White Bear

Historical and Current Traditional Land Use Study

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... 2 LIST OF FIGURES ...... 5 LETTER FROM WHITE BEAR FIRST NATIONS CHIEF ...... 6 LETTER FROM WBFN’S LANDS AND RESOURCE MANAGER ...... 7 ELDER AND LAND USER INTERVIEWEES ...... 8 PREFACE ...... 9 INTRODUCTION ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 1 – TIME IMMEMORIAL AND ARCHEOLOGY ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Anishinaabe/Ojibwe Creation Legend ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Geographical and Anthropological Information ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Moose Mountain Medicine Wheel ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Establishing Cultural Connections to Archeological Artifacts ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 2 – EUROPEAN COLONIZATION ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. The Fur Trade ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. First Nation Middlemen ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. The Bison Massacre ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Disease, Markets, War and Immigration ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Indian Wars and the White Bear First Nations ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. The Minnesota Massacre (Dakota War; Sioux Uprising) ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. The Cypress Hills Massacre ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Battle of the Little Big Horn ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. The Red River Resistance of 1869 ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. North-West Rebellion of 1885 ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. White Bear First Nations’ Participation in World Wars ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Treaty ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 3 – MIGRATION ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. The Nahkawininiwak: Plains Ojibwe/Anishinaabe/ ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. The Nehiyawak: Plains ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. The Nakota/ ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. The Dakota/Sioux ...... Error! Bookmark not defined.

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White Bear and the Moose Mountain ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 4 – PLAINS CULTURE ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Traditional Governance ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Spirituality ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Languages of White Bear First Nations ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Plains Ojibwe/Anishinaabe/Saulteaux ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Plains Cree ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Nakota Assiniboine ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Dakota Sioux ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 5 – HARVESTING BERRIES AND PLANTS ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Berry Locations ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Berry Seasons ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Berry Harvests, Uses and Storage ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Trees, Plants, and Medicines ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Plant Locations ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Plant Seasons ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Traditional Plant Uses ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 6 – TRAPPING ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Trapping Locations ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Trapping Harvests and Uses ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Trapping Seasons ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Traditional Trapping Methods and Equipment ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 7 – HARVESTING BIG GAME ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Big Game Harvesting Locations ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Big Game Hunting Seasons ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Big Game Harvests ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Big Game Traditional Use ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Big Game Hunting Methods and Equipment ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Traditional Game Regulations ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Chapter 8 – BIRDS AND FISH ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Birds ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Traditional Bird Harvesting Locations ...... Error! Bookmark not defined.

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Bird Harvests and Seasons ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Traditional Bird Harvesting Methods and Equipment ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Bird Traditional Uses ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Fish ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Fish Harvesting Locations ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Traditional Fishing Seasons, Methods and Equipment ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Fish Traditional Uses ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Farming, Ranching, Harvesting Wood etc...... Error! Bookmark not defined. CONCLUSION ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. White Bear First Nations Elder and Current User Interviewees ...... Error! Bookmark not defined.

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Pre-Contact Lands ...... 10 Figure 2: White Bear First Nations Historical Traditional Lands ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 3: White Bear First Nations Current Traditional Land Use ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 4: Sioux/Assiniboine Land Use Area ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 5: First Nations and Native American Boundaries ca. 1820 ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 6: Migration from Massacres ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 7: of Canada ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 8: Adhesion-Original Moose Mountain Reserves ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 9: White Bear First Nations Reserve Today ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 10: Anishinaabe Migration Journey Map ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 11: Red Sky's Vision Map with Geological Comparisons ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 12: Turtle Mountain Migration ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 13: Rocky Boy Travel Route ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 14: Berry and Plant Harvest Locations ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 15: Berry Harvests ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 16: Plant Harvests ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 17: Trapping Locations ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 18: Furbearing Harvests ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 19: Big Game Map ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 20: Big Game Harvests ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 21: Fish and Water Fowl Locations ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 22: Birds Harvested ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 23: Fish Harvests ...... Error! Bookmark not defined. Figure 24: Current Fishing Locations ...... Error! Bookmark not defined.

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LETTER FROM WHITE BEAR FIRST NATIONS CHIEF

(STILL TO COME)

Chief Brian Standingready WBFN’s Chief

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LETTER FROM WBFN’S LANDS AND RESOURCE MANAGER BRUCE STANDINGREADY

The intention of this book is not to take our oral traditions and put them down on paper. Since time immemorial, we have been evolving as a people, and this book is just another step towards that progression.

In order to fairly co-exist in today’s society, it is our hope that the information contained within this study will be used as a tool by all leaders that have impact on the members of the White Bear First Nations to protect and promote our Treaty rights and to maintain our traditional way of life.

Through the words of our Elders, this study expresses the importance of Treaty 4 and the promises made to our people. Our lands are our foundation, and they need to be protected if our culture is to thrive. I believe we all need to maintain a balance in life, or we will be lost.

On behalf of the White Bear First Nations staff, we would like to thank all who have participated in this study. In particular, Traditional Land Use Study committee members Phyllis Gibson , Josh Kakakaway, Nora Kakakaway, Madeline Kakakaway, Vicky White Bear, and Ivan Ronald Lonechild. And of course, a very special thank you to our Elders and land users who participated in the study.

We are very proud to have been a part of this project and we dedicate this work to all past, present and yet unborn members of the White Bear People.

Bruce Standingready, WBFN’s Lands and Resource Manager

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ELDER AND LAND USER INTERVIEWEES

1. Phyllis Gibson 11. Michael Lonechild 21. George Sparvier 2. Ivan Kakakaway 12. Winnie Lonechild 22. Almer Standingready Sr. 3. Josh Kakakaway 13. Yvonne Lonechild 23. Brian Standingready 4. Nora Kakakaway 14. Sally Lonethunder 24. Darlene Standingready 5. Angus Littlechief 15. Eldon Maxie 25. Irene Standingready 6. Lucille Littlechief 16. Aaron McArthur 26. Russell Standingready 7. Edward Littlechief Sr. 17. Elsie McArthur 27. Victor White Bear 8. Eldon Lonechild 18. Jean Peltier 28. Wayne White Bear 9. Ken Lonechild 19. Maria Shepherd 10. Loreen Lonechild 20. Nadine Shepherd

Late Nakota Elders Dick and Mary Nahbexie. Photos courtesy of WBFN’s

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PREFACE

The White Bear First Nations (WBFN’s) is grateful to the Elders and traditional land users who shared their Knowledge in order to make this study possible. WBFNs would also like to acknowledge and express its gratitude to the Federation of Indian Nations (F.S.I.N) for their generous funding contribution for this project.

The purpose of this Traditional Land Use Study was to collect, record, and protect information about historical and current traditional land use activities of the White Bear First Nations. To do this, the study incorporated detailed land use data collected from 28 Elders and land users, as well as data obtained through historical, archaeological, and anthropological research.

This book is meant to protect the nations’ constitutional, Treaty and Aboriginal rights by facilitating rights consultation, and to preserve and protect cultural information. The data gathered in this study can be utilized to strengthen cultural programs currently in place within the White Bear First Nations schools; to pass on oral traditions to the youth and enhance cultural traditions within the community for generations to come.

Eagle Sun Consulting was retained to manage this project with Dr. Jim Tanner presiding as Project Manager, Tracey Tanner acting as writer and researcher, and Terri Quintal – GIS Specialist, creating the detailed maps throughout this study.

This project could not have occurred without the invaluable contributions of WBFN’s Lands and Resource Manager Bruce Standingready, whose insight into the future was the seed that grew into this book. Thanks are also extended to Josh Kakakaway for his contributions and tireless efforts toward the organization and completion of this project. Much gratitude is also extended to Jeff Howe, General Counsel for the White Bear First Nations, who expressed the need for this project and saw it through to the final stages. Thanks are also extended to Franco Media for the layout and graphic design of this book. Thanks to all for making this long anticipated and much needed project a reality.

White Bear First Nations Traditional Lands.

Photo courtesy of White Bear First Nations.

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Figure 1: Pre-Contact Lands

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