Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak is proud to honour Major Barb Hulme, Ret. on Aboriginal Veterans Day, November 8, 2021. With deep connections to Métis communities in British Columbia and Manitoba, Barb was born in the heart of the Métis Nation’s Red River Settlement and is an active member in the Victoria Métis community, where she is a founding member of the Métis Nation Greater Victoria as well as a founding member of Métis Veterans of BC and continues to have the role as Women Veterans’ Representative.
After Barb earned a Diploma and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, she worked for the Department of Veteran Affairs as a nurse and later for the Canadian Armed Forces, where she later rose to the rank of Major and is often called upon to represent Indigenous veterans at ceremonies and on committees. Barb is also the recipient of the Canadian Forces Decoration, the Queen’s Jubilee Medal and in 2016, she received the BC Community Achievement Award.
For Barb, spending time with students, supporting their journeys and gathering together with community members to cook meals, bead, quilt and embroider are some of the best ways to connect and heal. As the Métis Elder in Residence at the University of Victoria, she is a teacher of cultural crafts, a shoulder to lean on and a person with whom to share ideas. Thank you, Barb!
“When you’re making regalia and beading, it helps to create connections and an interest in learning a bit more. It fills the loss of cultural connections for many.”
