Wolf Award Explained

Wolf Award
Country:	Canada
Presenter:	The Wolf Project (Canada)
First:	1995
Last:	2021

The Wolf Award is an accolade conferred by a non-profit organization known as The Wolf Project to individuals, organizations, and communities in recognition of their efforts to reduce racial intolerance and to improve peace and understanding.^{[1] [2] [3]} The Wolf Award, which has also come to be known as the International Wolf Award,^{[4] [5] [6] [7] [8]} consists of a certificate of appreciation and a sculpture of a howling wolf, presented in ceremonial fashion to the recipient.^[9]

The symbol of the wolf was chosen because the founders of The Wolf Project felt that wolves serve as a reminder that society's survival depends upon cooperation and collaboration.^[10]

The Wolf Project was developed by Heather Acres and Beatrice MacTavish of Flin Flon, Manitoba, and was initiated with the hope that by acknowledging the efforts of those striving to ameliorate relations between diverse cultures and peoples, others would be encouraged to become involved.^[11] For their work, Acres received the Governor General of Canada's Meritorious Service Award, and MacTavish received the Manitoba Provincial Order of the Buffalo Hunt.^{[12] [13] [14] [15]}

Recipients

Some recipients of the Wolf Award are listed as follows:

• Nelson Mandela (1918 - 2013) received the Wolf Award for his work in human rights advocacy.^[16] The wolf sculpture was presented in 1995 in South Africa by Canadian aboriginal leaders Phil Fontaine and George Muswagon, and was kept by Mr. Mandela in a place of honor just outside his office door.^[17]
• Chief Arvol Looking Horse was presented the Wolf Award in 1996 for his work promoting racial equality and social justice.^{[18] [19] [20]} He is the spiritual leader of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota Nations and the 19th generation keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe.^{[21] [22] [23]}
• Minnijean Brown-Trickey, for her contributions to improving race relations.^{[24] [25]} Minnijean was one of nine African-American students who enrolled in the all-white Little Rock Central High School in 1957.^[26] The students, who later came to be known as the Little Rock Nine, were forced to face down an angry mob of white protesters and desegregate the school.^[27] Brown-Trickey later spent many years in Canada, where she became an advocate for aboriginal peoples.^[28] She received the Wolf Award in June, 1998 in Hull, Quebec.^[29]
• Elder William Commanda (1913 - 2011) received the Wolf Award for his efforts promoting intercultural understanding and racial harmony.^{[30] [31]} Elder Commanda was Keeper of the Seven Fires Prophecy Belt, which dates back to the 15th century and purportedly teaches the history of the indigenous peoples of North America.^{[32] [33]} The Wolf was presented to Elder Commanda in November, 1998 by members of the Algonquin Nation on the River Desert Reserve in Maniwaki, Quebec.^[34]
• Professor Gracelyn Smallwood, recognized for her commitment to advancing the human rights of indigenous Australians, and for promoting, encouraging and honoring inter-racial harmony in Australia.^[35] The award was presented in Toowoomba, Queensland at the University of South Queensland's Second World Indigenous Pathways Conference in November, 1998 by aboriginal rights advocates Elijah Harper of Canada and Angela Mulgrew of Australia.^{[36] [37]}
• Christ Church Cathedral, Ottawa. The congregation of Christ Church Cathedral was honored with the Wolf Award for their support of the Noongam Traditional Pow Wow, held annually in Ottawa, Ontario.^[38] The pow wow provides aboriginal and non-aboriginal people a venue to share and experience diverse aspects of aboriginal culture.^[39] The award was presented in April, 2005 by William Commanda and Wolf Project co-founder Beatrice MacTavish.^{[40] [41]}
• The Edmonton Police Service, for promoting positive relations between cultural communities, and for establishing the Oskayak Police Academy, which provides aboriginal youth hands-on experiences with police in a culturally sensitive environment.^{[42] [43] [44]} The Police Service was nominated for the award by aboriginal community leaders.^[45] It was presented October 26, 2016 in Edmonton, Alberta.^{[46] [47]}
• In year 2021, Farhan Wilayat Butt (a Lahore-based Pakistani philanthropist and peace activist) received the Wolf Award for raising his voice for the rights and protection of religious minorities in Pakistan in order to reduce religious extremism, racial intolerance and sectarian violence.^[48]

Eligibility

Any individual, organization, or community is eligible to receive the Wolf Award, if they work to reduce racial intolerance and to improve peace and understanding, and are nominated.^[49]

External links

• The Wolf Project

Notes and References

1. News: The elder, the icon, an eagle feather. The Ottawa Citizen. PressReader. 8 August 2011.
2. Web site: A Special Circle of All Nations Report. www.circleofallnations.ca. Circle of All Nations. 1.
3. News: Oskayak Police Academy receives Wolf Project award for promoting cultural unity. www.ottawacitizen.com. Ottawa Citizen. 26 October 2016. 7.
4. Book: McFadden. Steven. Profiles in Wisdom: Native Elders Speak about the Earth. 2001. iUniverse. Lincoln, NE. 0-595-14484-5. 249.
5. Web site: Minnijean Brown Trickey, The Little Rock Nine. Anderson Institute on Race and Ethnicity. University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
6. Web site: Town of Ajax Diversity and Community Engagement Plan. www.ajax.ca. Town of Ajax.
7. Web site: Addressing Racism In Prince Albert: Did Leo Lachance's Death Make An Impact?. www.sicc.sk.ca. The Saskatchewan Indian.
8. News: Annual Freedom Fund and Awards Banquet. The Urban News, Asheville, NC. 12 October 2009.
9. Web site: Acres. Heather. Edmonton Police Service given award for work with indigenous community. Global News Toronto. Global News.
10. Web site: Acres. Heather. Edmonton Police Recognized for Work with Indigenous Community. Calgary Beat. beat.ca.
11. News: Wolf Award aims to recognize positive steps in race relations. Sun Media. www.devondispatch.ca. 17 November 2016. 6.
12. News: Canada Gazette. Canadian Government Publishing. 36. Public Works and Government Services Canada. 2 September 2000. 134 . 4.
13. Web site: Governor General of Canada Honors. Meritorious Service Decorations. www.gg.ca. 5.
14. Web site: Manitoba Order of the Buffalo Hunt, Members of the Order of the Buffalo Hunt. www.mhs.mb.ca. Manitoba Historical Society. 9.
15. News: Two Receive Order of the Buffalo Hunt at International Women's Day Celebrations. Government of Manitoba. news.gov.mb.ca. March 5, 1998. 10.
16. Book: Mandela. Nelson. Long Walk to Freedom. 1994 . Little, Brown and Company. 0-316-54585-6. registration.
17. News: Amagoalik. John. My Little Corner of Canada: The Wolf Award. Nunatsiaq Online. www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/. 23 April 1998.
18. News: Lakota Chief Preaches Unity, Love of Earth. The Tico Times News. www.ticotimes.net. 5 March 2010. 16.
19. News: Native-American spiritual leader encourages global community. The Standard Examiner. www.standard.net. 15 November 2014. 17.
20. Web site: Chief Arvol Looking Horse. worldpeacelibrary.com. World Peace Library.
21. Web site: Arvol Looking Horse. thehuffingtonpost.com. The Huffington Post.
22. News: Dakota Access Pipeline protesters rejoice: 'Prayers have been answered'. CNN. www.cnn.com. 5 December 2016. 18.
23. News: Standing Rock is sitting in peace, says spiritual leader Arvol Looking Horse. Windspeaker News. www.windspeaker.com. 30 November 2016. 20.
24. Web site: Minnijean Brown Trickey. www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net. The Encyclopedia of Arkansas. 25.
25. News: 'Do the right thing': Civil rights icon Minnijean Brown Trickey on life-long resistance. Rabble Podcast Network. rabble.ca. 23 September 2014. 33.
26. News: Former Little Rock Nine student on why her experience matters today. CBC. cbc,ca. 27 February 2016. 77.
27. Web site: A Member of the Little Rock Nine Discusses Her Struggle to Attend Central High. smithsonianmag.com. Smithsonian.com.
28. Web site: Minnijean Brown Trickey. www.thelavinagency.com. Lavin.
29. News: Rogers. Dave. Integration hero is tireless foe of 'violence of racism'. The Ottawa Citizen. 11 June 1998.
30. News: Aboriginal leader followed a path of enlightenment and vision. The Globe and Mail. The Globe and Mail Inc. 12 August 2011. 55.
31. Web site: Order of Canada investiture ceremony. www.gg.ca. Governor General of Canada.
32. Book: Cooper and Moore. Walking in the Good Way. 2009. Canadian Scholars' Press Inc. 978-1551303512. 167. 17.
33. Book: McFadden. Steven. Legend of the Rainbow Warriors.. 2005. iUniverse. 9781469785851. 7.
34. Web site: Chief William Commanda to receive honorary degree. www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/. Collections Canada, Government of Canada. 19.
35. Book: Smallwood. Gracelyn. Indigenist Critical Realism: Human Rights and First Australians' Wellbeing. 2015 . Routledge. 978-1-138-81036-5. 14.
36. Web site: Spotlight on our Cultures. The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies. aiatsis.gov.au. 6.
37. News: Searle. Susan. World recognition for 'dream of unity'. The Toowoomba Chronicle. Toowoomba Newspapers. 30 November 1998.
38. News: Noongam Traditional Pow Wow. Muskrat News. MuskratNews.com. June 17, 2016. 8.
39. Web site: noongamtraditionalpowwow. noongamtraditionalpowwow.wordpress.com. Noongam Traditional Pow Wow.
40. Web site: 2014 Circle of All Nations 'Portal to Peace' Commemorative Note. www.circleofallnations.ca. Circle of All Nations. 6.
41. Web site: Circle of All Nations - Wolf Project Linkages. Angelfire. 5.
42. Web site: Police Hope to Build Trust of Aboriginal Youth at Oskayak Police Academy. capg.ca. Canadian Association of Police Governance. 9.
43. Web site: EPS receives Wolf Award. www.windspeaker.com. Sweetgrass News. 10.
44. Web site: Edmonton police recognized for work with Indigenous community.. cbc.ca. CBC News. 11.
45. News: The Edmonton Police Service has become the first law enforcement agency to win a national award that honors efforts to improve harmony between cultures and races.. www.blueline.ca. 44. The Canadian Press. 28 October 2016. 21 . 12.
46. Web site: EPS Wins Wolf Award. www.edmontonpolice.ca/. Edmonton Police Service. 14.
47. News: Edmonton police recognized for work with Indigenous community. MSN News. www.msn.com. 26 October 2016.
48. Web site: Young Pakistani Wins Two International Awards For His Humanitarian Services . September 22, 2021.
49. Web site: Wolf Award aims to recognize positive steps in race relations. www.devondispatch.ca. Sun Media. 25.