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Marilyn Buffalo posted a condolence
Monday, May 1, 2023
Q: How did you meet George?
A: I was gob-smacked inspired by George Miller when a teenager involved with Indigenous Youth Movement in 1960's and early 1970's! George Miller was a sight to behold, a tall, dark and handsome Mohawk man who was highly educated, articulate educator who later became Director of Education, National Indian Brotherhood, Ottawa. George inspired many generations of Indigenous Educators on Turtle Island and world-wide.
May Our Creator and Ancestors have a Special Teaching Position for George in Paradise. Morning Sun Woman, Marilyn Buffalo, Treaty #6
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Wayne Harubin uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, April 29, 2023
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Wayne Harubin uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, April 29, 2023
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Wayne Harubin posted a condolence
Saturday, April 29, 2023
George William Miller, son of Six Nations of the Grand River, who crossed paths with the famous and infamous.
He was an anthropologist, McGill and Stanford graduate, merchant marine, alumnus of the precursor to the Peace Corps in Senegal, orderly, drywaller, chemical plant and lock worker, college principal, NIB/AFN director, civil servant, world traveler, art and antique collector, bon vivant, master gardener and chef to name a few.
I first met George in 1982 after returning from working on the Navajo reservation, when we attended a conference together at St. Lawrence University. Thus began a friendship of shared travels, many adventures and good times. It brings a smile to my face when I recall us driving at high speed, me at the wheel, down a narrow rural road in Italy and George yelling that he "didn't want to be killed by colliding with some local pushing a goat cart"! There were bike rides, canoe excursions, hikes, a rescue attempt behind the lines at Oka, bowls of corn soup, plates of carbonara and more travels to far off places. Including an early trip to Libya, where Gaddafi was met at a celebration, belly dancers included. This was of course after George had been detained for trying to bring a bottle of scotch into our secured compound when we first arrived!
I could go on and on with countless stories but suffice it to say, I have a lifetime of fond and amusing memories of George. He was a great friend and truly one of a kind!!
No longer of this world, George has begun his greatest adventure of all!!
Wayne
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David Joseph Monture posted a condolence
Friday, April 28, 2023
George and his brother Gordon were among the first Six Nation people when I first went to Ottawa at 19. There were long drives home to Six Nations with the brothers as George shared stories about his days as a merchant mariner. He was working on his graduate degree and later would serve at La Macaza. I got to know him as a colleague at AFN. Later when I moved West of the Rockies, I kept up phone contact with George and Charlie Hill. I remember George and I maintained a "revolving loan fund" while in Ottawa. There are many stories from La Traviata and The Window hangouts with George, always the master story teller. My grandmother Edith always asked after George who had also been an orderly at the hospital on the reserve. R.I.P. my friend.
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Ed Lavallee posted a condolence
Thursday, April 27, 2023
George was a friend of mine.I considered him a true professor as his knowledge of Indigenous history and culture surpassed any other academic known to me in the many years we knew each other.
In Indigenous circles his passing means our loss of part of the Indian world as our people always say. I greatly admired his activism throughout his life when fighting for education.
He was a world traveller, that his how he knew the cultures of many people he met on the sojourns he made.He brought home many fascinating stories of his travels.
George was a love of art and artifacts and entertaining us at his home which was full of his cherished art purchases that he collected from artist friends throughout the Americas.
He always invited me to join him at the Chateau
Lafayette, a land mark bar we new as the "Laff" in Ottawa's Byward market where we listened to the juke box blaring the song " Crazy Arms".
We loved to joke with one another, he once said and that we Cree were so many that you could find a Cree behind every tree up north and then I would blame his Mohawks for not being too good at Keepers of the Eastern Door and that was the reason we had so many white settlers out west.Of course, it was all in jest.
I am going to miss George.I hope the Creator will be with him as he completes his journey to the Spirt World and perhaps we can host a memorial Round Dance for him this time next year.
Your dear Friend
Ed Lavallee
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Jill Torrie posted a condolence
Tuesday, April 25, 2023
REMEMBERING MY FRIEND GEORGE MILLER
“Intrepid aptly describes anyone—from explorers to reporters—who ventures bravely into unknown territory”. To me, George was intrepid, whether busing around Egypt, the USA, Central America, and the Amazon, or developing his expertise in Indigenous art from the time it was only seen as local and folkloric, or being one of the first in Canada to promote Indigenous control of Indigenous education, or biking down to visit us in Montreal. He knew books, music, art, pottery, ancient and modern. And he had probably personally seen the contexts from which they were created.
His identity, to me: proudly Kanyen’kehàka, art connoisseur and collector, traveller, gardener extraordinaire, chef, raconteur, friend, brother and nephew, and, like his Mother, an athlete.
His personality, to me: cutting a large swathe through the world, physically imposing, engaging. He could also be solitary, impatient, ornery. A great friend. I loved travelling with him whether on trips to the USA, to visit his old aunt at Six Nations, to the Aylmer Marina, or just out to a restaurant, which he always chose probably knowing the owner and likely the chef. I regret never being able to travel with him to the Siwas Oasis.
Aesthetics defined how he lived in the world. He had an eye for seeing beauty. When I first visited him in a box-like high-rise apartment in Ottawa the balcony was all garden. A few years after he had moved onto his large treed property in Aylmer, it was already blanketed with an astonishing three-season shade garden. And the beauty was in the object itself. Next to a extraordinary and stunning piece of furniture he would be using a functional, entirely pedestrian office table. His collection of art, primarily Indigenous, was so extensive it was mostly stored in extra bedrooms. I was always encouraging him to hire a house cleaner.
My chronology is not consistent here. Since adolescence, he had always made good use of the Jay Treaty and travelled to visit family in the USA. At some time for a number of years, he was a merchant marine seaman travelling out from San Francisco, work which later gave him a pension. He initially attended McGill in pre-medicine, a wish of his mother’s, and almost starved the first few months, being rescued by the kindness of a family whose name I have unfortunately forgotten. Later, he graduated in 1971 from Anthropology and then went to Stanford to study under George and Louise Spindler, who remained close friends. Following fieldwork in the North West Territories, he interrupted his PhD to return to Quebec to head up Manitou College.
In a 2019 article on the McGill website, “Indigenous McGill”, Susan Morton explains the details of George’s intrepid push for Indigenous control of education. In the Fall of 1969, the McGill Intertribal Council of Native Students began planning a “Teach-In” on the topic of the White Paper.
“Consistent with the Indigenous activism that the White Paper provoked elsewhere, (this) small cadre of Indigenous students on campus took up the challenge in a spectacular manner. In February 1970 this group, led by George Miller (BA’71), Kanyen’kehàka, Six Nations, Philip Awashish, Eeyou Istchee, Mistissini, and Ann-Marie Raymond (late wife of Philip) organized a four-day event to respond. The 1970 event hosted Indigenous activists and leaders such as Vine Deloria (author of Custer Died for Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto [1969]); Harold Cardinal (author of Unjust Society [1969]); Chief Louis Hall of Six Nations; Max Gros-Louis, Grand Chief of the Huron-Wendat Nation, Wendake; Kahentinetha Horn; Andrew Delisle, Kahnawake, President of the Quebec Association of Indians, and Edna Neeposh, Eeyou of Mistissini, a social worker who had attended McGill for a year and returned home.”
“The Teach-In represents an important moment in campus culture, as it was built around Indigenous knowledge holders and intellectuals who took over political and intellectual academic space and who redefined expertise and authority. In its aftermath, the McGill University Intertribal Council of Native Students proposed the establishment of an Institute that would enable native North American students and other native people in Eastern Canada and the Eastern Arctic to study their own languages, their history, and, cultures while obtaining knowledge and modern technical skills needed to gain control of their economic, social, and political destiny.”
“The most important outcome of the Native North American Studies Institute was the 1973-1977 Indigenous-run Anglophone and Francophone Manitou Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel, established in La Macaza, Quebec. George Miller, an organizer of the 1970 Teach-In, now with a MA in anthropology from Stanford, replaced the original director in 1973.”
George ran Manitou College for two successful years, a first in Canada, until Quebec Indigenous politics interfered. As Morton explained, “the Institute was established and operated for a few years, but almost fifty years later, its ambitious mission statement remains unfulfilled.” But his push for Indigenous control of education continued through his work as director of education for the National Indian Brotherhood, which is when I first met him.
So Rest In Peace my friend on your new journey.
Jill Torrie
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Patricia Baxter uploaded photo(s)
Monday, April 24, 2023
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Q: What was one of your favorite qualities of George?
A: Great cook and storyteller. Rest well Pat Baxter
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Jessica Hill posted a condolence
Monday, April 24, 2023
George was an endearing friend to me and my children. They asked “who is that man?” They found him to be so eloquent and knowledgeable with a hint of sarcasm. I met him when he was the Director of Lamacaza College in the early 70’s, met him along with other “Natives” in obscure bars in Ottawa. I went to his home often, ate there like so many others and talked politics, danced and generally had a good time. Wherever you go George you will always be a gentleman, wearing a straw woven hat, having a fabulous tan and carrying some books. Journey well my friend.
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Patricia Badcock posted a condolence
Monday, April 24, 2023
I remember his fantastic Mexican cooking; and when he had to move, he packed up years of news papers that was stored under his bed.
Rest in Peace, dear friend,
Patti and Bill Badcock
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Val Harrison posted a condolence
Monday, April 24, 2023
Our trip to Libya was certainly very interesting especially as it was for a Peace Conference; so ironic. I must say that George was a great travel companion and so knowledgeable on so many levels. It’s so long ago now (1986) so don’t recall too much detail now except for the sad incident of the death of the young man that was in the group from Canada. I remember him being a couple of rows in front of me travelling out on Alitalia but didn’t have any opportunity to get to know him at all. There was a gathering at the supposedly bombed property of Ghadaffi by the Americans. Ghadaffi was supposed to appear and make a speech but didn’t materialize because of his security. His young 13yr old son made the speech for his father.
An interesting day into the desert for the group displaying Libyan horseman displaying their horsemanship on magnificent horses. We were invited to enjoy Libyan cuisine at a picnic in the desert – once in a lifetime experience.
The couple of days in Rome with George as my guide was fabulous. Went to the Vatican for a tour with George etc.
It certainly was a once in a lifetime trip. We opted to stay an extra couple of days so we wouldn’t be in the press scrum at Mirabel on arrival back in Canada. Fortunately I knew a member of the Canadian Embassy who was an ex neighbour of ours when we first moved to Ottawa. So after speaking to him on the phone from Tripoli after the death of the young Canadian man, he invited George and I to stay at his apartment.
I hope George will be remembered well at the gathering next weekend. He was an interesting person to spend time with.
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Keith Conn posted a condolence
Saturday, April 22, 2023
I became friends George in the mid eighties. My ex wife and I spent much time with him at his home in Alymer, often having summer picnics on his porch.
We spent a few afternoons at the Alymer Marina listening too Spanish bands and enjoying the views.
We had a wonderful time joining George in Oaxaca City, Mexico and visited a few sites, including the ancient site of Monte Alban. 500BC . It was remarkable how the various Indigenous nations were celebrated. We then crossed the Sierra Madres mountains to Huatulco on pacific coast. Lots of memories. Rest is peace George.
Keith
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Anne Noonan uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, April 22, 2023
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George Miller was a special friend and a neighbour in Aylmer Quebec where he purchased a property nearby on the Ottawa river there he transformed his yard into an amazing English garden. An avid cyclist, George would trek to Montreal and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to visit family and friends; the furthest we would cycle with him was to the Aylmer Marina where on summer days we would enjoy watching the sailboats and windsurfers.
George, a world traveller ,shared his stories and photo journals of his travels from the pyramids of Egypt; Petra, Jordan to the Amazon rainforest at Tres Frontera where the borders of Brazil, Peru and Columbia meet.
One of our favourite experiences was travelling with George around Mexico City where we celebrated his 70th birthday at a renown Mexican restaurant and he was the very best guide one could ask for when he toured us to Teotihuacan, the largest of pyramids in Mesoamerica.
As an anthropologist he shared a wealth of his knowledge on the cultural context of this famous site.
When we moved to Golden Lake, George would be a welcomed guest in all seasons. We are so thankful to have had so many wonderful conversations and laughs shared with George and will forever hold him dear.
Rest in Peace George
Love Anne Noonan & Dan Kohoko
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Denise Climenhage posted a condolence
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Sincere condolences to all of George’s family on his passing.
Although I’d heard a lot about him from his siblings and my parents as a small child, I only met him when I was about twelve years old. George, my parents and I were dinner guests at the home of Evie Herr, who had been their teacher in high school. George had just returned from a trip to Paris, and regaled us with stories and a slideshow of his travels. I was very impressed, at that point he was the only person I had met who had been to Paris!
I next met George nearly 20 years later, at my uncle and aunt’s 30th wedding anniversary. He had been their best man. By that time I had moved to Ottawa, and since George and I both worked in L’Esplanade Laurier, we would often run into each other and chat….usually about his days at highschool and his schoolmates, many of whom I knew, and about indigenous issues.
When his brother Gordon , who was very close to our family, retired George organized a very nice celebration in recognition of that milestone. Too soon after, when Gordon suddenly passed away, George arranged a lovely Celebration of Life for Gordon’s friends and former colleagues in Ottawa.
George was not a frequent enough guest at our house, we should have had him over more often and we very much enjoyed it when he was our guest. Discussions were always lively and interesting. He celebrated Thanksgiving with us in the late ‘90s when my parents were in Ottawa for a visit. He also cooked and hosted a delicious Mexican themed meal at his home on Chemin Fraser in Alymer for my uncle Ray Swalm, my mother and their Niagara Christian College classmate Glenna Moore West and myself when those three of his classmates visited Ottawa 15 or 20 years ago.
The last time we saw George, he came over for lunch in the summer in 2019. We knew he had had a stroke, but found him in much finer form than we expected. Although he carried a cane, and occasionally had to search for a word he was his usual animated, insightful self and completely abreast with current events. We regret that we did not have subsequent visits, but hold that one in our hearts with our fond memories of him.
Rest in Peace George
Denise Climenhage and James Bluhm
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Mary Jamieson posted a condolence
Monday, April 17, 2023
George was a great friend to my family and I. His sense of humour and infectious laugh made him the best company. I have so many memories of George including ghost walks at Chiefswood and joking with my aunts when they visited Six Nations from the US. George was even with me when I was in labour! He will never be forgotten and always loved!
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John Moses posted a condolence
Saturday, April 15, 2023
A friend to many in Ottawa's Native community including the late Russ Moses and his wife Helen, also originally from Six Nations, and sons Jim and John. He will be missed. It was always a pleasure running into George downtown, and later visiting in Aylmer when he lived there.
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The family of George William Miller uploaded a photo
Friday, April 14, 2023
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580 Main Street South
Alexandria, Ontario K0C 1A0
(613) 525-3400