The environment is in crisis, and Dr. Duke Redbird hopes to help everyone see this truth with their minds and hearts.
For this week’s edition of People of Collingwood we spoke with Redbird, 84, Indigenous activist, writer and advisor.
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: I was born in Saugeen First Nation near Southampton. I lost my mother when I was 13 months old, and I was put into foster homes. I spent my early years until I was 16 in foster homes.
It was a very difficult time for Indigenous people in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s. We didn’t even get the vote until the 1960s.
I’ve been working as an activist for many, many years. I’ve travelled all over the United States and Canada and learned as much as I could about the history of our people that was the truth, as opposed to the distorted information that was put into the history books.
Q: Were there any specific incidents in your life that made you want to become an activist?
A: Yes.
It was the systemic racism that existed in Canada and still does in many cases. It made me want to find a better way of life for our children and great grandchildren.
I’ve made films. I’ve written books. I’ve spoken around the world at events. I work for the Urban Indigenous Education Centre in Toronto. I still work full-time, teaching Indigenous culture and art. I continue to work on behalf of education not only the Indigenous community, but the non-native community as well on the true history of Canada. There’s a lot of things not taught in school that I teach to universities and organizations.
Q: You’ve been consulting with the Town of Collingwood for a while, on the Awen Gathering Place and the Awen’ Waterplay. Can you tell me how that relationship started?
A: It started with a call from Dean Collver (the town’s director of parks, recreation and culture). He was introduced to me by Cal Brooks of Brooks McIlroy Architects. Calvin was a friend of mine.
The town was looking for a way to have an Indigenous presence. They asked me what I thought. Dean brought me out to (Harbourview Park) and we talked for about four hours. As we talked, I explained to him what it probably looked like about 500 years ago.
I rhapsodized about what it looked like. The forests gave us teachings. We began thinking about a pavilion that would represent the seven grandfather teachings.
Q: Do you consult with other municipalities?
A: Yes. I’m consulting right now for the City of Toronto, and I’ve got calls in from Scotland. I have some work I’ll be doing in the U.S. as well.
Q: Over your years of activism, have you seen a shift toward incorporating Indigenous teachings into the mainstream?
A: The shift goes in waves, because for the first 200 years of settlement in the Americas, it was all Indigenous teachings going into the European frame of reference.
We’ve had that engagement forever, but it was never acknowledged. Now, it’s being acknowledged. That’s the only shift – the acknowledgement. But not the taking.
It makes me feel good it’s being acknowledged.
Q: The thunderbird design behind the waterfall in the new Awen’ Waterplay was designed by you and your son Jay Bell Redbird, who has since passed away. Can you tell me about that?
A: I took a photograph of a sunset. My son loved the photograph, and he painted that image on the photograph. We used that to design the thunderbird.
Q: What would he think today if he were here, seeing it unveiled?
A: He would be thrilled. It’s a great memorial to him.
Q: What does the future hold for you as an activist?
A: I hope people realize the environment is in crisis and they have to understand the earth with their brain and heart. The earth is our mother.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like people in Collingwood to know about you?
A: People can go to my website, dukeredbird.ca, and they’ll learn everything about me.
For our feature People of Collingwood, we speak with interesting people who are either from or are contributing to the Collingwood community in some way, letting them tell their own stories in their own words. This feature runs on CollingwoodToday every weekend. If you’d like to nominate or suggest someone to be featured in People of Collingwood, email [email protected].
