John A. Macdonald had to protect the west from American expansion after they bought Alaska in 1867 (Natural Resources Canada). Battlefords Agency Tribal Chiefs Website Design by M.R. On September 5, 1876, the Treaty party arrived ten days earlier than expected at Fort Pitt, (located between Fort Carlton and Fort Edmonton) to meet the River First Nations. However, the Cree had a process to which they named their children. Historians Arthur J. Ray, Jim Miller and Frank Tough have argued that this ceremony was significant to the Cree because it invited the Creator to provide guidance to the negotiators and to witness the treaty discussions. It was required to distinguish themselves during a war, as a provider, and as a generous giver to gain this position. Chief Sweet Grass (Weekaskookwasayin) signed. Other Nations held them in fear(Stonechild and Waiser 5). However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. [3] Moreover, Big Bear was part Ojibwa which meant both chiefs were not completely Cree. Harold Cardinal and Walter Hildebrand, Treaty Elders of Saskatchewan: Our Dream is that Our Peoples Will One Day Be Clearly Recognized As Nations (2000). [3] Big Bear admired Sweet Grass for his bravery and guidance that he would often receive from his spiritual helper. On 9 September, Weekaskookwasayin addressed the people, arguing that the treaty terms would help preserve and protect their livelihood. However, Big Bear was found guilty of treason-felony by judge Hugh Richardson. Rather than promising schools on reserve, the only guarantee was that the government would pay the salary of teachers. Sweet Grass believed that working alongside the government was one of the only solutions to the daily hardship the Cree were faced with. According to Erasmus, Mistawasis and Ahtukukoop essentially silenced Pitikwahanapiwiyin and other dissenters. He was unable to hold the band together, which began to splinter. (Ray, Miller and Tough 133). Arthur J. Ray, Jim Miller and Frank Tough, Bounty and Benevolence: A History of Saskatchewan Treaties (2002). As the treaty process never included women in the discussion it ignored an important cultural pressure. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. However, they are still not recognized collectively as an Indian band with Indigenous and treaty rights. We had a great starvation the past winter, and the smallpox took away many of our people, the old, young, and children. Sweetgrass First Nation -- Web Design by M.R. Siksika (Blackfoot) is the language of Siksika Nation. [3] They bonded over sharing the characteristic of being small, but mighty warriors. The iconography on the commemorative medals for Treaty 6 symbolizes: A.Two sovereign nations making peace and sharing the land forever B.The equality of all peoples under God C.The transfer of land and resources for material goods D.The dominance of the British Crown in negotiations and afterward A 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. On 19 August, Morris was presented with chiefs, but he noticed the absence of the Duck Lake band leaders. Why are but was the of treaty waitangi written out. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. [56] The tactic of withholding food from reserves will be used by the Canadian government to force cooperation. 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. Morris reassured the terms of the treaty, I want the Indians to understand that all that has been offered is a gift, and they still have the same mode of living as before (, Mistawasis had one last request and wanted to know how the Half-Breeds w, That afternoon, Treaty Six was signed by the Treaty Commissioners, the Lieutenant Governor, followed by Chiefs Mistawasis, Ahtahkakoop, and 11 other Chiefs, and 44 Headmen. Treaties were signed with First Nations in Canada between 1871 and 1921. [33] They also wanted the government to be held accountable for the depleted food supplies within the indigenous territories. Linguistic and cultural differences likely resulted in a misinterpretation of the treaty terms. This treaty was called the Great Law of Peace of the People of the Longhouse and predates the year 1450. Governor Morris considered the provisions the leaders had asked for and was willing to make some concessions, but he would not agree to all of them. Chief Sweetgrass (Weekaskookwasayin) signed Treaty 6 on September 9, 1876, with the Fort Pitt Indians but was killed about six months later. First Nations were alarmed at the various newcomers coming onto their lands and conducting geological surveys for telegraph lines, the railway, and lands for settlement (, Honourable Alexander Morris, Lieutenent -Governor of Manitoba, North-West, On the afternoon of July 27, 1876, the Honourable Alexander Morris and his treaty party left Fort Garry (present day Winnipeg) and headed northwest along Carlton trail to the Hudsons Bay Company trading post Fort Carlton (, Many Chiefs anticipated the arrival of the Queens treaty commissioners. Both organizations concluded that the Indigenous signatories believed that they were agreeing to share the land and its resources, rather than to completely surrender it to the federal government. It is the unique collective right to use of, and jurisdiction over, ancestral territory and is separate from the rights of non-Aboriginal Canadian citizens under common law. The pipe stem was presented to the Governor and Treaty Commissioners where they stroked the stem. He was succeeded by his son, Apseenes (Young Sweet Grass); he was unable to hold the band together, which began to splinter. Both of these issues became an extremely important topic discussed in treaty negotiations which Sweet Grass was heavily involved in. To cede land (the act of cession) is to give up or surrender the authority to control and own that land. Treaty 7 lands (courtesy Victor Temprano/Native-Land.ca). For a time there was discussion regarding Erasmus words, but then Sweetgrass stood up to say, Mistawasis and Ahtahkakoop I consider far wiser than I am; therefore if they have accepted this treaty for their people after many days of talk and careful thought, then I am prepared to accept for my people. The other Chiefs agreed with him and they were ready to meet with Morris to accept the Treaty. Gov. We want you to stop the Americans from coming to trade on our lands, and giving firewater, ammunition, and arms to our enemies the Blackfeet. Beardy was not granted his request to have the treaty payments made at the site he had envisioned, Morris did not want to accommodate Beardy and viewed his lack of participation in the negotiations as an inconvenience to the process (, On September 5, 1876, the Treaty party arrived ten days earlier than expected at Fort Pitt, (located between Fort Carlton and Fort Edmonton) to meet the River First Nations. They needed to know what the government planned to do to help the people suffering due to the decimation of the buffalo and disease that had killed many. They disagreed with many aspects of the Treaty as they found that many of the promises did not provide the Cree with enough security for their future. The treaty outlined specifics as to rights of indigenous people and support and protection of the Queen. Afterward, there were many First Nations who were upset because of a lack of consultation with them during the negotiations. In another significant difference from Treaty 6, Treaty 7 states that the Crown would pay for teachers salaries instead of the maintenance of school buildings. This would lead high mortality rates within the community. [26] What was the outcome of Chief Sweetgrass signing Treaty 6? The Cree made it clear that they would not tolerate any trespassers on their lands. Other members of the negotiating team included treaty commissioners William Joseph Christie (an HBC officer) and. Chief Sweetgrass arrived the next day and met with the rest of the First Nations to discuss what had happened at Fort Carlton. The Treaty promised to give the Tlicho annual payments and services, like medical care, education and old age care. Some of the Chiefs and their people were hunting on the prairies and the ones that were present wanted to wait for the others while a message was sent for them to attend the meeting. "Biography WIKASKOKISEYIN, ABRAHAM Volume X (1871-1880) Dictionary of Canadian Biography", "History from a Different Angle: Narrative Strategies in The Temptations of Big Bear", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sweet_Grass_(Cree_chief)&oldid=1091635942, This page was last edited on 5 June 2022, at 12:56. What was chief mistawasis Role in Treaty 6? [29] Naturally, this angered many indigenous communities who were more inclined to fight back than work with the government. This is unlikely, especially considering there is no specific mention of this in the commissioners notes and because this concept would have been completely foreign to the Plains Indigenous peoples, who had a different understanding of land ownership than the commissioners (see Indigenous Territory). Beardy was not granted his request to have the treaty payments made at the site he had envisioned, Morris did not want to accommodate Beardy and viewed his lack of participation in the negotiations as an inconvenience to the process (Stonechild and Waiser 22). He raised the stem to the heavens, then slowly turned to the north, south, east, and west - presenting the stem at each point. [29] Sweet Grass hope to work with the federal government was challenged by other prominent Cree leaders. Treaty 6 peoples have also protected their treaty rights through land claims and lawsuits. University of SaskatchewanDisclaimer|Privacy|Accessibility, Aboriginal Friendship Centres of Saskatchewan, Big Island Lake First Nation (Joseph Big Head), Hatchet Lake Denesuline Nation (Lac la Hache), Indian Policy and the Early Reserve Period, Island Lake Band (Ministikwan Indian Reserve), Mosquito, Grizzly Bears Head, Lean Man First Nations, Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies, Young Chipeewayan First Nation (Stony Knoll). Signing up enhances your TCE experience with the ability to save items to your personal reading list, and access the interactive map. Treaty 6 was signed by Crown representatives and Cree, Assiniboine and Ojibwa leaders on 23 August 1876 at Fort Carlton, Saskatchewan, and on 9 September 1876 at Fort Pitt, Saskatchewan. Our Legacy Treaties: Negotiations and Rights, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada Typed Transcript of Treaty 6 Text, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada Map of Canada in 1876, The Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations Learn More About Treaty 6 Indigenous Peoples, The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan Treaty 6. When Sweet Grass became Chief, his tribe had already been in an uneasy peace with the Blackfoot (Milloy 1988, 111). We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. He worked with other chiefs and bands to participate in raids with enemy tribes. His mother was kidnapped during a war with the Cree from a tribe, which was located around Missouri. The total area of the Treaty stretches from western Alberta, through Saskatchewan and into Manitoba; and inlcudes 50 First Nations. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Different tribes of the Cree held their own stories and traditions passed down orally through the generations. These included rights that indigenous people could hunt and fish and had provisions on their land. Big Bear heard of the disharmony in Treaty 4 territory, they found that the promises of the treaty were not being honored by the government (, For several days the Chiefs met and waited for others to arrive. He suggested to Morris that the government needed to preserve what buffalo herds were left, so that they could all share equally. The ceremony ended with dancing, drums, and singing of the men and women in the background (. In 1862, Sweet Grass accompanied Broken Arm, who was known for his ability to broker peace, along with fifty escorts to finally make peace with the Blackfoot. Dickieson, Mistahimaskwa referred to the treaty as a dreaded rope to be about my neck. Mistahimaskwa was not referring to a literal hanging (which is what some government officials had believed), but to the loss of his and his peoples freedom, and Indigenous loss of control over land and resources. Children typically lived a carefree and adventurous childhood. [24] Additionally, as the Hudson's Bay Company moved into the prairies, the fur trade offered an extremely important source of income and goods for the Cree. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Chief Sweet Grass (Weekaskookwasayin) signed Treaty 6 on September 9, 1876, with the Fort Pitt Indians, but was killed about six months later. Recognized collectively as an Indian band with indigenous and treaty Commissioners William Joseph Christie ( an HBC officer and... Force cooperation [ 26 ] what was the of treaty waitangi written out topic discussed treaty! Upset because of a lack of consultation with them during the negotiations pay the salary of teachers annual. 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