Page 291 - YGARTUA : The Work Of A Genius

CHIEF DAN GEORGE 1899 - 1981 Chief Dan George was a man who did not believe in violence but who
never stopped working for his people and felt that his way was best.

Tell-lall-watt tribe of the Coastsalish Nation North Vancouver, B.C. Burrard His own words from one of his speaking engagements tell us how
Reservation Honorary Chief of the Squamish Tribe of the Coast Salish keenly he felt.

Nation and the Shuswap Tribe of the Interior Salish Nation, Chief Dan “I found myself and my People adrift in this new age but not a part of it. I
George was not only a leader among his own people but a man among had a glimpse of something better than this. For a few brief years I knew
men and a credit to humanity.This Native - this Man, was born in 1899 my people when we lived the old life, I knew them when there was still
on the North Vancouver Burrard Reservation of his Tribe in the Province a dignity in our lives and a feeling of worth in our outlook.” And later in
of British Columbia. His education was in a Catholic School until he the same engagement, “Let no one forget it, we are a people with special

was sixteen but from his people he learned the ways of the Native their rights guaranteed to us by promises and treaties. We do not beg for these
relationship to nature, to the animals, to the birds, the fish and to each rights, nor do we thank you, we do not thank you for them because we
other. And because he was a Chief in the very real sense of the word, he paid for them and, God help us the price we paid was exorbitant. We paid

understood people and related to them. His down to earth homespun for them with our culture, our dignity and self respect. We paid and paid
philosophy and his humanity has endeared him to all. and paid until we became a beaten race, poverty stricken and conquered.”
And finishing, “And now it is the end. May I say thanks to you for the
Leaving school at sixteen he became a logger; was married three years warmth of your understanding.”
later and had six children. Then, a long-shoreman on the Vancouver William Davey, Canadian Federation of Artists (FCA)

waterfront until in 1946 an injury forced his retirement from this work. Over
the next ten years he became well known as a musician and entertainer,
initially with his own orchestra. During this period he served as Chief of

his Tribe over a twelve year period. In the mid 1950’s he joined the world
of broadcasting and for the next five years became deeply involved with
the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Television and the Professional
Stage. In Vancouver and Los Angeles he appeared in some twenty-five TV
dramas.

His break into motion pictures was a Disney film “How to Break a Quarter
Horse” and he played in many pictures including “Outlaw Josey Wells”

with Clint Eastwood, “Shadow of the Hawk” with Michael Jan Vincent
culminating in his Academy Award nomination in “Little Big Man” with
Dustin Hoffman.

Nor did his accomplishments stop here for he toured the country in

shows and in speaking engagements. He was honoured throughout, with
a Doctorate at the University of Manitoba, Guest of Honor at a State Dinner
of Queen Elizabeth on her Royal Yacht, Britannia; acclaimed as best

supporting actor by the New York Film Critics and invested with the Order
of Canada by the Governor General of Canada for his distinguished career.

CHIEF DAN GEORGE, PORTRAIT BY PAUL YGARTUA, N.W. HERITAGE EXHIBITION, VANCOUVER, B.C. CANADA 1978.

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