A force of North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) was sent to the area to maintain order. [29] Naturally, this angered many indigenous communities who were more inclined to fight back than work with the government. (, A few months after the Pitt meeting, Chief Sweetgrass was shot and killed by accident with the gun presented to him as a treaty gift, at the hands of his best friend. On September 9, the Chiefs and Headmen signed their approval to accept Treaty 6. With encroaching settlers and other indigenous groups, the dwindling of traditional hunting,[45] and disease rampant,[46] Sweet Grass and his band of Cree were desperate for support. It remained to be seen whether it was a bad omen. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The reserve was established as part of Treaty 6 when Chief Sweetgrass (Weekaskookwasayin) signed Treaty 6 on September 9, 1876. Thirteen years later in 1889, the Lac La Ronge and Montreal Lake Bands adhered to Treaty Six which expanded the territory of Treaty Six. However, the Cree had a process to which they named their children. The University of Saskatchewan's main campus is situated onTreaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Mtis. Mistawasis asked Pitikwahanapiwiyin, Have you anything better to offer our people? Pitikwahanapiwiyin did not respond to that question directly, but held firm in his beliefs that the treaty terms were unfair and inadequate. Harold Cardinal and Walter Hildebrand, Treaty Elders of Saskatchewan: Our Dream is that Our Peoples Will One Day Be Clearly Recognized As Nations (2000). There are 2051 registered band members (as of Dec. 31/2019), 749 people live on reserve which includes non-first nation people as well as people from other first nations. The treaty boundaries extend across central portions of present-day Alberta and Saskatchewan. It is ours and we will take what we want. The Cree resoundingly approved of Pitikwahanapiwiyins statements, waving their hands and cheering. We had a great starvation the past winter, and the smallpox took away many of our people, the old, young, and children. 6 territory. (Christensen 270). This became one of many classic misinterpretations of the Treaty process as viewed in history. [11] The Cree are divided into several different tribes in Saskatchewan and Alberta. Please have a look around. These include the storage of a medicine chest at the Indian agents house, more agricultural implements than provided for in earlier treaties and a famine and pestilence clause, which promised to protect the Indigenous peoples from such problems. While it sometimes would go to the eldest son of the previous chief, an incompetent man would not be given the position. Pitikwahanapiwiyin stated: This is our land, it isnt a piece of pemmican to be cut off and given in little pieces back to us. Due to missionaries moving into the interior, there was more significant pressure to convert to European religions, which many Cree did. Mistahimaskwa was frustrated and surprised that the other chiefs had not waited for him to return before concluding the negotiations. [7] From this moment on, a special bond was formed between the child and whoever named them. Welcome to Archive of European Integration - Archive of European . [55] In the years after settlement, the Sweetgrass reserve would continue to be affected by famine and disease. In achieving this, the government had to get permission from the First Nations in the area to surrender their lands and in doing so had to negotiate a Treaty with them. Some were away, including Cree chief Mistahimaskwa (Big Bear). Aboriginal has been an umbrella term used by Canadians and Canadian institutions for convenience. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The same significant ceremony of the pipe stem opened the meeting with the participants on September 7, 1876. [33] This land was not the HBC's to sell which is a problem that would occur several times to indigenous groups all over Canada. To the Canadian delegation, the only legally binding contracts were what was written into the treaty. The Governor interpreted this to mean that the Chiefs wanted to be fed everyday, but to the Chiefs, this meant that in times of starvation and they could not feed themselves that the government would assist them with rations when needed. They felt the treaty did not do enough to protect the Cree 'way of life' and forced assimilation into European culture and 'way of life'. (Ray, Miller, and Tough 143). The Treaty was passed on orally and was not recorded until 1880 (Roberts 90). Treaty 6, between the Queen and bands of Cree and Stoney First Nations, was negotiated and signed at Fort Carlton and Duck Lake in August, and at Fort Pitt in September, 1876. Sweetgrass First Nation -- Web Design by M.R. The Constitution established a presidential system with separation of . [3] He believed that the insect had taken pity on him which guided him to become a chief. In exchange for Indigenous title to their land (see Indigenous Territory), Treaty 6 provided: an annual cash payment of $25 per chief; $15 per headman and $5 for all other band members; a one-time cash payment of $12 for each band member; and reserve lands in the amount of one mile2 (about 2.5 km2) per family of five. In 1870 Sweetgrass allowed himself to be baptized and was given the name Abraham.[28]. Federal trial and appellate courts . Chief Beardy, a spiritual leader known to possess powers, met the treaty party on the journey to the Fort and invited them to meet on a local hill - this was based on a vision he had. Four days later, Morris met with the Duck Lake band. to the signing of a treaty had strong cultural and spiritual significance. [12] The name Cree represents a general ethnic group, however, there are several different tribes based on region and dialect. These included rights that indigenous people could hunt and fish and had provisions on their land. Chief Sweetgrass, a well respected leader was chosen to be the spokesman for the meeting with Christie (Christensen 148). Christie, the officer in charge of the Hudsons Bay Company for the Saskatchewan District. [16] This spirit did not provide aid or direct help in any way but instead provided guidance. He was unable to hold the band together, which began to splinter. They had sent a war party to a Blackfoot camp and killed 18 Blackfeet in addition to stealing horses. While traditions within tribes remained significant, the Cree became more receptive to different denominations of Christianity. He was succeeded by his son, Apseenes (Young Sweet Grass). There are 1,577 registered members, 537 of whom live on reserve. If you cant come yourself, send someone in your place. [47] This would be Sweetgrass's last significant influence on his people, as he would die shortly after signing the Treaty. By signing an adhesion to a treaty, Indigenous peoples who could not attend or were not initially included in treaty negotiations were able to enter into the terms of that treaty. There were a lot of doubts and heavy conversations among the First Nations, they were not convinced that this new way of life would be able to sustain them into the future. [4] His name, Sweet Grass was inspired by an audacious feat that he attempted as a youth. Chief Sweet Grass (Weekaskookwasayin) signed. The perpetrators of the massacre would be apprehended and tried for murder and hung in 1885.[51]. [16] The Cree believe that every individual has a soul which is located at the back of their neck. He was succeeded by his son, Apseenes (Young Sweet Grass). [26] We want cattle, tools, agricultural implements, and assistance in everything when we come to settle- our country is no longer able to support us. [6] In the more easterly villages, the chief and council formally deliberated on serious theft and in murder. The Government of Canada held Big Bear responsible, convicted him of treason-felony, and sentenced him to three years in Stony Mountain Penitentiary. (Dedicated this 16thday of July 1993 by the Cree Nation)". Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. John A. Macdonald did not want to go to war with the First Nations as the Americans were in the south to attain lands. The meaning of land and the surrender of it was not entirely understood by those who were signing the agreement. The pipe stem was presented to the Governor and Treaty Commissioners where they stroked the stem. [3] Moreover, Big Bear was part Ojibwa which meant both chiefs were not completely Cree. The government wanted tribes to become more democratic in its governing of the reserves and rely less on the chiefs who traditionally were the leaders of the community. Treaty 6 included terms that had not been incorporated into Treaties 1 to 5, including a medicine chest at the house of the Indian agent on the reserve, protection from famine and pestilence, more agricultural implements, and on-reserve education. [6], Due to the fact that Sweet Grass' Mother was captured by a Cree tribe, it is unknown if she partook in the established birthing and naming traditions. Wandering Spirit stayed in power for the duration of the uprising while Big Bear counselled for peace and protecting the white prisoners. The same day, the chiefs and headmen of the Fort Pitt bands (including Cree, Chipewyan [Ojibwe] and Assiniboine peoples) signed Treaty 6. Website Development Studio. [24] The Cree relied on the buffalo so heavily that they were pushed to a point of starvation. Sweet Grass along with three other Chiefs attempted to get ahead of government control by meeting with the representative of the Canadian government in the west Lieutenant Governor Archibald to petition the Hudson's Bay Company's (HBC) sale of land to the government. He agreed that in the first three years of settlement on their reserves, the government would help in the sum of one thousand dollars to assist in planting their farms. [10], The Cree were located in the plains of Canada. Chief Minahikosis (Little Pine) and other Cree leaders of the Saskatchewan District were also opposed to the terms, arguing that the treaty provided little protections for their people. Buffalo hunting and fur trading were a vital part of Cree survival. Many people would leave the reserve due to government policies to limit food rations. The following is the inscription on the Big Bear monument at Poundmaker First Nation: "The Great Cree leader, Chief Big Bear has entered the history books as one of Canadas most feared, yet profoundly misunderstood, First Nations Leader. Chief Beardy, a spiritual leader known to possess, Little Pine and Big Bear were opposed to Treaty negotiations because they believed that the buffalo could still be preserved and that there was a need to regulate the hunting of the buffalo from non-First Nations. It does not store any personal data. [17] The soul was able to leave the body during visions where it would accompany their spiritual helper. The Sweet Grass Reserve west of Battleford, Saskatchewan was named in his honor and is still functioning today. On 5 September, the commissioners arrived at Fort Pitt, where they were to negotiate the treaty with the Indigenous peoples there. Why was Treaty 6 so important? [1] The exact date and place of his birth is unrecorded. [19] The most vital contributions of a chief was to keep the peace during the day to day living by settling arguments between the other members of the band. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. They were mostly Woods Cree and Dene and had not been influenced by Christianity and farming as the others who signed Treaty at Fort Carlton (, Chief James Seenum, a Woods Cree leader from Whitefish Lake requested a larger territory for his reserve, but he was denied (. [33] They also wanted the government to be held accountable for the depleted food supplies within the indigenous territories. 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