Turtle Island Honorary Spokesman Fred Sasakamoose
Fred Sasakamoose was the First Aboriginal Player in the National Hockey League.  We are honored to have Mr. Sasakamoose, in conjunction with the NHL Ethnic Diversity Task Force involved with the Turtle Island Program, as he traveled to Alaska to initiate and participate in the program.  Mr. Sasakamoose is an outstanding role model, and an inspiration for everyone involved with the program, especially the children who listened and held onto his every word.

The NHL Diversity Task Force is a not-for-profit program designed to introduce children of diverse ethnic backgrounds to the game of hockey. The program's mission is to assist and enable local youth hockey programs to teach hockey and other life skills, to economically disadvantaged children, creating a fun experience for boys and girls of all age levels. For more information click here: NHL Ethnic Diversity Task Force

    Fred Sasakamoose was born on the Big River Indian Reserve about 25 kilometres from his home reserve of Ahtahkakoop, on December 25, 1933. He started skating on bobskates at a young age on a slough, and when Fred was about 8 years old he attended St. Michael Residential School, in Duck Lake, Saskatchewan. It was at St. Michael's that Fred received his hockey instruction and education.

Fred was a member of the St. Michael Midget hockey team when they won the Provincial Championships in 1948-1949 against Regina. The following year, at age 16, Fred started a 4 year stretch with the Moose Jaw Canucks of the Western Hockey League, that would culminate with him winning the Most Valuable Player Award for the 1952-1953 Season. The same season Fred would jump from Junior Hockey to the National Hockey League for the remainder of the season. At the age of 19, Fred became the first Treaty Indian to play in N.H.L. when only 6 teams existed in the N.H.L. During the next few years, Fred played hockey in the N.H.L. Farm Teams with New Westminster, Calgary and Chicoutimi. He ended his Pro career with Kamloops Chiefs, but not before he was made Honorary Chief of the Kamloops Indian Reserve.

Fred became involved in Indian Leadership, becoming a Band Councillor for Numerous years and eventually Chief for 6 years. His story became very popular with numerous articles and television mini series portraying his life. He began to develop Indian Hockey Schools for youth and established the Saskatchewan Indian Bantams that became a traveling team to Europe and other places, with the focus of displaying Indian talent. He became a builder of Indian Sports and Recreation and promoted youth participation for the purpose of providing activities for young aboriginal children. He currently enjoys the outdoors life of hunting, trapping, fishing, Farming and he now enjoys watching his grandchildren play hockey, and keeps his eye out for the next NHL'er. - Text courtesy of the Saskatchewan Indian First Nations Sports Hall of Fame