Dan George
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| Dan George | |
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| Born | July 24, 1899 Tsleil-Waututh Nation, North Vancouver |
| Died | September 23, 1981 Vancouver, British Columbia |
Chief Dan George, OC (July 24, 1899–September 23, 1981) was a chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, a Coast Salish band located on Burrard Inlet in North Vancouver, British Columbia. He was also an Academy Award-nominated actor and an author.
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[edit] Early years
Chief Dan George was born as Geswanouth Slahoot in North Vancouver. His English name originally was Dan Slaholt. His last name was changed to George when he entered a residential school at the age of 5. George worked at a number of different jobs, including as a longshoreman, construction worker and school bus driver. He was chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation from 1951 to 1963.
[edit] Acting career
In 1960, when he was already 60 years of age, he got his first job acting in a CBC Television series, Cariboo Country, as the character "Ol' Antoine". He performed the same role in a Walt Disney Studios movie, Smith!, adapted from an episode in this series (based on Breaking Smith's Quarter Horse, a novella by Paul St. Pierre). At the age of 71, George won several awards for his role in the film Little Big Man, including a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He continued to act in other films, such as The Outlaw Josey Wales, Harry and Tonto and Americathon, and on television, including a role in the miniseries Centennial, based on the book by James A. Michener.
George acted the role of Rita Joe's father in George Ryga's stage play, The Ecstasy of Rita Joe, in performances at Vancouver, the National Arts Centre in Ottawa and Washington.
During his acting career, Chief Dan George always worked to promote better understanding by non-aboriginals of the First Nations people. His soliloquy, Lament for Confederation,[1] a riveting indictment of the appropriation of native territory by white colonialism, was performed at the city of Vancouver's celebration of the Canadian centennial in 1967. This speech is credited with escalating native political activism in Canada, as well as touching off widespread pro-native sentiment among non-natives.
In 1971, George was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.
He died in Vancouver in 1981 at the age of 82. His interment was located at Burrard Cemetery.
[edit] His bibliography
- George, Dan, and Helmut Hirnschall. My Heart Soars. Toronto: Clarke, Irwin, 1974. ISBN 0919654150
- George, Dan, and Helmut Hirnschall. My Spirit Soars. Surrey, B.C., Canada: Hancock House, 1982. ISBN 0888391544
- Mortimer, Hilda, and Dan George. You Call Me Chief: Impressions of the Life of Chief Dan George. Toronto: Doubleday Canada, 1981. ISBN 0385048068
- George, Dan, and Helmut Hirnschall. The Best of Chief Dan George. Surrey, B.C.: Hancock House, 2003. ISBN 0888395442
[edit] Notable family
- Lee Maracle (Granddaughter) - poet/author/activist/professor
- Columpa Bobb (Great-granddaughter) - actor/poet
[edit] Dedications
- Chief Dan George Middle School in Abbotsford, B.C. Known as "The Wolves".
- Chief Dan George Public School in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Chief Dan George Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, University of Victoria, BC.
