Photo Courtesy of Toronto Public Library

Chief Dan George was an actor, poet, activist, musician, philosopher, environmentalist, loving father of a large family, and champion of Indigenous peoples' rights during a time when Indigenous peoples were not represented positively by the mainstream media. He was born in 1899 on a Salish Band reserve on Burrard Inlet, in North Vancouver. He received his English name, Dan George, at St. Paul’s residential school where he was sent when he was five years old. Before he started acting at the age of 60, George had worked as a longshoreman, construction worker, school-bus driver, logger and musician. He was also chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation (Coast Salish people) from 1951 to 1963.

Chief Dan George was the first Indigenous actor to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Role in Little Big Man (1970). He is also remembered for his poetry, in particular the poem My Heart Soars, which can be seen in the banner of this webpage. During the 1967 centennial celebrations in Vancouver, George recited his famous Lament For Confederation where he asked settlers of Canada:

Oh Canada, how can I celebrate with you this centenary, this hundred years? Shall I thank you for the reserves that are left me of my beautiful forests? Shall I thank you for the canned fish of my rivers? Shall I thank you for the loss of my pride and authority, even among my own people? For the lack of my will to fight back? No! I must forget what is past and gone.

A creative visionary and tireless advocate for his people, Chief Dan George used his roles and influence to challenge negative stereotypes of Indigenous peoples and called for the empowerment of Indigenous communities living within settler society - a message that still resonates with us today as we journey toward truth and reconciliation.

Learn more about Chief Dan George
The Canadian Encyclopedia