Bertha Allen ( Moses; 1934 – 7 May 2010) was a Vuntut Gwitchin women's rights and aboriginal rights advocate.

Early life and education

Allen was born in

Old Crow, Yukon Old Crow is a community in the Canadian territory of Yukon. Located in a periglacial environment, the community is situated on the Porcupine River in the far northern part of the territory. Old Crow is the only Yukon community that cannot ...

, and raised by her grandparents. At the age of 12, she was sent to a mission school in

Aklavik Aklavik (Inuvialuktun: ''Akłarvik'') (from the Inuvialuktun meaning '' barrenground grizzly place'') is a hamlet located in the Inuvik Region of the Northwest Territories, Canada. Until 1961, with a population over 1,500, the community served ...

, where she studied for 5 years. She attended Grant MacEwan University in

Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...

, formerly known as Grant MacEwan Community College, to take courses in life-skill coaching and leadership.

Career

Allen strove to improve health services in the Northwest Territories through 10 years of volunteer work with the Territorial Hospital Insurance Services Board. For 5 years, she served as a volunteer for the Inuvik Medical Transient Centre. In 2001, she became a member of the Council of Grandmothers where she served as the liaison between the elderly of the community and the Northwest Territories government of health regarding issues around wellness and social development. Bertha Allen was the founding president of the Native Women's Association of the Northwest Territories. She also served as the president of the

Native Women's Association of Canada The Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC; FAC is a national Indigenous organization representing the political voice of Indigenous women, girls, and gender-diverse people in Canada, inclusive of First Nations on and off reserve, status an ...

and the Advisory Council on the Status of Women in the

Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories is a federal Provinces and territories of Canada, territory of Canada. At a land area of approximately and a 2021 census population of 41,070, it is the second-largest and the most populous of Provinces and territorie ...

Awards and accolades

* 1987: NWT Commissioner’s Volunteer Award, highest level * 1987: National Health and Welfare Canadian Volunteer Award * 1999: Governor General Award * 2005: National Aboriginal Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award * 2006: Member of the Order of Canada * 2009: Northern medal by governor general Michael Jean

Personal life and death

Bertha Allen married Victor Allen, an Inuvialuk man, and had six children. Allen died of cancer in 2010.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Bertha 1934 births 2010 deaths 20th-century First Nations people 20th-century First Nations women 21st-century First Nations people 21st-century First Nations women Canadian women's rights activists Vuntut Gwitchin people Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case winners Indspire Awards Members of the Order of Canada 20th-century Canadian women First Nations feminists First Nations activists MacEwan University alumni People from Inuvik