Born on July 28, 1933, Ahenakew grew up on the Sandy Lake First
Nation (now the Ahtahkakoop First Nation). In 1951 he married,
but soon after joined the Canadian Army, with which he saw
action in the Korean War, and served with the NATO forces in
Germany and along the Suez Canal. In 1964 Ahenakew was decorated
for distinguished service and good conduct, and in 1967 he
retired from the military and returned to Saskatchewan.
Accepting a position with the Saskatchewan government as a
placement and training officer, Ahenakew began working with band
councils. In 1968 he took the position of communications worker
with the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians (now the Federation
of Saskatchewan Indian Nations), and eight months later was
elected chief of the organization. He maintained that position
for the next ten years. Ahenakew was a key figure in developing
the Saskatchewan Indian Cultural College (now Centre) in 1972,
and the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College (now First Nations
University of Canada) in 1976.