32. ISBN 0-9695050-0-0. Search this book on
- ↑ 48.0 48.1 Williams, C.M. (September 30, 1993). Sectoral study - agriculture : Royal Commission on Aboriginal People. Report Number Z1-1991/1-41-30E-PDF (PDF). Ottawa: Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. p. 111. Search this book on
- ↑ "Indian Agriculture Act Introduced". Saskatchewan Indian: 5. February 1988.
- ↑ Paquette, Donna Rae (1998). "Wild rice growers compete in big business". Saskatchewan Sage. 2[11]: 2 – via AMMSA.COM.
- ↑ Wayne Dunn & Associates (2001). Indigenous Knowledge Transfer: An Exportable Product Preliminary Research on Supply, Demand and Capacity Issues. Wayne Dunn & Associates. p. 8. Search this book on
- ↑ Hamilton, Ian (February 16, 1998). "Lebret says SJHL team won't move". The StarPhoenix. Saskatoon. p. C4.
- ↑ Starblanket, Gina (2008). Beyond Culture in the Courts: Re-inspiring Approaches to Aboriginal and Treaty Rights in Canadian Jurisprudence. UVic Institutional Repository: University of Victoria. p. 12. Search this book on
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