Teara Fraser, b. 1972
• First Indigenous Canadian Woman to own and operate an airline
• Included in DC Comics graphic novel Wonder Women of History
"Dream it, design it, do it," Teara Fraser, who is Cree and Metis, says. And she has done exactly that.
Fraser was born in Hay River, Northwest Territory (NWT), but has lived across British Columbia for much of her life. She was 30 years old when, after a second ride in a small plane, she decided to buy her own airplane and become a pilot. A year later, Fraser had earned her commercial pilot's license.
Although Laverna Martel-Harvey, also Indigenous, is part-owner of South Nahanni Airways and Wolverine Air Ltd. in the NWT, Fraser is the first Indigenous Canadian woman to launch an airline company from the ground up and fully own and operate it.
"I would love to see that statistic increase," Vancouver International Airlines-based Fraser says of her company. She launched her airline, IskwewAIR (pronounced IS-KWAY-YO, a Cree word for woman), on September 21, 2018 and dedicated it to Indigenous women.
Through IskwewAIR, Fraser hopes to better connect with remote indigenous communities previously underserved by commercial airlines. She also hopes IskwewAIR will help to increase Aboriginal tourism in Canada.
But just over a year later, CEO Fraser became another "first" as well: after her airline launched at Vancouver International, she received a call about being included in DC Comics' upcoming graphic novel, Wonderful Women of History.
Fraser-the only Canadian included-was one of 18 women who emulate the character traits of Wonder Woman. She will take her place among USA selects that include the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elizabeth Warren, singer Beyonce', tennis great, Serena Williams and others from around the globe.
Rosalind Campbell, councilor and elder for the Musqueam Nation-the only reserve First Nations band located within the boundaries of the City of Vancouver-was honored to conduct the opening ceremony for Fraser, who, over the years has become one of the councilor's most admired friends.
"I'm so proud of her," Campbell states. "She's an Indigenous woman pilot. She bought a plane! She started her own airline!"
The elder gushed, further expressing her pride in Fraser for "having a dream and the strength and persistence to see it through."
Although known by her friends for her powerful discipline and fierce resolve to turn dreams into reality, Fraser states that she feels "surprised and honored" to be included in the DC Comics publication.
But Fraser also feels a sense of responsibility to continue standing for equality, truth and justice, and to work toward dismantling systems of oppression. Just as the Wonder Woman character, each real-life heroine has, in some way, changed the world for the better.
Yet, Fraser still has other concerns: that in times when Indigenous communities are facing local, national and global pilot shortages, their citizens continue to receive the services that they are most in need of.
In her segment titled Teara Fraser: Helping Others Soar, Fraser hopes her story will help to "disrupt the narrative of our aviation industry and inspire better diversity, inclusion and belonging," she says.
Sources:
Ahern, Victoria, Metis pilot Teara Fraser profiled in new DC Comics graphic novel of women heroes, The Canadian Press, September 30, 2020
Fedy, Dayna, Iskwew Air founder Teara Fraser recognized as real-world Wonder Woman, Skies, October 2, 2020
Gilpin, Emilee, The Woman who bought a plane and started an airline dedicated to Indigenous Women, Canada's National Observer, News, Entertainment, Culture, September 26, 2018
KB Schaller is the author of 100+ Native American Women Who Changed the World, winner of an International Book Award, Women's Issues Category. Other KB Schaller books are available through amazon.com and other booksellers.
