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In his youth, he became known to all under the name Wendat Oné Onti, which translates to “paddler”.
It was a fitting moniker for Max Gros-Louis, who was born on August 6, 1931 in Wendake, Que., And spent the first part of his life fishing, hunting, and trapping in the traditional lands of the Huron-Wendat First Nation. Eventually he made a living guiding other people on such expeditions. Then, in the 1950s, he spotted a business opportunity in the purchase and sale of indigenous arts and crafts.
This led him to travel extensively to other indigenous communities and ultimately to politics. Eventually he would serve 33 years as the Grand Chief at Wendake for three terms: from 1964 to 1984, from 1987 to 1996, from 2004 and to 2008.
Huron-Wendat First Nation announced on Saturday that Gros-Louis had died following a long illness. He was 89 years old.
“Grand Chief Oné Onti, thank you for walking with us and by our side. It is very difficult to summarize in a single message all the actions you have performed … you are among those who have forged our nation”, the current Grand Chief Rémy Vincent said in a written statement.
Quebec City Mayor Régis Labeaume called Gros-Louis “the great mediator” who made “a real difference”.
Deputy Prime Minister Geneviève Guilbault, for her part, mourned the death of “a great ambassador for indigenous cultural and economic development”.
The community of Wendake and the greater region of Quebec City lose to Max Gros-Louis a great ambassador of Aboriginal cultural and economic development. My thoughts are with his family. https://t.co/bDcCTHgYnn
& mdash;@GGuilbaultCAQ
Gros-Louis was first elected to head Huron-Wendat in 1964, and he had ideas.
Among them: loosening the grip of the Indian Act by creating an autonomous administrative apparatus for his First Nation and establishing community health and education institutions. It took time and a lot of negotiation, but Gros-Louis helped make it happen.
Gros-Louis was also instrumental in founding the Canadian National Indian Brotherhood, a precursor to the First Nations Assembly.
He also helped launch economic development initiatives such as the Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations in Wendake, participated in major lawsuits, and acted as a kind of ambassador for the cause of indigenous self-determination.
Help lead the struggle for self-determination
According to his friend and longtime confederate politician Gabriel Savard, perhaps his greatest legacy is the financial aid program that has facilitated access to post-secondary education for the community’s youth, and especially the women of Huron. -Wendat.
“Thanks for everything he left,” Savard told Radio-Canada. “Especially for the struggle he waged for 60 years so that Canada could consider the indigenous people as full citizens and recognize their ancestral and territorial rights. May it continue.”
Gros-Louis was also known locally as a super fan of Quebec Nordiques (he attended every home game and often woke the crowd by playing a drum).
He has received a number of civilian praise and awards, including the French Legion of Merit (he was a close friend of former French President Jacques Chirac and singer Gilbert Bécaud), the National Order of Quebec and the Order of Canada.
Gros-Louis leaves behind his wife, Marie Roux, the couple’s children and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
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