Delbert Horton, a founding board member of the Indigenous Advanced Education and Skills Council, has begun his Spirit Journey. Horton, 70, passed on peacefully Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018 at the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg.
Delbert Horton begins his Spirit Journey
Chi Anikwat (Atik N’Dodem), ‘Big Cloud’ (Caribou Clan), Delbert Horton, a founding board member of the Indigenous Advanced Education and Skills Council, has begun his Spirit Journey.
Horton, 70, passed on peacefully Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018 at the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg. A wake was held at the Manitou Rapids gymnasium Dec. 26 and a traditional Midewewin ceremony took place Dec. 27, attended by several IAESC representatives, including his wife Laura Horton, a founding member of the IAESC Quality Assessment Board.
One of his last interviews about education took place during the unveiling of IAESC review materials in Toronto Sept. 26 and an excerpt was made into a tribute video by Regan Pictures with the link found HERE.
A 3rd degree Midewewin, Horton was a leader of his Manitou Rapids community (one term as chief and 25 years as councillor) while also a life-long educator and student. He earned a Masters of Indigenous Knowledge and Philosophy from the Aanda Wenjigewin Programme at Seven Generations Education Institute (SGEI) in 2015, the same year the World Indigenous Nations University bestowed upon him an Honourary Ph.D.
In 1985, Horton began the Rainy Lake Ojibway Education Authority, which transformed into SGEI, to bring further education into Anishinaabe communities. He was also a founding member of the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium in 2002 during the triennial World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education held at Kananaskis in Calgary, Alberta. Also at the Midewewin ceremony for Horton were representatives of Anishinabek Educational Institute, SGEI and First Nations Technical Institute (where he previously served as a board member).
Delbert was born on July 8, 1947 to James and Imelda Horton. His childhood on Manitou Rapids was filled with love, fun and a little mischief, states the memorial published HERE.
“Delbert attended both the St. Margarite and Assiniboia Residential schools. After Delbert graduated from High School he explored several different career paths from working as a Surveyor for CN Railway checking the rail lines to training to be a Museum Curator. Delbert found his passion when he began the Rainy Lake Ojibway Education Authority in 1985.
“Delbert was a kind and generous man who leaves many people with memories of love and happiness.”
