Verna Kirkness

Verna J. Kirkness

Hailey Jukes

Who is she?

Verna Kirkness is a part of the Fisher River Cree Nation from Manitoba, Canada. Born in 1935, raised on the Fisher Creek Indigenous Reserve, she now resides in Winnipeg. Her work as a teacher, although this title cannot encompass all that she has accomplished, has lead to huge advancements in Canadian Indigenous Education Policy. She is a numerous-time published author about the history of Indigenous Education, and award winner- including an Order of Canada, and an Associate Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia.

Works

Creating Space

"My Life and Work in Indigenous Education"

Creating Space is Verna Kirkness' autobiography. It tells her story- from her lifelong dream of being an educator through schoolteacher, counsellor, consultant and professor, and her work with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the Manitoba education system. It talks about her challenges as an Indigenous person in society throughout the decades between 1935 and present- something that we all need to be conscious of, and shares her great successes.

Verna J. Kirkness Science and Engineering Program

This program (founded by Ron Woznow in partnership with Verna Kirkness) "aims to increase the number of First Nations, Métis and Inuit students graduating from science and engineering programs in Canada." It awards scholarships to Indigenous grade 11 students each year, inviting them to spend one week at universities in western Canada. The students participate in hands on lab research, are connected with possible role models that they can relate to, and are shown the support systems available on campus.

Statistics shows that there is a pattern of Indigenous students dropping out of school between grades 10 and 12, this program is one way to help with this. This is an eye-opening truth, and it shows a spot where we need to be doing more on our part as non-Indigenous people.


Wahbung: Our Tomorrows

In 1971, during the time when Pierre Elliot Trudeau had proposed the White Paper with the idea to abolish The Act despite large opposition from Indigenous leaders across the country, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs came forth with a counter paper: Wahbung: Our Tomorrows. This document outlined and called for self-determination for Indigenous peoples. It included the rights to their healthcare, education and family service systems.

Verna Kirkness was the education director for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs during this time, and played an immense role in the publication of the document. Her work, alongside the Assembly, had a huge impact on Indigenous Canadians that still lasts today.

The sad truth is that Indigenous peoples in Manitoba (and throughout Canada) have not been given what was outlined in Wahbung: Our Tomorrows. The fight is still going, in fact, the threats towards indigenous self-determination are currently growing. It is now our turn to do our part restoring basic rights that still remain stolen.


Awards

  • Outstanding Educator of British Columbia award (1990)

  • Golden Feather Eagle award (Professional Native Women's Association)

  • Canada's Educator of the Year

  • Aboriginal Achievement Award (1994)

  • Order of Canada (1998)

  • Order of Manitoba (2007)

  • Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal (2003)

Significance

Verna Kirkness' work has done so much for Indigenous education, her accomplishments are still helping people to this very day- especially her projects for helping improve the graduation and post secondary education rates of Indigenous youth, a problem that I have witnessed first-hand. Her efforts show that there is a lot of work that we ourselves need to do, as despite their huge efforts and plans that have been completely outlined, Indigenous people still do not have control over their own lives. It needs to be us that are spearheading actual improvement, as despite all the work that people like Verna Kirkness are doing, we are those who control the system and the sad truth is that not much can be improved unless we allow it to be, and unless we help.