New DND/CAF Eagle Staff Holders Make History at CFB Halifax
By Ariane Guay-Jadah,
Base Public Affairs
Last October, CFB Halifax hosted a Department of National Defence (DND)/Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Eagle Staff Teachings working group composed of ten CAF members from across the Maritimes who are now designated as Eagle Staff holders. This dedicated DND/CAF Eagle Staff Teachings session – led by Master Warrant Officer Rob Brown and Master Warrant Officer Sheldon Quinn, Co-Indigenous Advisors to the Commander of the Canadian Army – is a historic first in the Atlantic Region. This teaching of new holders comes after a special ceremony last May when, after almost two decades of travelling around the world for different ceremonies and commemorations (while symbolically tied to its local creators), the DND/CAF Eagle Staff was passed on to the next generation at CFB Halifax.
The DND/CAF Eagle Staff symbolizes honour, pride, and resilience among Indigenous Defence Team members and represents a visual marker of Indigenous heritage, ancestral reverence, and a pathway to reconciliation. It reflects the deep connections between life on earth and the spiritual world: it includes an eagle carving flying towards the sky; national, provincial, and territorial flags symbolizing those who share the land with Indigenous Peoples; the Heart of Ethics, a natural heart-shaped marking on the staff representing the guiding principles of love, respect, honesty, wisdom, truth, humility, and courage; a naturally-formed blackened “Veteran’s Hand” to honour and remember those who came before us; 13 eagle feathers representing each calendar moon and First Peoples of every province and territory; a Métis sash, First Nations ash bow, and an Inuit narwhal tusk – symbolizing “Many Peoples, One Nation”.
According to CPO2 Cheyanne Delaronde, the DND/CAF Eagle Staff is a symbol of “Indigenous strength, efforts, and commitment to the CAF and DND” and builds on a legacy of compassion, community, and inclusion. Since the beginning, only a select group of Defence Team members has been authorized to touch or carry the DND/CAF Eagle Staff, including those who have received the teachings, therefore the public is always encouraged to observe the DND/CAF Eagle Staff from a respectful distance. This ensures that those who handle the staff follow proper protocols, uphold its cultural and spiritual significance, and treat it with utmost reverence, whether at home or abroad. Bravo Zulu to the new cohort of DND/CAF Eagle Staff Holders for their stewardship, their commitment, and the important work they do!
