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Elsie Knott: The first woman to serve as Chief of a First Nation
- Sara Plaw
- Mar 21, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 12
Elsie Knott (1922-1995) In 1954, at Curve (or Mud Lake) Reserve, Ontario, Knott became the first female elected First Nations Chief in Canada.
Knott was a Community Leader. An activist. An Entrepreneur.
Knott served 7 terms over fourteen years.
Obstacles:
Knott's health problems prevented her from beginning school on time. She couldn't finish high school because the reserve school only went until 8th grade. Students were not allowed to speak Ojibway at school. The obstacles and discrimination Knott faced were the motivation behind her future career.
At 15 years old, Knott's parents arranged for her marriage to a man twelve years her senior. He was unable to work due to illness, so Knott worked multiple low-paying jobs to support her family (she had three children).
Knott overcame a fear of public speaking, especially in English to serve as Chief.
She faced ongoing gender discrimination as well as systemic racism.
Why Then:
I was surprised to learn that The Indian Act didn't allow aboriginal women the right to vote until 1951.
Three years later, in a landslide victory, Elsie Knott became the first woman to become Chief of a First Nation. She served multiple consecutive terms.
As chief, Knott's main objective was to ensure that native people had the same rights and opportunities as non-native people.
Knott negotiated and received funds from the government that resulted in:
forty-five new houses being built
paved roads
multiple new wells
community access to essential services, including a grocery store, post office, daycare center, senior citizens home, and a community center.
Simultaneously, she owned & operated her own business, The Tee Pee Trading Post.
Knott was committed to preserving the Ojibway culture and language. She set up Ojibway language programs in both the prison system and local communities.
Knott drove a school bus for thirty years. She founded the Knott Bus Service so kids had access to education beyond the eighth grade. She taught in the Sunday school and organized activities that brought the community together, including The Boys and Girls Club and The Curve Lake Pow Wows.
Why Now:
Knott saw inequities in her community and went about implementing solutions. People trusted her because she put the communities interests first.
When local kids couldn't get to a school outside of the reserve to complete their high school education, Knott used her own car to take them. When her car got too small for all the kids, Knott bought and converted a hearse into a small bus. Finally, she secured funding for two school buses and transported more than one hundred and fifty students to school daily.
Elsie Knott never thought she would win the Band Election and was shocked by her sweeping victory. Knott was a great leader because she had
1. A creative and resourceful approach to problem-solving.
2. An unwavering commitment to her values and beliefs.
3. A belief that all people and all jobs have equal value.
Father Paul Heffernan said, " With Elsie, the difficult was easy, the impossible took a little longer".
Knott planned and thoroughly researched solutions that truly benefit the community. She motivated people to get involved in supporting positive community development.
Knott's personality put people at ease. They sought her advice and guidance often. It's noted that Knott was gregarious and had a great sense of humor.
Are there pivotal experiences from your personal life that drive your career choices? How have they impacted your career choices? Please comment below in the blog or on the Linked In group site.
A side note:
I had a difficult time finding information on important First Nations women from history. This book is available on Amazon and is an excellent resource if you want to learn more:
Firekeepers Presents the lives of sixty-four of ninety women chiefs who assumed the traditionally male role of elected First Nations leadership. This book presents the colonial histories behind the issues that Aboriginal communities struggle with. It examines the experiences of women as they negotiate multiple roles and navigate the worlds of gender and race. Link to book: https://www.amazon.ca/Firekeepers-Twenty-First-Century-Nations-Chiefs/dp/0773532161/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Below is a Video of Elsie talking about her landslide election win:
Sources:
Sara Plaw is a Toronto-based Content Creator. This blog explores the lives and contributions of historical and contemporary women whose stories are disregarded by the mainstream. It also looks at community building and sources of support, inspiration, and encouragement.
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