Leroy Little Bear
{{Short description|Blackfoot researcher and professor emeritus}}
Leroy Little Bear is a Blackfoot researcher, professor emeritus at the University of Lethbridge, founding member of Canada's first Native American Studies Department, and recognized leader and advocate for First Nations education, rights, self-governance, language and culture. He has received numerous awards and recognition for his work, including the Officer Order of Canada, and the Alberta Order of Excellence.
Personal life
Little Bear was born and raised on the Kainai First Nation in Alberta, Canada. Little Bear was one of seven children. He attended the on-reserve residential school.
He was one of the first First Nations people to graduate from the University of Lethbridge, completing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1971. He went on to complete a Juris Doctor Degree at the College of Law, University of Utah in 1975.
Career
Little Bear was a founding member of the Native American Studies Department at the University of Lethbridge. He was chair of the department for 21 years. He went on to be the founding director of the Native American Program at Harvard University.
With expertise and training in law, Little Bear has made significant contributions in areas of First Nations constitutional rights, justice and self-determination. He played a significant role in Canada's constitutional changes. He advised the National Indian Brotherhood on the transfer of Canada’s founding legislation, the British North America Act, from British to Canadian authority. He continued to act as legal advisor. Little Bear has offered strategic planning and consulting for Treaties 6, 7 and 8.{{Cite web |title=Leroy Little Bear |url=https://www.alberta.ca/aoe-leroy-little-bear.aspx |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=www.alberta.ca |language=en-CA}} Little Bear was a member of the legal team working to negotiate the Constitution of Canada’s Section 35 from 1981–1987. Section 35 recognizes and enshrines Indigenous rights. Little Bear became the first Indigenous person cited in the Supreme Court of Canada with his 1977 paper, A Native Concept of Title.{{Cite web |title=Little Bear appointment strengthens University of Lethbridge commitment to Indigenous education {{!}} UNews |url=https://www.ulethbridge.ca/unews/article/little-bear-appointment-strengthens-university-lethbridge-commitment-indigenous-education |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=www.ulethbridge.ca |language=en}} He wrote the Kainaisini, the constitutional framework for Blood Tribe governance, in 1984, and the Blood Tribe Police Commission in 1985.{{Cite web |title=Little Bear appointment strengthens University of Lethbridge commitment to Indigenous education {{!}} UNews |url=https://www.ulethbridge.ca/unews/article/little-bear-appointment-strengthens-university-lethbridge-commitment-indigenous-education |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=www.ulethbridge.ca |language=en}} He drafted the declaration for formally re-establishing the Blackfoot Confederacy in 2000.{{Cite web |title=Leroy Little Bear |url=https://www.alberta.ca/aoe-leroy-little-bear.aspx |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=www.alberta.ca |language=en-CA}}
A strong advocate for supporting Indigenous worldviews in education, especially through language. He sees understanding worldviews as key to the work of truth and reconciliation in Canada. He stated: “The best way of changing ways of thinking is to change ways of thought,” he told the audience. “Changing the language and thinking in a new language is the best way to accomplish this notion of renewal.”
Little Bear retired from the University of Lethbridge in 1997, but continues to be active in numerous areas.
An active researcher and writer, Little Bear has written numerous articles and books on topics such as self-governance, and the relationship between the Canadian federal government and First nations.
Little Bear is a member of the Indigenous Wisdom Advisory Panel, a panel sponsored by the Alberta government and works to bring Indigenous perspectives to environmental monitoring. For example, identifying and examining the impacts of the oil and gas industry on the land from an Indigenous worldview, as well as a scientific perspective.
Activism
Dr. Little Bear has contributed to Indigenous activism on both international and national levels. he worked with the United Nations to help establish a working group on indigenous populations.{{Cite web |title=Little Bear appointment strengthens University of Lethbridge commitment to Indigenous education {{!}} UNews |url=https://www.ulethbridge.ca/unews/article/little-bear-appointment-strengthens-university-lethbridge-commitment-indigenous-education |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=www.ulethbridge.ca |language=en}} This working group originated the concept and created the initial draft of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).{{Cite web |title=Little Bear appointment strengthens University of Lethbridge commitment to Indigenous education {{!}} UNews |url=https://www.ulethbridge.ca/unews/article/little-bear-appointment-strengthens-university-lethbridge-commitment-indigenous-education |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=www.ulethbridge.ca |language=en}} Little Bear also contributed several publications on criminal justice issues, land and aboriginal title, and fishing rights to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples.{{Cite web |date=2014-11-20 |title=Leroy Little Bear |url=https://indspire.ca/laureate/leroy-little-bear-2/ |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=Indspire |language=en-US}}
Little Bear has played an integral role in recognizing the buffalo’s cultural impact on First Nations across North America. He co-instigated and authored the Buffalo Treaty, a treaty between 13 North American First Nations to re-introduce the buffalo back to their respective lands.{{Cite web |title=Little Bear plays role in bringing bison back to Banff {{!}} UNews |url=https://www.ulethbridge.ca/unews/article/little-bear-plays-role-bringing-bison-back-banff |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=www.ulethbridge.ca |language=en}} He is also the founder and President of the International Buffalo Relations Institute.{{Cite web |title=International Buffalo Relations Institute |url=https://buffalorelations.land/ |access-date=2022-10-14 |website=International Buffalo Relations Institute |language=en-CA}}
Awards and recognition
- Little Bear holds honorary doctorates from the University of Northern British Columbia and the University of Lethbridge.
- He holds the keys to the city of Lethbridge.
- The University of Lethbridge Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award (2003)
- National Aboriginal Achievement Award for Education (2003)
Selected writing
- {{Cite book| publisher = University of Toronto| isbn = 978-0-8020-5779-2| last1 = Little Bear| first1 = Leroy| last2 = Boldt| first2 = Menno| last3 = Long| first3 = J. Anthony| title = Governments in conflict?: provinces and Indian nations in Canada.| location = Toronto| date = 1988| url-access = registration| url = https://archive.org/details/governmentsincon00cana}}
- {{Cite book| publisher = Univ. of Toronto Press| isbn = 978-0-8020-2524-1| last = Little Bear| first = Leroy| title = Pathways to self-determination: Canadian Indians and the Canadian state| location = Toronto| date = 1992| url-access = registration| url = https://archive.org/details/pathwaystoselfde00cana}}
- {{Cite journal| volume = 39| issue = 4| pages = 518–527| last = Little Bear| first = Leroy| title = Traditional Knowledge and Humanities: A Perspective by a Blackfoot| journal = Journal of Chinese Philosophy| date = 2012| doi = 10.1111/j.1540-6253.2012.01742.x}}
- {{Cite book| publisher = publisher not identified| last1 = Little Bear| first1 = Leroy| title = The relationship of aboriginal people to the land and the aboriginal perspective on aboriginal title| location = Ottawa, Ont.| date = 1994}}
- {{Cite book| publisher = Canadian Council on Learning. Aboriginal Learning Knowledge Centre| last1 = Little Bear| first1 = Leroy| title = Naturalizing indigenous knowledge: synthesis paper| location = Saskatoon, Sask.| access-date = 2019-03-16| date = 2009| url = http://ra.ocls.ca/ra/login.aspx?inst=centennial&url=https://www.deslibris.ca/ID/222635}}
- {{Cite book | pages = 26–38| last = Little Bear| first = Leroy| chapter= Aboriginal Paradigms: Implications for Relationships to Land and Treaty Making| title= Advancing Aboriginal Claims: Visions, Strategies, Directions |editor=Kerry Wilkins|isbn=1895830249| date = 2004}}
- {{Cite journal| pages = 6–18| last = Little Bear| first = Leroy| title = An Elder Explains Indigenous Philosophy and Indigenous Sovereignty| journal = Philosophy and Aboriginal Rights: Critical Dialogues| date = 2013}}
References
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Category:First Nations activists
Category:Academic staff of the University of Lethbridge
Category:Indigenous rights activists
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:First Nations academics