Benjamin Kji Saqamaw Sylliboy (March 2, 1941 – November 30, 2017) was a

Grand Chief Grand may refer to: People with the name * Grand (surname) * Grand L. Bush (born 1955), American actor * Grand Mixer DXT, American turntablist * Grand Puba (born 1966), American rapper Places * Grand, Oklahoma * Grand, Vosges, village and co ...

of the

Miꞌkmaq The Mi'kmaq (also ''Mi'gmaq'', ''Lnu'', ''Miꞌkmaw'' or ''Miꞌgmaw''; ; ) are a First Nations people of the Northeastern Woodlands, indigenous to the areas of Canada's Atlantic Provinces and the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec as well as the nort ...

who lived at the We’koqma’q First Nation in

Cape Breton Cape Breton Island (french: link=no, île du Cap-Breton, formerly '; gd, Ceap Breatainn or '; mic, Unamaꞌki) is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America and part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The island accounts for 18. ...

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. He served as Grand Chief for 25 years from 1992 until his death in 2017.

Life

Sylliboy was born at the Whycocomagh

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on Cape Breton, Canada, on 2 March 1941. At the age of 6, Sylliboy's mother sent him to residential schools where he remained for 4 years. After returning to his community, he contracted tuberculosis and was near death for 18 months. After this bout of illness, he attended the Indian Day School and took on a variety of jobs while furthering his education through the Department of Indian affairs. In 1968, he was elected as an ambassador (Keptin) from his community and in 1970 an Indian Act Band Councillor. He served nine terms in this position until being asked by previous Grand Chief Donald Marshall Sr. to take over the role of Grand Chief in 1992 due to his declining health.

Death

Sylliboy died on November 30, 2017, in Sydney, Cape Breton at age 76. In 1993,

Nova Scotia Premier The premier of Nova Scotia is the first minister to the lieutenant governor of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia and presides over the Executive Council of Nova Scotia. Following the Westminster system, the premier is normally the leader of ...

John Savage and Mi’kmaw Grand Chief Ben Sylliboy declared October as the official month to recognize and celebrate Miꞌkmaq culture and heritage in Nova Scotia. He was also a key figure in the renewal of the Miꞌkmaq Grand Council role as a governing body within the Miꞌkmaq community that focuses on the recognition and implementation of Aboriginal and Treaty rights.

References

External links

* http://halifax.mediacoop.ca/fr/story/residential-school-survivors-share-their-stories/8706 * https://www.apcfnc.ca/images/uploads/HonouringTraditionalKnowledgeEldersBiographies.pdf {{DEFAULTSORT:Sylliboy, Benjamin 1941 births 2017 deaths 20th-century First Nations people 21st-century First Nations people Indigenous leaders in Atlantic Canada Canadian Mi'kmaq people

Life

Death

See also

References

External links