‘It’s been a rough 24 hours:’ Nipissing First Nation Chief’s sacred headdress stolen along with vehicle

Nipissing First Nation Chief Scott McLeod is appealing to those who stole his SUV early Saturday morning in Mississauga to return the sacred headdress that was inside.

“There was a lot of work and significance behind every piece of fabric, every porcupine quill, eagle feather and pelt used to create this,” McLeod said. “This is the identity of our nation. This is what represents my community. It’s not just a showpiece.”

In McLeod’s online statement, he says the headdress could be returned anonymously to the Sandman Signature Mississauga hotel or to one of the arenas where the Little Native Hockey League (LNHL) tournament is taking place. Mcleod is in Mississauga to host the tournament Sunday through to March 16.

McLeod said the headdress was created eight years ago when he first became chief and is a one-of-a-kind.

“Our culture has been impacted for the last century and a half by colonization, the Indian Act legislation, residential schools, and a lot of our culture was really disconnected from our communities,” he said. “So for the last 100 years, we’ve been borrowing (the headdress style) from other Indigenous communities. But I wanted our own. I didn’t want one that was borrowed from another culture.”

Peel police said McLeod’s 2022 green Jeep Wrangler with Ontario licence plate CFRV260, was stolen from the Sandman Signature Mississauga hotel in the area of Dixie Rd. and Matheson Blvd.

“Your average person probably wouldn’t understand how much that weighs on myself as the caregiver to our nation’s headdresses,” McLeod said. “I’ve been honoured to be chosen to wear it, but also given the responsibility to take care of it. That’s where this heaviness comes in.”

The headdress was reconstructed after more than two years of research by elders, academics, historians and geographers, according to the Nipissing First Nation’s statement.

“The beadwork style represents the women’s roles in supporting the leader wearing the ceremonial headdress,” the statement continued. “The seven white eagle feathers signify the commitment that a leader makes to lead with responsibility following the seven grandfather/grandmother teachings.”

McLeod said he has been in contact with a couple of his community’s elders, adding that regardless if the headdress is returned they have to “go into ceremony and ask for guidance from our ancestors on what the next steps are.” This could mean creating a new headdress, but McLeod said that will be determined over the coming days.

Peel police are asking anyone with information, video surveillance or dash-cam footage to contact the 12 Division Criminal Investigation Bureau at (905) 453-2121, ext. 1233. Information may also be left anonymously by calling Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or by visiting www.peelcrimestoppers.ca.

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