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The Importance of Family Ties to Members of Cowessess First Nation Item Type text; Electronic Dissertation Authors Innes, Robert Alexander Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 05/10/2021 19:38:02 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/196139 THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY TIES TO MEMBERS OF COWESSESS FIRST NATION By Robert Alexander Innes ________________ Copyright © Robert Alexander Innes 2007 A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the AMERICAN INDIAN STUDIES PROGRAM In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2007 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Dissertation Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Robert Alexander Innes entitled The Importance of Family Ties to Members of Cowessess First Nation and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy _______________________________________________________________________ Date: 1/9/07 K. Tsianina Lomawaima _______________________________________________________________________ Date: 1/9/07 Robert Martin _______________________________________________________________________ Date: 1/9/07 Robert Williams _______________________________________________________________________ Date: 1/9/07 Winona Wheeler Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate’s submission of the final copies of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. ________________________________________________ Date: 4/20/07 Dissertation Director: K. Tsianina Lomawaima 3 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: Robert Alexander Innes 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are many people I must thank for their assistance in the completion of this dissertation. First, there are a number of Cowessess members I would like to acknowledge. Much appreciation to Chief Patricia Sparvier and the Band Councilors for allowing me the opportunity to speak to them about the research at a council meeting for which they endorsed the research. Pat Criddle, the executive assistant, was helpful in arranging my meeting with the Chief and Council. Duane Delorme at the Cowessess Urban office provided assistance with locating urban members for the research. Gloria Burgess and Christina Lerat of the Cowessess Health Department who invited me to be involved in a residential school survivor program in which I was able to meet and got to know many band members, many of whom agreed to be interviewed for the research. Also, I would like to extend my appreciation to all the members of Cowessess who generously agreed to be a part of the research. I am indebted to my advisor, Tsianina Lomawaima. She not only facilitated the completion of the dissertation, but also provided me with guidance and mentorship that will benefit me throughout my professional career. My committee members, Robert Williams, Robert Martin, and Winona Wheeler all made significant contributions to the final product. I thank all my committee members for the time, encouragement and direction they gave me. I am very appreciative of the financial support from the Cowessess Education Authority and from the Hubert E. Carter Graduate Interdisciplinary Fellowship. I was given much support and encouragement from a number of American Indian Studies faculty including Nancy Parezo, Jay Stauss, and Luci Tapahonso. I am also grateful for the support shown by faculty in the Department of Native Studies, University of Saskatchewan, Roger Maaka, Brenda Macdougall, and Ron Laliberte. Also, I am indebted to the American Indian Studies Program, Michigan State University, who offered the opportunity through their Pre-Doctoral Fellowship for me to make significant progress on the writing of the dissertation. In particular, Susan Applegate-Krouse, head of the AIS program was extremely helpful to me and made my stay in East Lansing a pleasant and productive experience. I would also thank Neil Soiseth for his expertise in copy-editing. My fellow American Indian Studies PhD students Ray Austin, Ferlin Clark, Diana DeLeon, John Dillon, Amy Fatzinger, Julie Hailer, Michelle Hale, Spintz Harrison, Angelica Lawson, Sharon Milholland, Reuban Naranjo, Elizabeth Nesbit, Kevin Wall, and Louellyn White made my time in Tucson intellectually stimulating and socially enjoyable. I could not have met the arduous demands of graduate school without the support of my family. I feel absolutely fortunate to have Gail and Anthony in my life as they give a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Finally, this dissertation is dedicated to the memory of my mother, Muriel Doris Innes, who from the time I was young made sure I always knew who I was and where I came from. 5 DEDICATION This dissertation is dedication in the loving memory of my mother, Muriel Doris Innes (nee Pelletier), 1933-2005. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF MAPS .....................................................................................................................................................8 LIST OF TABLES.................................................................................................................................................9 ABSTRACT ..........................................................................................................................................................10 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................11 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.................................................................................................................14 COMMUNITY PROFILE............................................................................................................................19 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ..........................................................................................................................22 KINSHIP STUDIES AND COWESSESS FIRST NATION....................................................................23 CONTEXT FOR THE RESEARCH...........................................................................................................26 RESEARCHER AS INSIDER/OUTSIDER...............................................................................................30 RESEARCH METHODS .............................................................................................................................36 ETHICS, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND AMERICAN INDIAN STUDIES RESEARCH.....................38 ORGANIZATION.........................................................................................................................................41 CHAPTER TWO: A HISTORICAL VIEW OF THE IRON ALLIANCE......................................................46 EMERGENCE OF THE IRON ALLIANCE ............................................................................................47 Western Expansion, the Fur Trade, and the Plains Cree .........................................................................47 Origins of the Assiniboine ..........................................................................................................................51 Origins of the Saulteaux.............................................................................................................................54 Archaeology and the Emergence of Plains First Nations People.............................................................59 Origins of the Métis ....................................................................................................................................63 ABORIGINAL PEOPLE OF SASKATCHEWAN PLAINS, 1800-1870...............................................69 SASKATCHEWAN’S ABORIGINAL PEOPLE UP TO 1885 ...............................................................75 CHAPTER THREE: THE MIXED ANCESTRY OF COWESSESS FIRST NATION AND THE PROBLEM WITH “TRIBAL” HISTORY.........................................................................................................87 COWESSESS BAND AND LOUIS O’SOUP, 1870-1913.........................................................................88 COWESSESS BAND IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY ...................................................................111 THE PROBLEM WITH “TRIBAL” HISTORIES.................................................................................120 CHAPTER FOUR: COWESSESS BAND MEMBERS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY TIES .............................................................................................................................................................................137