Moez Kamrudin Maherali: First Ismaili ever to be “honourary chief” of Tsuu T’ina tribe in Southern Alberta, Canada

BY SULTAN JESSA – Ottawa – Canada: A prestigious and a rare honour has been conferred on an Albertan Ismaili.

The 60 ­year ­old Moez Kamrudin Maherali has been officially recognized and presented with the traditional headdress and Blackfoot name in a three ­hour ceremony conducted within a tipi on Tsuu T’ina First Nation land.

Britain’s Prince Charles and Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper are among others who have received the Blackfoot headdress honour in the past.

Tsuu T’ina (meaning a great number of people) in southern Alberta was created by Treaty 7. This First Nation tribe is a strong and proud nation which not only possesses a remarkable cultural heritage but has also kept and preserved their traditions and culture.

“This is a great honour,” said Maherali, who was born in Arusha, Tanzania. “I am elated and extremely proud to be recognized in such an elaborate manner.”

When Maherali was only 13 years old, he used to help his parents Kamrudin and Gulshan Maherali in the corner store. In his spare time, he used to deliver newspapers on a bicycle to earn extra money.

From an extremely humble beginning in Tanzania, Maherali had done extremely well for himself and his family.

You may now call him Uncle Moez or Honourary Chief Moez.

His dad passed away in 1968 and mother Gulshan, 87, lives in Calgary. He initially trained as a mechanic and in 1974 migrated to Canada and eventually settled in Calgary, the oil capital of Canada. Like many new immigrants still do, he started driving a taxi cab. It was as a cab driver that Maherali initially came into contact with the First Nations people.

Because of his compassion for the First Nation people, it was not long before “Uncle Moez” became a trusted confidant and an individual that could be depended on. In 1978, Maherali first met Austrian­ born Erika at someone’s wedding party and later married her. The couple has two girls, Nimet, 33, and Nadia, 30.

The trust he gained from first Nations people led him to work directly for the Tsuu T’ina (Sarcee) First Nation. He later moved on to work for Treaty 7 Tribal Council, the representative group for all of the First Nations in Southern Alberta. With Treaty 7, Maherali
progressively increased his role and responsibility within the organization from heading the medical transportation department to his current job as Chief’s liaison.

As chief’s liaison, he works directly with the Chief Executive Officer of Treaty 7. One of his many tasks is to ensure the political direction of the chiefs and business work with harmony with each other.

Dr. Reg Crowshoe, an esteemed elder of the Pilkani first Nation and former chief conducted the ceremony to honour Maherali. The ceremony included drum beating, honour songs, naming ceremony and headdress ceremony.

Maherali’s given Blackfoot name is “Oot’squee’saa’boo oop” which means “Black Plume.”

This is a very befitting name as the “blue plume” with the Blackfoot culture is recognized as being extremely reliable, and always willing and available to help. Others who have received the Blackfoot headdress are Senator Joyce Fairburn, Grand Chief Charles Weasel head Kainai/Blood Tribe), Nancy Southern, chief executive officer of ATCO, Ryan Robb (chief executive officer of Treaty 7), Ken Hughes (former member of parliament and member of the legislative assembly and energy minister), Gene Zwozdesky (former member of the legislature and speaker of the house), Robin Campbell (former member of the
legislative assembly and finance minister) and Andrew Popko (former vice president of Encana).

I first wrote a couple of paragraphs about Maherali in Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper when as a young boy he used to wake up at dawn to deliver newspapers to Arusha residents, including our own house. I re­connected with him many years later at an Ismaili reunion in the Toronto area several years ago and have been following his achievements.

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Moez Maherali used to deliver newspapers in Arusha Tanzania

Moez Maherali centre with Andy Popko Charles Weaselhead Ryan Robb Reg Crowshoe

Sultan Jessa left and Moez Maherali during Arusha reunion many years ago