Late First Nations political leader and author George Manuel's family at Chase post office celebrating a commemorative postage stamp of him.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Canada Post
June 27, 2023 - 4:38 PM
A new stamp paying tribute to renowned Secwepemc First Nations political leader and author George Manuel was recently released by Canada Post, and a family gathering was held in celebration.
Four generations of Manuel’s family gathered at the post office in Chase, where Manual was born, on June 21, National Indigenous Peoples Day.
Manuel’s brother Elder Joe Sr.,spoke about Manuel’s tireless dedication to First Nations peoples. The family then joined members of the Neskonlith Indian Band, Adams Lake Indian Band and Little Shuswap Lake Band in an honour song, according to a Canada Post media release.
“During a political career that spanned four decades, Manuel dedicated himself to uniting Indigenous Peoples around the world at the local, regional, national and international levels,” reads the release.
The commemorative stamp was first unveiled in North Vancouver two weeks ago and released to postal outlets across the country on June 21. Because Manuel was born on a reserve near Chase and attended Kamloops Indian Residential School, the small city was chosen as the cancellation location for the Official First Day Cover souvenir envelope.
The stamp shows a black and white image of Manuel from the 1970s and was illustrated by Secwepemc artist Tania Willard.
“The multi-coloured designs represent the shining light of Manuel’s message for international Indigenous rights, while the deep red ochre evokes the pictographs and other markings found on Secwepemc lands,” said Canada Post.
A Canada Post commemorative postage stamp of late First Nations political leader George Manuel.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Canada Post
Manuel was born in 1921 and died in 1989 in Kamloops. He served as National Chief of what is now the Assembly of First Nations from 1970 to 1976 and as the first president of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples and the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs.
During his life Manuel fought the government’s assimilation policies and organized the political movement called the Constitution Express that drew supporters from the west to Ottawa and to the United Nations headquarters in New York in 1980, then to Europe in 1981, to fight for the inclusion of Indigenous rights in the Canadian constitution. The efforts helped to have the rights recognized in the Constitution Act, 1982.
Co-founder of the Center for World Indigenous Studies, Manuel was nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize.
“Manuel believed that Indigenous Peoples at home and around the world could achieve their goals if they united,” said Canada Post.
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Manuel is one of three honourees for the second issue of the post’s multi-year 2023 Indigenous Leaders stamp series that highlights the contributions of modern-day First Nations, Inuit and Métis leaders, the other two honourees being Nellie Cournoyea and Thelma Chalifoux.
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