West Nipissing Ouest – Sturgeon Falls, Verner, St Charles, Field and Area News The truck belonging to the Chief of the Nipissing First Nation was stolen early Saturday morning in Mississauga, along with a “ceremonial and sacred” headdress.
Chief Scott McLeod is in Mississauga, Ontario, for the Little Native Hockey League (LNHL) tournament, which begins with opening ceremonies at the Paramount Fine Foods Centre on Sunday afternoon.
When the theft occurred, McLeod’s vehicle was parked in the Sandman Signature Mississauga Hotel parking lot.
“The loss of the Nipissing First Nation Chief headdress, which was in the vehicle, is of the utmost concern,” First Nation officials said in a news release Saturday.
McLeod told CTV News that he doesn’t care about the truck because our community’s headdress is more important.
“I respectfully request that the perpetrators of this theft return the headdress,” McLeod said.
The headdress was reconstructed after more than two years of research by elders, knowledge keepers, historians, geographers, and other academics familiar with the resources available 100 years ago, according to the news release. The 7 white eagle feathers represent a leader’s commitment to lead with responsibility in accordance with the 7 grandfather/grandmother teachings. The beadwork style represents the women’s roles in supporting the ceremonial headdressed leader.
