Julia Haogak Ogina, Sophie McDougall and Bruce Starlight devoted their lives to revitalizing Inuit, Métis and First Nations culture and languages
OTTAWA, ON, June 5, 2025 /CNW/ - Canada Post will soon issue its fourth set of stamps in a multi-year series honouring the lives and legacies of Indigenous leaders across Canada.
Julia Haogak Ogina, Sophie McDougall and Bruce Starlight will each be featured on a stamp for their dedication to preserving the culture and languages of their Inuit, Métis and First Nations communities.
Launched in 2022, the stamp series highlights the achievements of Indigenous leaders who have made a significant impact on their community and country. All three stamps will be released a day ahead of National Indigenous Peoples Day, June 21.
Julia Haogak Ogina
Julia Haogak Ogina (b. 1962) is known for her tireless efforts to protect and promote Inuit culture and traditions. She worked as a translator and research assistant on the book, The Northern Copper Inuit: A History (1996) with anthropologist Richard G. Condon, which documented the rapid pace of socio-economic change in Ulukhaktok, Northwest Territories (her birthplace). An accomplished drum dance teacher and leader, in 2017 Ogina helped publish Huqqullaarutit Unipkaangit (Stories Told through Drum Dance Songs). In nearly two decades with the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, she has contributed to the creation of a regional language framework and programs promoting oral learning and knowledge transfer. Ogina was recognized for her work with an Outstanding Achievement in Language Revitalization award from the Inuit Uqausinginnik Taiguusiliuqtiit in 2017, and the Meritorious Service Medal in 2020.
Sophie McDougall
Sophie McDougall (1928-2023) was a passionate Michif Language Keeper who shared extensive knowledge of her Métis culture and language with generations of students and community members over her long life. Born in St. Louis, Saskatchewan, McDougall was a descendant of the area's original settlers. As a Métis woman, she experienced discrimination in teachers' college but faced it with courage and determination. She spent many years as a devoted schoolteacher. An Elder with the Prince Albert Métis Women's Association in Saskatchewan for 20 years, McDougall translated books and other materials into Michif, the traditional language of the Métis. In her late 80s she appeared in the YouTube series, Métis Women Stories and later contributed to the creation of the Learn Michif French app. In 2023, she received the Order of Gabriel Dumont Gold Medal in recognition of her lifetime of service to the Métis of Canada.
Bruce Starlight
Bruce Starlight (b. 1947) is an Elder and Knowledge Keeper who has spent more than five decades working to save his language and culture from extinction. Born on the Tsúut'ínà Nation near Calgary, Alberta, he served as a language commissioner for his community and was among the founders of the Tsúut'ínà Gunáhà Násʔághà, an institute dedicated to the preservation and revitalization of his mother tongue. A skilled teacher and speaker, Starlight has developed extensive materials for Tsúut'ínà instruction, including dictionaries and recordings. He recently collaborated on a collection of traditional narratives and historical accounts in Tsúut'ínà and a Tsúut'ínà-to-English glossary. Still active as a cultural mentor, adviser and ambassador to this day, Starlight received an honorary doctorate from Mount Royal University in 2023.
The new stamps and collectibles will be available at canadapost.ca and select postal outlets across Canada starting June 20.
SOURCE Canada Post
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