Education conquers adversity

Deo Poonwassie advocated for the marginalized in academic settings

By: Belle Riley Thompson

Deo Poonwassie lived his life in pursuit of making the world a more equitable place for all students. Revered for his academic prowess, he taught those around him the importance of community, humility and generosity by demonstrating these traits first-hand.

Born in a village in Trinidad on April 13, 1941, Poonwassie was one of seven children. From a young age, he was determined to seek out higher education. Seeing his father work tirelessly in an oil field for pennies a day drove Poonwassie’s passion for education as a means to self-sufficiency.

The 78-year-old professor emeritus at the University of Manitoba died Sept. 8, 2019, after suffering a stroke in April.

Despite being a revered educator, awards and distinctions never went to his head.

"He was the most humble man ever, ever," said Alex Wolff, Poonwassie’s only son.

Wolff recently found himself organizing his father’s basement; there were a half-dozen boxes filed away in the corner. To Wolff’s surprise, they were filled with diplomas, medals, awards and distinctions.

"He packed up all his achievements and put them away, he didn’t need to show anyone. He was so humble and modest," Wolff said.

Growing up, Poonwassie’s stay-at-home mother took care of her four sons and three daughters while their father worked. As a result, there was nothing more important than family: he was close to all of his Trinidadian relatives, even as the siblings moved to different parts of the globe.

By his side throughout his life was his best friend, K.P. Binda. The two were neighbours, living side-by-side in Trinidad. They went to the same elementary school, the same high school and, eventually, both studied and taught at the same education institutions.

"We were very, very close. Why, we were not relatives, we were closer than that. Closer than blood," Binda said.

Poonwassie was the first person to hold Binda’s children, after himself and his wife. He was known as Uncle Deo to the family, with Binda’s children always running through his house. As the families expanded, Binda’s grandson wondered why Uncle Deo always had his hair roughed up like a mad scientist.

The friends would often speak to each other through Shakespeare, emphasizing Poonwassie’s vast knowledge. "Sometimes he would quote a sonnet, and I would reply with a soliloquy," Binda said.

Colleagues would say Poonwassie was not just an educator, but a community developer. Retiring in the mid-2000s after a long career committed to Indigenous students and adult education, Poonwassie was at the forefront of advocating for those who were marginalized, particularly in academic settings.

"When he was one of those students, no one stood up for him. So when he got to the place where he actually had authority, he wanted to stand up for them. He saw himself in them," Wolff said.

In 1965, Poonwassie came to Canada on a government scholarship to study at the University of Manitoba.

After earning a bachelor of arts and bachelor of education, he pursued graduate studies at the University of Toronto.

Following the completion of his graduate degree, Poonwassie took a job at Brandon University and becoming a professor in its Indigenous access program.

Poonwassie took leave from BU to complete his PhD at the University of Oregon in 1978. In 1979, he returned to the U of M as director of the access programs and special pre-med program for Indigenous students. These programs became nationally recognized for their contribution to the commitment of developing Indigenous education.

He was known as a tough, but exceptionally intelligent, student-centred educator.

"One of the things that he was very good at was reminding people that you don’t achieve anything in life without hard work. In that journey, there are ups and downs. Part of being an educator is being there for that journey," said David Mandzuk, dean of the faculty of education at U of M.

In his free time, Poonwassie would go fishing or hunting; Binda was often along for the adventure.

Once, the two rented a boat to catch a big salmon. "We came back with nothing," Binda said with a laugh.

They got close, but the salmon jumped off the hook at the last second.

"Deo turned to me and said: ‘It probably was afraid of you and your beard.’"

Poonwassie also had a knack for entertaining, from extravagant parties to intimate gatherings.

"He was someone that people would like to be around, as there were no pretenses. He was a social animal and liked to be around others," said Mandzuk.

He is also said to have made an extraordinary curry dish.

"Pretty much anything he cooked, he managed to make it better than anywhere," Wolff said.

Poonwassie always had a book in his hand, as reading was his favourite hobby. Or he would read a Trinidadian newspaper to stay connected to his roots.

Poonwassie would often visit Trinidad, for both personal and philanthropic reasons. Binda recalled that during the mid-1980s, Poonwassie helped set up a library for the Canadian Mission elementary school he had attended as a child. He shipped crate after crate filled with books of all different genres.

"He did this on his own accord," Binda said. "He was very generous and helped set up scholarships and bursaries for students who were very poor."

In 2012, Poonwassie was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for service to the community, the nation and the wider world.

Poonwassie had a favourite Latin phrase, which he encouraged his students to strive towards. Those who knew him say he lived his life the same way: per ardua ad astra, which means "through adversity to the stars."