19412017
Grand Chief Ben Sylliboy
1941-2017
SYLLIBOY, Kji Saqamaw Ben
– Age 76, We’koqma’q First Nation,
passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on Thursday,
November 30, 2017, in Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Sydney. Born in
We’koqma’q, Grand Chief was a son of the late
William Benjamin and Nancy (Denny) Sylliboy. Surviving are Grand
Chief’s loving wife of 49 years, Marie (Sylliboy);
daughters, Michelle and Christina “Duce”, both of
We’koqma’q; sister, Margaret
“Magit” Poulette, We’koqma’q;
granddaughters, Radney Jean and Kendyl; great-grandson, Karter;
brother-in-law, Larry Sylliboy; sisters-in-law, Mildred Narvey,
Dorothy Googoo, Sarah Sylliboy and Mary Prosper; numerous
nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews; Godchildren, Nancy,
Willie, Craig, Richard, Evan, Bonky, Rayana and Preston; and his
faithful companion, Lakota. Grand Chief was predeceased by sisters,
Mary Ellen (Joe Noel) Phillips, Mary Theresa (John) Cremo, Mary Jane
Nevin; Godparents, Noel R. Denny and Jessie Jeddore; father and
mother-in-law, William and Janet Sylliboy; nieces and nephews, Richard
Phillips, Caroline Phillips, Simon “Chum” Cremo,
Johnnie Cremo, Mary Madeline Poulette; brothers-in-law, Charlie
Poulette, Bernie Sylliboy, James Sylliboy; sister-in-law, Alexandrine
Sylliboy; our angel in heaven great-granddaughter, Rielle
Faith.
In Grand Chief Ben’s younger years, he worked as a
seasonal worker, pulp cutter and carpenter. With this trade, he worked
at the Heavy Water Plant, Port Hawkesbury, Grand Narrows Bridge and
We’koqma’q School. He was a member of
the Carpenters Union. He was a Medical Hospital driver for
many years. Grand Chief Ben Sylliboy also served as a
We’koqma’q Band Councillor for 18 years. He became
part of the Sante Mawiomi in 1968 as a Keptin for twenty-four years
before becoming Grand Chief in 1992. This year he celebrated 25 years
of being Grand Chief.
Grand Chief Ben was very involved in his community. He lived
a balanced life of serving his community and people and enjoying
community events. Grand Chief Ben served as a volunteer fireman, bingo
caller, a baseball coach, played horseshoes, snowmobiling, hockey and
darts
He was a member of the We’koqma’q Kisikuk
Committee, Elders Council, Church Committee, and the Nova Scotia
Summer Games Committee. He was also involved in Healing Our Nations,
Lnu’wisultinej Conference, Siawi Lnu’wisultinej Conference,
Mawi’tamk Society Board and L’Arche Cape Breton
and took part in the celebrations of Jean Vanier’s visit in
1986. When asked, “Who is a person who stands out
of all the people you have crossed paths with” He replied,
“Jean Vanier”.
Grand Chief had the love of Ste Anne from a young age. He
made his first St Anne de Beaupre pilgrimage at the age of two where
he travelled on the train with his parents. He would continue to make
his annual pilgrimage every June and attend the First Nation Mass
Celebration at the Shrine of Ste Anne de Beaupre. Grand Chief had
great devotion to Ste Anne the Patron Saint of the Mi’kmaw
People. Grand Chief would open and close along with the help of many
members of Sante Mawiomi the Ste Anne Mission, a weekend devoted to
our Ste Anne. He followed Ste. Anne on Nov 30, 2017 and went
home.
Grand Chief Ben lived a life of service to Niskam and his
people by attending wakes, funerals, Weddings, Baptisms, First
Communions and Confirmations. He also served as a Eucharistic
Minister, bookkeeper for St Kateri Parish, and worked at many
community Salite’s. Grand Chief was a driving force in
fundraising for St Kateri Parish and the community’s annual
pilgrimage to Ste Anne de Beaupre. He followed our
lady’s calling and was part of Medjugorje twice as part of a
group pilgrimage. He honoured Father Jozo to become an Honorary Chief.
Grand Chief Ben was also involved in the Cursillio
Movement.
He was one of the founding members of the Mawi’tamk
Society, a home for Mi’kmaw Adults with Special
Needs. He, along with his wife and sisters fought for
accessing services to their members. Mawi’tamk and
L’Arche had a very special place in his
heart.
He was recently honoured at The Great Trail dedicated by the
Trans Canada Trail. He was also a recipient of the Treaty Day Elders
Award along with his sister Margaret on behalf of their work with
Mawi’tamk. He had been awarded an Honorary Diploma from the
Nova Scotia Community College from the School of Health and Human
Services.
He loved a good game of cribbage and travelled the county
looking for a challenge. He enjoyed watching his favourite sport
teams, the Toronto Blue Jays and the Montreal Canadiens and jokingly
making his phone calls to his hockey friends. Ben also enjoyed
listening to Newfoundland music but he LOVED Stompin Tom and Richard
and Pikun Poulette
As a young boy, Grand Chief Ben attended the Indian
Residential School in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia, where he stayed for
four years and attended the Whycocomagh Indian Day School.
In his adult years, as a survivor of the residential school,
he was an active member of the survivors’ group and made
sure he was involved in the Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC).
He shared in the accomplishments of the We’koqma’q
survivors group in placing a community monument of all survivors from
We’koqma’q.
He also attended the National TRC event to give his
testimony. He took part in developing a school curriculum, which is
presently used to teach our children about the Residential Schools,
and reminding our children MA’TLIPIA’TIWKW APP (It
won’t happen again), as written on this monument.
He made sure to attend every graduation in our
community.
As Grand Chief of the Mi’kmaw Nation, he worked
alongside many organizations on the national, regional, and provincial
levels of Aboriginal and Mi’kmaw Governance:
National Aboriginal Organizations: Assembly of First Nations
(AFN) Atlantic Policy Congress, Ulnoowej Development Corporation,
Sante’ Mawio’mi (Mi’kmaw Grand Council),
Mi’kmaw Rights Initiatives, Union of Nova Scotia Indians,
Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey (MK), Unama’ki
Institute of Natural Resources, Mi’kmaw Association of
Cultural Studies, Mi’kmaw Family and Children Services,
Mi’kmaw Legal Support Network, Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Counselling Association, Mi’kmaw Nova Scotia Canada
Tripartite Forum.
Grand Chief’s hope for his people was to see his
Mi’kmaw People regain and continue in revitalization efforts
of our Mi’kma’q language; to build relationships
within families; and to learn and carry on the traditional knowledge
of our people. His wisdom, guidance and faith will live on for many
years to come.
The family of the late Grand Chief Ben Sylliboy would like to
thank St. Martha’s ER Department, Antigonish, the Cape
Breton Regional Hospital, Sydney: ER, 4A, ICU and Dialysis Units and
Dr. Chow, Dr. Cruess and Dr. G. Yeung for their
services.
Visitation for Grand Chief will begin at 4 p.m. on Thursday,
December 7, in the Multi Purpose Building, 160 Reservation Road,
We’koqma’q. Funeral mass will be 1 p.m. Saturday,
December 9, from St. Kateri Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church,
We’koqma’q with Bishop Brian Dunn officiating.
Burial will follow in the parish cemetery. Family flowers only please.
Memorial donations in memory of Grand Chief Ben Sylliboy may be made
to Friends of St. Anne de Beaupre Annual Pilgrimage. Funeral
arrangements are under the care and direction of Dennis Haverstock
Funeral Chapel, Whycocomagh. Words of comfort may be forwarded to
Grand Chiefs family at www.haverstocks.com

Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Grand Chief Ben Sylliboy 19412017.source

Death notice for the town of: Whycocomagh, Province: Nova Scotia

death notice Grand Chief Ben Sylliboy 19412017- mortuary notice Grand Chief Ben Sylliboy 19412017