SASKATOON – A replica headdress, just like the one presented to former prime minister John G. Diefenbaker, is on display in Saskatoon. Whitecap Dakota First Nation had it made and donated it to the University of Saskatchewan earlier this year.
In 1959, Diefenbaker was given a headdress and was made a honourary chief of the reserve during a ceremony that marked the beginning of the construction of the Gardiner Dam.
The original headdress is too fragile to be on exhibit and so the replica was created.
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“In recognition of Prime Minister Diefenbaker’s role, prior to being a prime minister, advocating for First Nations people when he was practicing law,” said Darcy Bear, Whitecap Dakota First Nation chief.
“You look at what Whitecap’s done today in our community and we’ve just looked at the past and said ‘OK, our leaders were always promoting mutual benefit and working together’ … all of our success today is all based on partnership.”
The headdress is part of the War of 1812 exhibit at the Diefenbaker Centre Canada but will remain on display in Saskatoon after the exhibit wraps up June 21.
Aaron Streck contributed to this story
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