Looking for a few good men

The Okimaw Awards – an accolade to inspirational Indigenous men – are coming to Saskatchewan.

The awards were founded in Alberta by Janice Randhile as a way to honour those who are often overlooked. In Cree okimaw means leader, head man or chief.

“We want to acknowledge the men working in our communities, those sung and unsung,” said Randhile, who is a member of Alberta’s Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation. “We have the Indspire Awards, and awards specifically honouring women, but we don’t have anything [specifically] for Indigenous men.”

The awards began in 2022 and is expanding westward into Saskatchewan.

“I think there’s a gap all across our country,” said Randhile. “It’s important that we start healing, acknowledging our men, and lifting them up.”

The Saskatchewan Okimaw Awards are now accepting applications until May 9th.

The awards include several categories, for prominent leaders as well as for those who make more subtle impacts.

They include: Teaching Awards with seven categories based on the seven teachings of love (humility, honesty, respect, courage, wisdom, truth, and love). Additionally, the Okimaw awards cover several other disciplines and subjects, including awards for cultural revitalization, human rights and advocacy, environmental stewardship, and youth leadership.

Janice Randhile (right) presents the 2024 Alberta Youth Mentorship Award to Justin Twin (Photo supplied)

A full list of past recipients is available on the Okimaw website. 

“I feel that our women have been lifted up quite a bit over the years, which is beautiful,” said Randhile. “You see women on the ground, you see them advocating for each other, they’re out there.”

Although she doesn’t want to take anything away from the celebration of Indigenous women, she also knows there are some exceptional men out there.

“I think we need to lift up our warriors, our men, who are working and giving back to our communities,” said Randhile.

Additionally the awards also feature two unique categories – the Father Figure award, presented to a man who has shown exemplary fatherly qualities to his children or others, and the Wounded Warrior award, inspired by Randhile’s late brother, who bounced back from addictions to become a leader and a man who made a difference in his community.

“We want to honour the milestones of those who were wounded, but have now been healed,” said Randhile. “I think that’s something to be proud of, and to celebrate.”

Chelsa Racette, a member of Nekaneet Cree Nation, heard about the awards and knew it was something Saskatchewan needed.

“Mental health is important, and a lot of men don’t get the help they need,” she said. “This is an initiative that could help break the stigma that men don’t need to worry about their mental health.”

She organized a committee member last year and group has worked over the winter to bring the awards to the province as a way to promote better mental health.

“It’s a very empowering event,” said Racette. “It’s a safe place for men to be in all their feels.”

After the May 9th deadline, a matriarch circle of seven women will review each submission, and make the nominees public on May 12.

The awards ceremony will take place on June 5.

With Saskatchewan being added to the list for the 2025 Okimaw Awards, Randhile hopes the expansion will continue.

“The hope is that it could grow to be something that could be done in every province,” she said. “We want to lift our men. So hopefully it can have a ripple effect nationally.”

Nominations can be made at: okimaw.org/sask