From racism to reconciliation
Aboriginal veteran Victor Flett was the third generation of his family in military service
Victor Flett grew up feeling ashamed of his Aboriginal heritage, but buoyed by a strong family pride in military service. The Sooke widower is last in a family line of six Aboriginal men over three generations to serve in the Canadian Forces.
“I don’t remember being proud of being an Indian,” said Flett, 89, who is of Cree descent from the Peguis First Nation in Manitoba and a decorated veteran with 30 years of service in the navy.
“My grandmother had First Nations friends and they would speak Cree, but she wouldn’t teach us … We weren’t taught our culture because it wasn’t considered something to be proud of at that time.
“But I did learn about my grandfather giving his life for his country. We were all aware of that and all very proud of that.”
Flett’s maternal grandfather fought and died in the First World War at the Battle of Vimy Ridge in northern France. His father also served in the war, but survived.
Flett, who will give a talk called From Racism to Reconciliation at St. Peter and St. Paul’s Parish Hall on Saturday, visited Vimy last year with his daughter for the 100th anniversary memorial.
Flett and his four siblings were raised by their grandmother outside of Selkirk, about 22 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg. The family decided to stay in the area after the government moved the Peguis reserve north in 1907. While the kids of his parents’ generation were forced to attend residential schools, Flett and his siblings stayed in the one-room schoolhouse in their small town.
“My grandmother was a Christian and she wanted us to be raised that way. When she said something, we obeyed,” said Flett, who fondly recalled learning to pray from one of his three older brothers.
His eldest brother ran away at 14 or 15 and became a marine engineer, then joined the merchant navy, said Flett, whose three older brothers all served in the Second World War and survived. One brother landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day with the Regina Rifles regiment.
“He had some good stories to tell. He said at one point, they were advancing and went too far. They became prisoners but only for eight hours,” said Flett, looking over family pictures at the church hall, where he is a celebrated elder.
The older brother closest to him in age joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, and they wrote to each other throughout the war.
“He became an air gunner on a Lancaster bomber,” said Flett. “He saw quite a few fighter planes and shot at them, but couldn’t remember shooting any down.”
Flett said he was not initially keen to join the forces when he came of age. He wanted to be an RCMP officer and “I was going with my sweetheart,” Flett said about his future wife of 50 years.
When the dating couple split briefly, he was heartbroken and decided to sign up for the navy.
“When she found out, she said our spat wasn’t so serious that I had to join the navy,” Flett said. They got back together and got married. But he shipped out for Korea on the destroyer HMCS Crusader in 1952 as a sonar man.
“There were two of us who were First Nations, maybe more who didn’t want to say. The other fellow was from Flin Flon, Manitoba. We were good buddies,” said Flett.
He said he experienced racist slurs during his service. “But when you’re on a ship, it’s close quarters, so I had to not make a big issue of it to get by.”
When he returned to Victoria, he had difficulties finding work and wondered if it was because he was Aboriginal. He eventually got a job working with the Commissionaires to help support his family of five.
It wasn’t until later in life that Flett became more curious about his Aboriginal heritage. He said he was inspired by the reconciliation work of the Anglican church. His three children also wanted to know their culture.
“I thought I should take it upon myself to learn my culture, and a good way to do that would be to reach out to First Nations through a church group,” said Flett.
He joined the Anglican group Aboriginal Neighbours, formed at an Anglican Synod of the Diocese of British Columbia in the 1980s. The organization welcomes Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, with the goal of building community and cultural bridges, as well as offering support for reconciliation. Flett said he’s been proud to be part of the group, which has taken part in cultural activities, protests and mentorships.
He said he learned from his grandmother to have pride in being Canadian and find comfort in his faith, “in spite of being ridiculed for being Indian.”
He would like to see justice and fair treatment for First Nations people. “We were very unfairly treated in a beautiful country with a lot of wealth and promise,” said Flett, adding: “Not long ago, I could not see myself doing this, talking about racism and discrimination. I would be too emotional.”
For more information and to RSVP for Flett’s event, which also includes a presentation on Vimy by John Duck, call 1-800-661-4360. The talk is set for 10 a.m. on Saturday at 1379 Esquimalt Rd.