AROLAND, Ont. — A funeral service will be held Thursday, Dec. 3 for William Magiskan, the former Chief of Aroland First Nation.
He passed away suddenly on Sunday, Nov. 29 at the age of 68.
William Magiskan served as chief of his First Nation from 1979 to 1996.
In a tribute to him, the community says he championed First Nation rights for more than two decades.
He successfully negotiated for reserve status in the early 1980s, bringing new housing, water, sewer and other infrastructure to Aroland.
He was instrumental in the establishment of the Matawa Tribal Council involving nine Ojibway and Cree First Nations within the James Bay Treaty No. 9 and Robinson-Huron Treaty areas.
Chief Magiskan also participated in the early development of Tikinagan Child and Family Services.
He was educated at the Aroland Indian Day School, then in Thunder Bay.
The tribute notes that the concept of taking the Indian out of the child in school only provided him with resilience, adding "He became known as a seasoned leader in the defence of First Nation rights, specifically encouraging the younger generations to learn the language, the culture and the traditions...Most of all to 'defend them the entire rest of your life,' as he would say."
The funeral for William Magiskan will be held Thursday at 12:00 p.m. at the Johnny Therriault School in Aroland, and will also be livestreamed: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86377261941?pwd=QnFDTXdpRmZFQVZGaUNhZHBsQ0pOQT09#success (Meeting ID: 863 7726 1941 and Passcode: 295021).
