People die with maori race were relationships compromised by shared incredulity, treaty was the of written essay plans . 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. This is our land, not a piece of pemmican to be cut off and given in little pieces. [15] However, this almighty creator appeared to individuals through various sprits such as the bear and horse. Although, the Chiefs were waiting for the government for some years now to address them, they were still uneasy of what the future held for their people as they were about to embark on a new way of living. There were many subsequent adhesions to the treaty by individual bands, well into the 20th century. In Morris address he described the governments genuine concern for the welfare of their Indian brothers and sisters and asked them to take his words with much thought and to look to the future, what I will promise, and what I believe and hope you will take, is to last as long as the sun shines and yonder rivers flow. (Stonechild and Waiser 15). [17] The soul was able to leave the body during visions where it would accompany their spiritual helper. [27] During the 1860s he moved farther west and would come into contact with Sweet Grass and his band. Arthur J. Ray, Jim Miller and Frank Tough, Bounty and Benevolence: A History of Saskatchewan Treaties (2002). Situated near the North Saskatchewan River, Fort Carleton was a trading post between 1810 and 1885, and the first site for Treaty 6 negotiations. Before negotiations began, the Cree performed a sacred pipe ceremony, in which the commissioners participated. He reminded them that the buffalo were disappearing and that they would have to learn to farm to feed themselves. Sweet Grass through both policy and action would have a lasting impact on the Plains Cree. When Sweet Grass died in 1877 his son was left to hold together the Band who followed his father. Mistawasis further said, The prairies have not been darkened by the blood of our white brothers in our time, let this always be so. (, Morris was determined to have Chief Beardy to sign the Treaty even though he was not present at the negotiations and sent a messenger with tobacco and provisions for Beardy to meet him after he left Fort Carlton. John A. Macdonald envisioned the west as a grain producing region full of European immigrants (Dodson 17). Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. He ventured into the Blackfoot territory, completely alone with the goal of capturing a herd of horses. Mistahimaskwa was frustrated and surprised that the other chiefs had not waited for him to return before concluding the negotiations. Schools were to be established on reserves. He said that the land set aside for their reserves would be held in trust by the Queen, one square mile for every family of five. Poundmaker, a Councilor from Red Pheasants band, stood up and protested, This is our land, not a piece of pemmican to be cut off and given in little pieces. His goal was to spread the Roman Catholic faith to the Western parts of Canada. He was succeeded by his son, Apseenes (Young Sweet Grass). Edmonton was founded in Treaty No 6 territory and Treaty No 6 Recognition Day recognizes Edmonton's connection with the First peoples of this land. In the face of survival, the Cree started to assemble and meet with one another to discuss their approach to the government. In the years of 1872 to 1875 there was pressure on the Canadian government from the First Nations in the prairies to address treaties. Trending. The significance of the ceremony was an invitation to the Creator to witness the proceedings and provide guidance; it also signified that it committed the participants into telling the truth. As Europeans began to set up colonies in North America, missionaries went among the indigenous people to spread their religion. While the signing of the treaty can be seen as selling away indigenous rights, it did bring much-needed medication and food to the Cree who had insufficient options. This took much time but the Chiefs appeared to be satisfied with what the government was offering. 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. Other members of the negotiating team included treaty commissioners William Joseph Christie (an HBC officer) and. In Cree culture, verbal agreements hold the same amount weight as any other agreements. The two messengers, Rev. 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 (Tobias 191). 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. I for one will take the hand that is offered. Ahtahkakoop supporting his fellow Chief and said, Let us not think of ourselves but our childrens children, let us show our wisdom by choosing the right path while we yet have a choice (Stonechild and Waiser 17). Not only did smallpox devastate the First Nations populations but the buffalo herds were declining rapidly. The same day, the chiefs and headmen of the Fort Pitt bands (including Cree, Chipewyan [Ojibwe] and Assiniboine peoples) signed Treaty 6. An example of this would be when Sweet Grass and Big Bear assembled 18 Cree warriors that attempted to raid Blackfoot hunting territory. [22] Days of fighting ensued however, both chiefs managed to survive.[23]. Chief Sweetgrass (Weekaskookwasayin) signed Treaty 6 on September 9, 1876, with the Fort Pitt Indians but was killed about six months later. Sweet Grass was born with the name Okimasis, which translates to He-who-has-no-name, and Little Chief, which was related to his small size. Governor Morris addressed the crowd and asked Erasmus to interpret for him, Erasmus answered back, I act on behalf of the Chiefs; I am not employed by the government. McKay translated but was stopped when Chief Mistawasis stood up and said We are Plains Cree and demand to be spoken to in our language. Then Ballenden proceeded to translate, however, people in the back of the crowd complained they could not hear him, he tried to speak louder, choked and then sat down (Ray, Miller, and Tough 134). He was unable to hold the band together, which began to splinter. Federal trial and appellate courts . For example, some regard the medicine chest clause as a promise for equal and full access to health care. Please have a look around. "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. 1876 - 1883: Wah-wee-kah-oo-tah-mah-hote (Strike him on the back), 1920 - 1924: Harry Atcheynum (Son of Strike him on the back), 1925 - 1964: Sam Swimmer (Son of Yellow Mud) Last hereditary Chief, For a summary for our History in brief, find it on the Battleford's Agency Tribal Chief's Website at www.batc.ca/sweetgrass/, P.O. 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. Chief Beardy then refused to be part of the negotiations at Fort Carlton and Morris understood this would be a problem to the Treaty process for the Willow Cree(Stonechild and Waiser 11). Buffalo hunting and fur trading were a vital part of Cree survival. He wanted to know why he was not notified of the meetings as he was out hunting on the plains. They still controlled the territory and to trade their land for an uncertain future would be an admission of defeat (Stonechild and Waiser 16). The Treaty promised to give the Tlicho annual payments and services, like medical care, education and old age care. [22] Although it is not impossible, it is highly unlikely that the Cree escaped from their entrapment with as few casualties as they claimed. Four days later, Morris met with the Duck Lake band. Afterward, there were many First Nations who were upset because of a lack of consultation with them during the negotiations. He was succeeded by his son, Apseenes (Young Sweet Grass); he was unable to hold the band together, which began to splinter. Similarly, clauses promising farming assistance and reserve schools can be interpreted as a promise to provide general economic assistance for Indigenous businesses and access to modern education. In the summer of 1875, messengers from the Canadian government came to Cree territory to inform them that the government would be coming to negotiate a Treaty with them the following summer of 1876. The First Nations assembled near the Chiefs tents, to the sound of beating drums and the discharge of small arms, singing, dancing, and loud speaking going on at the same time, as told by A.G. Jackes secretary to the Treaty Commisoner. They hunted in the same territory and would often hunt and camp together. [24] However, as European settlers came to the plains, that number dwindled significantly. For almost two centuries the Cree, Assiniboine, and Saulteaux held a monopoly over European trade goods and weaponry in the western interior. The Government of Canada held Big Bear responsible, convicted him of treason-felony, and sentenced him to three years in Stony Mountain Penitentiary. From here the group made income from farming and lumber sale, supplemented with traditional methods as much as possible. For example, one of the first recorded treaties between First Nations involved the Onodowohgah (Seneca), Kanien'Kehaka (Mohawk), Onundagaono (Onondaga), Onayotekaono (Oneida), and Guyohkohnyoh (Cayuga). What was chief mistawasis Role in Treaty 6? [3] Upon reporting his sighting back to the others, they decide to kill the man and steal his horses. The Cree made it clear that they would not tolerate any trespassers on their lands. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. The next biggest problem comes from a lack of follow through on verbal agreements. Medals, flags, and uniforms were presented as well as treaty payments. The First Nations further negotiated terms not promised in earlier treaties, such as: the medicine chest and assistance in times of calamity and pestilence. Chief Sweetgrass, a well respected leader was chosen to be the spokesman for the meeting with Christie (, In the years of 1872 to 1875 there was pressure on the Canadian government from the First Nations in the prairies to address treaties. It remained to be seen whether it was a bad omen. Chief Mistawasis and Chief Ahtahkakoop represented the Carlton Cree. Big Bear and Little Pine also believed in the sovereignty of their own Nations and were opposed to the idea of another Nation governing and applying their laws to them. [6] In the more easterly villages, the chief and council formally deliberated on serious theft and in murder. It covered 117 articles, including the establishment of a code of law and form of government between the five nations. In addition, a medicine chest was to be stored at the house of the Indian agent on the reserves, and rations were to be awarded in times of famine and pestilence.. [3] Sweet Grass was ten years older, so Big Bear recognized him as the superior chief. This became one of many classic misinterpretations of the Treaty process as viewed in history. The First Nations interpreted the loss of the buffalo to be the general famine covered under the famine clause of Treaty 6, and many observers in the North-West agreed. We never shed any white mans blood, and we have always been friendly with the whites, and want workmen, carpenters and farmers to assist us when we settle. However, Morris told the Cree that they would find themselves crowded by settlers unless they settled on reserves. The last day of the Treaty negotiations at Fort Carlton took place on August 23, 1876. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The same significant ceremony of the pipe stem opened the meeting with the participants on September 7, 1876. Sweet Grass (also Sweetgrass or Wikaskokiseyin or Wihaskokiseyin) (c.1815 on or shortly before January 11, 1877) was a chief of the Cree in the 1860s and 1870s in western Canada. He worked with other chiefs and bands to participate in raids with enemy tribes. Website Development Studio. He was succeeded by his son, Apseenes (Young Sweet Grass). British Columbia joined confederation in 1871 and was promised a railway to connect them to eastern Canada. (Stonechild and Waiser 26) Living Sky School Division 509 Pioneer Avenue North Battleford, SK S9A 4A5 Canada office@lskysd.ca These included rights that indigenous people could hunt and fish and had provisions on their land. what I will promise, and what I believe and hope you will take, is to last as long as the sun shines and yonder rivers flow., Negotiating the Terms: Friday August 18, 1876, For several days the Chiefs met and waited for others to arrive. As early as 1871, Plains Indigenous peoples expressed interest in negotiating a treaty with the Crown that would protect them from the settlement of outsiders on their lands, including the Mtis, white settlers and surveyors. Treaty 6 was signed by the commissioners and the head chiefs of the Carlton bands on 23 August 1876. Sweet Grass had also requested that the government provide supplies as needed so that they may sustain themselves when traditional hunting was not an option. One of the main questions is whether the signatories truly understood the concept of land cession. 6 Recognition Day in 2013. Historian Hugh Dempsey argues that Weekaskookwasayins acceptance of the treaty was likely influenced by Mistawasis and Ahtukuoops decision to sign Treaty 6, rather than a close reading of the treaty terms. [3] After being forced to set up camp along a river due to a snow storm, a member of their war party left to collect food and spotted a lone member of the Blackfoot on foot rounding up horses. The Queens representative, Alexander Morris, dressed in a cocked hat, blue uniform with gold braid and lace, was accompanied by the North West Mounted Police and treaty commissioners William J. Christie and James McKay. Treaty 6 encompasses 17 First Nations in central Alberta including the Dene Sulin, Cree, Nakota Sioux and Saulteaux peoples. We Send these words by our Master Mr.Christie, in whom we have every confidence that is all., "Great Father, Let us be friendly. Chief Sweetgrass arrived the next day and met with the rest of the First Nations to discuss what had happened at Fort Carlton. Currently the band controls 20,354.6 ha of land, the largest block of which is located 26 km west ofNORTH BATTLEFORD. John A. Macdonald had to protect the west from American expansion after they bought Alaska in 1867 (Natural Resources Canada). On August 22, 1921, Chief Monfwi, representing all Tlicho, signed Treaty 11 with Canada. The Chiefs hired Peter Erasmus, a Mtis, to interpret for them during the proceedings and his role became integral to both sides. Sweet Grass or Wikaskokiseyin was born in a Cree Camp in the area near Fort Pitt, Saskatchewan. A representative from Chief Beardys group suggested they rent the land while others suggested they refuse the Treaty altogether. Born about 1825 to the Cree/Ojibwa Chief Black Powder, Big Bear assumed power while still a young man after demonstrating his spiritual power and leadership qualities. Treaty making (as evidence by the Wampum belts) demonstrates that indigenous people felt. Despite it being a highly valuable horse Sweetgrass traded it for an inferior one, understanding the importance of the group over the individual. 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. [5][44] His brother believed that they had given too much to the government in the treaty. 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 refused any other additions to the Treaty, and maintained that the terms of Treaty 6 were generous and acceptable. We want you to be aware of the benefits, credits and requirements that apply to you. 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. Young men would attach themselves to a hunter or warrior that they admired and followed or shadowed them in performing tasks. Different tribes of the Cree held their own stories and traditions passed down orally through the generations. He suggested to Morris that the government needed to preserve what buffalo herds were left, so that they could all share equally. What was the outcome of Chief Sweetgrass signing Treaty 6? Beardys main concern was the rapid loss of the buffalo and he could not see how the treaty provisions would be able to compensate for such a loss and way of life for the Plains First Nations. Sweet Grass believed that working alongside the government was one of the only solutions to the daily hardship the Cree were faced with. To the Canadian delegation, the only legally binding contracts were what was written into the treaty. "Big Bear, Ahtahkakoop, and Mistawasis were the most vocal leaders to stop the developments on their lands. Big Bear and others seen the presents as traps, something to soften them up before negotiations." Land title refers to specific rights to a territory. 6 between the Plains, Wood Cree, Nakota, Saulteaux, and Dene people and the Crown at Fort Carlton on August 23, 1876. The amount of power wielded by Cree chiefs varied from person to person. On 9 September, Weekaskookwasayin addressed the people, arguing that the treaty terms would help preserve and protect their livelihood. [26] (Ray, Miller, and Tough 143). However, he was too late; the treaty had already been signed. He worked with other chiefs and bands to participate in raids with enemy tribes. Later that year, Sweet Grass was converted to Roman Catholicism by Father Albert Lacombe and was baptized with the Christian name Abraham. Sharing land alongside Europeans c. Legal ownership over all territories d. Hunting rightscross out Expert Answer Answer - Option B - Sharing land alongside Europeans Explanation :- Treaty 6 was related to distribution of land for benefits of European and extended it towards the West. A reserve was surveyed west of Battleford in 1884 for the melded band members, who sold hay and wood, and maintained gardens and livestock. Families had the ability to break away from their current band and join another elsewhere. Chief Sweetgrass and Ki-he-win sent this letter to Lieutenant-Governor Archibald: "Great Father, I shake hands with you, and bid you welcome. [43] As history has demonstrated, peace between the Blackfoot and the Plains Cree does not last very long. Are catch-up contributions subject to ADP testing. Chief Sweet Grass (Weekaskookwasayin) signed Treaty 6 on September 9, 1876, with the Fort Pitt Indians, but was killed about six months later. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Just before the Treaty party left Fort Pitt, Big Bear arrived and asked to speak with Morris. The treaty negotiations took days to complete at Fort Carlton. This made the Plains Cree very nervous and they confronted the surveyors and warned them to stop what they were doing because the government had not met with them to discuss their concerns. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Approximately 2,000 Cree, Assiniboine, and Saulteaux people were there to witness and be a part of this historic event, Chiefs Ahtahkakoop and Mistawasis greeted Morris and the Treaty Commissioners on August 15, 1876. They agreed with much of what was being said, however, they wanted to ensure their survival, and that the Great Queen Mother would look after them. Wah-wee-kah-oo-tah-mah-hote was chief from 1876 to 1883: but he was deposed in 1884 and Young Sweet Grass became chief. Even though Big Bear publicly and consistently spoke against sighing treaties, by 1882 starving, he would sign Treaty 6. At the beginning of 1870, buffalo were plentiful within the plains. [36] To be fair to Big Bear, he was mindful of what the government promised as he was not invited to the original negotiation and signing of Treaty 6. [56] The tactic of withholding food from reserves will be used by the Canadian government to force cooperation.