1. Military Service and Serving the Community: How the Second World War Propelled Activism Forward for Indigenous and Native American Servicewomen
- Author:
- Isabella Sun
- Publication Date:
- 02-2024
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Journal of Military and Strategic Studies
- Institution:
- Centre for Military, Security and Strategic Studies
- Abstract:
- The Native Canadian Centre of Toronto (NCCT), originally named the Native American Indian Club of Toronto, was founded in 1950 by community volunteers – the majority of whom were Indigenous women.1 The club was founded to build a network and create an inclusive social space through shared culture, art, and language in Toronto. Indigenous women-led organizations such as the NCCT were not uncommon to find after the Second World War, since the wartime era empowered many Indigenous women to find and create their place in society. Today, the NCCT continues to prioritize Indigenous community building through promoting traditional knowledge and culture through language courses, art classes, and other events. Although this centre is unrelated to the war effort, it can be considered a by-product of Indigenous empowerment after the Second World War. Whether Indigenous women voluntarily enlisted or not, the war changed the daily realities of these many women. This article will explore similar themes of Indigenous servicewomen’s experiences throughout the Second World War and afterwards in Canada, and compare it with those of Native American servicewomen in the United States. It will highlight how their service affected post-war actions and activism for Indigenous rights in the latter twentieth century.
- Topic:
- Women, Indigenous, Activism, and Military
- Political Geography:
- Canada and North America