Winnipeg pays respect to Indigenous veterans

Tina Hull dressed in green regalia to pay her respects. Three generations in her family serving the Canadian Armed Forces. Like their portraits, her loved ones' memories were close to her heart as she danced on Sunday. We cannot forget what they did because they put their lives on the line. A lot of them, you know, died out there. Since 1994, Métis, Inuit and First Nation veterans have been commemorated every November 8th. For the second year, there's been a powwow in Winnipeg to celebrate their lives, including little Saskatchewan veteran Kelly Brown, who served in Afghanistan. We're all human, we're just trying to, you know, make the world a better place. Sometimes it's overwhelming, like the recognition that I'm getting and just people being grateful. More than 12,000 indigenous men and women have given their lives in service to this country. But Canada didn't always help them in return. For decades, many weren't even recognized as veterans. After the war ended, we didn't get the benefits and perks that other soldiers got. We were told, go back to your trap lines, and basically forgotten about. November 8th is also about the fight for equality. Housing, employment, and mental health support are still needed for a life after service. A work in progress, but some say it's getting better. There's still a lot of stigma about mental health issues, but there are a lot of systems in place. I wish they would have had this back when I was serving. Among the crowds, families with children at the ceremonies instilling hope that the sacrifices of those who served won't be forgotten. Our youth need to really realize that if they don't know what happened in our history, it can repeat itself. A weekend of honor and respect. Ahead of Remembrance Day on Wednesday. Santiago Arias Orozco, CBC News, Winnipeg.