- Details
- By Neely Bardwell
Brandi Morin, an award-winning Cree, Iroquois, and French journalist, interviewed Chief Wilton Littlechild to talk about why he gifted Pope Francis a headdress.
Here’s what he had to say:
“One of the things I learned that being raised by my grandparents, is you don’t criticize other traditions, other culture’s traditions. And in our traditional way, you would welcome a visitor of high dignitaries, and many other tribes have given headdresses to a lot of other people like ministers and senators and business people.”
“We decided at home, as a community, to welcome him with a gift because he came into our territory. We were actually flabbergasted that he chose us because there were three site visits from Rome. All across the country, and we were picked, and we didn’t lobby for it. We were just chosen to be the one where he would give his apology.”
He also repeatedly said the exchange was “tradition.”
Watch the interview here:
Chief Wilton Littlechild speaks about why he gifted @Pontifex with a headdress in Maskwacis.
— Brandi Morin (@Songstress28) July 29, 2022
FULL INTERVIEW ON MY INSTA @ bmorinstories pic.twitter.com/E9y65CdqB4
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsNative News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
President Biden Appoints Janie Simms Hipp to Community Development Advisory Board
Call to Campaigns: See Indian Country
NCAI Condemns Racist Remarks by Trump-Backed GOP Montana Senatorial Candidate
Following the release of the U.S. Department of the Interior's final report, we at Native News Online took a moment to reflect on our extensive three-year effort to highlight the traumatic legacy of Indian boarding schools. By covering all 12 Road to Healing events and publishing over 250 articles, we have amplified survivors' voices and illuminated the lasting impact on Indigenous communities. Our work continues. Please consider donating to help fund our ongoing coverage of Indian boarding schools.