The Methodists' Great 1869 Camp Meeting and Aboriginal Conservation Strategies in the North Saskatchewan River Valley

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Methodists' Great 1869 Camp Meeting and Aboriginal Conservation Strategies in the North Saskatchewan River Valley University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Great Plains Quarterly Great Plains Studies, Center for 2009 The Methodists' Great 1869 Camp Meeting and Aboriginal Conservation Strategies in The North Saskatchewan River Valley George Colpitts Department of the University of Calgary, in Alberta, Canada Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/greatplainsquarterly Part of the Other International and Area Studies Commons Colpitts, George, "The Methodists' Great 1869 Camp Meeting and Aboriginal Conservation Strategies in The North Saskatchewan River Valley" (2009). Great Plains Quarterly. 1170. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/greatplainsquarterly/1170 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Great Plains Studies, Center for at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Great Plains Quarterly by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. THE METHODISTS' GREAT 1869 CAMP MEETING AND ABORIGINAL CONSERVATION STRATEGIES IN THE NORTH SASKATCHEWAN RIVER VALLEY GEORGE COLPITTS George McDougall, chairman of the Methodist gent of Wesleyan Methodists and their Native Missions to the Indians of the Northwest affiliates from Fort Edmonton, Pigeon Lake, Territories, kept a large, black book in which he Lac Ste. Anne, Lac La Biche, and Whitefish jotted sermon notes, references to classical and Lake-all located on the most northern and biblical literature and sometimes simply his itin­ westerly fringes of the northern Great Plains. eraries by horseback from Victoria, the primary Their expedition and other hunts joined by Methodist mission in the far British northwest. Protestant or Roman Catholic missions help Under the "s" tab and labeled "Saskatchewan," identify some of the strategies of competition he noted repeatedly in the 1860s the food crisis and cooperation emerging in the western boreal facing North Saskatchewan residents. In sum: and parkland regions in the midst of predicted ''A time of starvation. No buffalo."! but rapid environmental change. Missionaries In this article I analyze a buffalo hunt which of the North Saskatchewan river basin joined occurred in 1869. 2 That spring, many hundreds the multiethnic hunt of 1869 to serve both the of Cree, Assiniboine, Stoney, and Metis hunt­ spiritual and physical needs of their followers. ers going to the Plains were joined by a contin- The aboriginal hunting parties who had long employed cooperative hunts, however, used this occasion as a further means to open up new territories and better coo~dinate their Key Words: bison, Blackfoot, Cree, hunting, 3 missionaries, native people efforts. It also marked a larger shift in strate­ gies of political and social importance. Instead George Colpitts is an associate professor in the History of following nearby herds and waiting for their Department of the University of Calgary, in Alberta, seasonal migration to areas within reach of Canada. He specializes in environmental history, with home territories,4 this assembly and others of research interests in Western Canada, the North, the the decade fell into a larger pattern of coopera­ fur trade and changing human relationships with the environment. tion, successful or not. Milloy identified them as "heavily armed migrations" launched by the [GPQ 29 (Winter 2009): 3-27l Cree, who for want of food were traveling with 3 4 GREAT PLAINS QUARTERLY, WINTER 2009 larger assemblies into traditional Blackfoot ter­ event suggests a feature of Elliott West's view ritory, "not as a party of warriors, in search of of Great Plains history, where, since contact, plunder and glory" but as hunters.5 "white and Indian worlds" had "rippled into John McDougall, George's son, still a young each other" and where the "frontier never sepa­ clergyman that year, later remembered the rated things. It brought things together." In this gathering as a triumph of tent evangelism, case, missionary work was joining and helping and that "this famous gathering on the plains reveal Native hunting organizations emerging is often referred to by the Indians and half­ in specific areas of the northwestern plains and breeds all over the country."6 However, this was parklands.13 likely an exaggerated retelling, as was another From a logistical perspective, the 1869 hunt memoir account, written more than thirty years from Fort Edmonton to Nose Hill, 200 miles to later, that saw the 1869 congregation bring­ the southeast, was an impressive undertaking ing numerous otherwise warring groups into (Fig. 1).14 Hunters, women, and children joined a single Christian cooperative? These groups an ever-larger column, forming a cavalcade were already predisposed to cooperate, given that moved onto the plains. Some 200 horse­ the close association of a Cree and Assiniboine drawn carts, with squeaking wooden wheels (both Mountain Stoney and Nakota) coali­ and screaming greaseless axles, announced tion.8 With the pemmican and buffalo robe the hunters' coming miles ahead. Joshua's ,hunt commercialization between the 1820s and trumpets would have been drowned out by 1840s, Plains Cree, Nakota (Assiniboine), and the estimated 500 dogs, many of them fighting Metis traders shared similar interests and more each other, beaten to keep line, many dragging frequently coordinated buffalo hunting and the travois loaded with provisions or bundled with trade in buffalo products from semipermanent wailing babies. The dangers of prairie travel­ camps, wintering places, "and fishing locations ing, fear of Blackfoot raids, and uneasiness along the North Saskatchewan river valley.9 mounting as guides led these travelers onto Indeed, behind Methodist mission officials like waterless expanses occasioned the missionaries George McDougall were Native leaders such as to draw similarities between these people and Cree chief Maskepetoon, who likely used the Abraham's wandering and besieged tribe, and 1869 hunt to best contain a hunting organiza­ between the North Saskatchewan River and tion that had been developing at least since that of the River Jordan.15 the 1840s. This drew on a strengthening and The elder missionary, George McDougall, cohesive multiethnic association forming in John's father and tutor, estimated the total the upper sections of the North Saskatchewan, number of participants on this buffalo tent where Methodist missions had situated them­ revival at 1,000.16 Of this number, however, selves. In this case, parties used the hunt to were a few Hudson's Bay Company traders and organize a cooperative large and powerful hunters, and a separate section of "Catholic enough to penetrate into Blackfoot territory Cree." Two Oblate priests, who briefly accom­ beyond the Battle River.lO Great Plains history panied the "Protestant Indians" with their own can benefit from a better understanding of such Catholic adherents, left descriptions of the an expedition, given that more attention is pres­ eventual assembly that suggested it numbered ently falling on how Native groups were coping over one hundred cabanes: ''Almost all of the with dwindling resources, converging into new natives of this camp were Protestants," one territories, or competing in an ever-smaller of the priests reported. The other estimated "buffalo commons" in the mid-nineteenth cen­ seventy of the tents were "Protestants and tury.l1 Increasing historical interest is directed Infidels." Their journey, meanwhile, extended toward the surviving cultural traditions at the at least over fifty-one days and took participants end of the bison era in the period of treaty well beyond the Battle River into Blackfoot ter­ making and reservationsP Most certainly, this ritory. There, under cover of their large, armed THE METHODISTS' GREAT 1869 CAMP MEETING AND ABORIGINAL CONSERVATION STRATEGIES 5 FIG. 1. The 1869 Nose Hill Hunt. Cartography; Shawn Mueller escort, the hunters slaughtered about 5,000 the second part of this essay.19 As suggested in buffalo. The camp eventually took away some a description of the hunt itself, which follows, 120,000 pounds of dried meat, which probably "Lower River" Cree formed separate parties represented only a fraction of the total provi­ identifiable by Roman Catholic Oblates. They sions eaten in camp and on the way homeY were delineating their differing interests from In this article, I will first discuss the what Protestant Wesleyan Methodists under­ Methodists' hopes in a camp meeting on the stood as separate Cree and Stoney parties in Plains, one that had both practical and spiritual such venues. Similar in size to those previously ends. However, it also had a context that helps organized by Red River Metis, these hunts now explain how human cooperative capacity was dre~ upon emerging and quite tightly knit developing in the face of rapid environmental associations that aligned the similar needs in change.l8 Now that buffalo were frequently western boreal and parkland Cree-speaking remaining year-round in Blackfoot territory communities.20 In 1869 one developed that and hunters were turning to an earlier spring Methodists hoped would constitute a great hunt, their traditional means of diplomacy and movable religious feast on the Plains.2I organization were under stress. The gather­ ing tempo of summer sorties in the late 1860s To THE GREAT PLAINS IN A FRONTIER meant that more hunters were entering a "war CAMP MEETING zone" where bands could only hunt by the sheer force of numbers and their large assemblies The Wesleyan Methodists
Recommended publications
  • Material Culture of the Blackfoot (Blood) Indians of Southern Alberta
    572.05 FA N.S. no. 14-20 1990-93 Anthropology NO. 19 Material Culture of the Blackfoot (Blood) Indians of Southern Alberta James W. VanStone October 30, 1992 Publication 1439 PUBLISHED BY FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Information for Contributors to Fieldiana ed as space pen .mnted pa;. me. Contributions from staff, res- on regardless of ability to pay page charges, however, the full Three complete copies of the text (includin led (one or plus two nsidered for pub ^viewers before all materia 1 in IBM-compatible computer using MS-DOS, also submit text on 5 /4-inch di. page. In m he text should be preceded by an "Abstract' ited." All measurements should be in tl Id follow that of recent issues oi I Reference' les should be given in mid follow Botanico-Periodicum-Huntianun: vomic an (1976 et seq.) (botanical papers) or Serial Sources for the Biosis Data 1 s Information Service. Names of botanical authors should follow the "Draft Inde; •irdens, Kew," 1984 edition. References should be typed in the following foi • Island. Stai 1 ). Pennington. I! parison of montane and low I. The foi rysiognomy, and floristics. Journal of Ecology. 51: 567-: ge among the Siona: Cultural patterns in visions, pp. 63-80. In Bro Stars. Mouton Publishers, The Hague, Nctherlai idor, pp. 785-821. In Steward. J. H., ed., Handbook of South Am< ITie Ande 13, Bureau >n, Washing. rt II. Polypodiaa Illustrations: III res" in the text (not as "plates"). Figures mi mpanied by le, normally a rcfercm ns alone, such as iee recent issues of Fieldiana for detail narked or.
    [Show full text]
  • A Message from the President …
    Share Enjoy Enrich Newsletter of the Faculty Women’s Club, University of Alberta Vol. 30, No. 2a December 2016 A message from the President … As the semester draws to a close and the holiday season approaches, I hope you are all keeping busy and warm! The FWC has had a productive fall. First, we began our year with a successful and well-attended Wine and Cheese Registration Event. Thank you to Cathy, Pat, and others for all your hard work in providing and preparing the food, to Marie and others for manning the registration table, and to those members who volunteered their time at the event to welcome and provide tours to new members. Second, we have recently launched our new website; thank you to Christine for your patience, persistence, and hours of work in making this happen! Finally, the Program Committee (Cathy, Katia, and Judith) is working hard to plan some upcoming club-wide events, including the Robin Hood pantomime at Fort Edmonton in December and the Alberta Legislature tour in March. Personally, I have been enjoying my last few weeks of leave with Emma (now ten months old!) and Kevin. We are looking forward to Emma’s first Christmas with family in Vancouver, and even dressed her up as an elf for Halloween in anticipation. I will return to work full time in January, which seems a bit daunting – but I know many thousands of parents have done it before me, and I know that I have a wonderful network of support from the FWC. In closing, I wish you all a holiday that is warm, bright, and full of fun and friendship! Sarah Moore email: [email protected] December 2016 www.ualberta.ca/faculty-and-staff/faculty-womens-club 1 S E A S O N’ S G R E E T I N G S! from your Executive It’s that time of year again when many of our members are decorating their homes and cooking up a storm in the kitchen, preparing to celebrate.
    [Show full text]
  • Notes & References
    ENDNOTES.qxp 2/15/2008 8:45 AM Page 269 Notes & References References to Chapter 1 Ablon, J. 1964. “Relocated American Indians in the San Francisco Bay Area,” Human Organization 23, no. 4: 296–304. Bakker, P. 1997. A Language of Our Own: The Genesis of Michif, the Mixed Cree-French Language of the Canadian Métis. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Brown, J.S.H. 1985. “Diverging Identities: The Presbyterian Métis of St. Gabriel Street, Montreal.” Pp. 195–206 in J. Peterson and J.S.H. Brown, The New Peoples: Being and Becoming Métis in North America. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. Campbell, M. 1973. Halfbreed. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart. Card, B.Y., G.K. Hirabayashi and C.L. French. 1963. The Métis in Alberta Society. Edmonton: University of Alberta Committee for Social Research. Cardinal, B. 2002. “Drawn to the Land: An Urban Métis Woman Makes her Connection.” Pp. 69–76 in P. Douaud and B. Dawson, Plain Speaking: Essays on Aboriginal Peoples and the Prairie. Regina: Canadian Plains Research Center. Cardinal, D. and G. Melnyk. 1977. Of the Spirit. Edmonton: NeWest Press. Damon, A. 1965. “Stature Increase among Italian Americans: Environmental, Genetic, or Both?” American Journal of Physical Anthropology 23, no. 4: 401–08. Daniels, H.W. (ed.). 1979a. The Forgotten People: Métis and non-Status Indian Land Claims. Ottawa: Native Council of Canada. ——. 1979b. A Declaration of Métis and Indian Rights. Ottawa: Native Council of Canada. Dawson, B. 2002. “‘Better Than a Few Squirrels’: The Greater Production Campaign on the First Nations Reserves of the Canadian Prairies.” Pp. 11–21 in P.
    [Show full text]
  • South Saskatchewan River Watershed Authority Watershed Stewards Inc
    Saskatchewan South Saskatchewan River Watershed Authority Watershed Stewards Inc. Table of Contents 1. Comments from Participants 1 1.1 A message from your Watershed Advisory Committees 1 2. Watershed Protection and You 2 2.1 One Step in the Multi-Barrier Approach to Drinking Water Protection 2 2.2 Secondary Benefits of Protecting Source Water: Quality and Quantity 3 3. South Saskatchewan River Watershed 4 4. Watershed Planning Methodology 5 5. Interests and Issues 6 6. Planning Objectives and Recommendations 7 6.1 Watershed Education 7 6.2 Providing Safe Drinking Water to Watershed Residents 8 6.3 Groundwater Threats and Protection 10 6.4 Gravel Pits 12 6.5 Acreage Development 13 6.6 Landfills (Waste Disposal Sites) 14 6.7 Oil and Gas Exploration, Development, Pipelines and Storage 17 6.8 Effluent Releases 18 6.9 Lake Diefenbaker Water Levels and the Operation of Gardiner Dam 20 6.10 Watershed Development 22 6.11 Water Conservation 23 6.12 Stormwater Discharge 23 6.13 Water Quality from Alberta 25 6.14 Agriculture Activities 26 6.15 Fish Migration and Habitat 27 6.16 Role of Fisheries and Oceans Canada in Saskatchewan 28 6.17 Wetland Conservation 29 6.18 Opimihaw Creek Flooding 31 6.19 Federal Lands 32 7. Implementation Strategy 33 8. Measuring Plan Success - The Yearly Report Card 35 9. Conclusion 36 10. Appendices 37 Courtesy of Ducks Unlimited Canada 1. Comments from Participants 1.1 A message from your Watershed Advisory Committees North “Safe drinking water and a good supply of water are important to ALL citizens.
    [Show full text]
  • Land Resources
    Relationship with the Land - Resources This map shows one year’s travels of a clan of Amsskaapipikani in the last decade of the nineteenth century. Courtesy of Glenbow Museum Relationship with the Land – Seasonal Round Unit Resource Glenbow Museum Relationship with the Land - Resources Place Names on the Map: 1. Itsiputsimaup – Battle Coulee 2. Katoyissksi – Sweet Grass 3. Aiiyimmikoi – Cypress Hills 4. Pakoki Lake – Pakowki 5. Akaiiniskio – Manyberries 6. Einiotoka’nisi – Buffalo-Bull’s Head 7. Ihkitsitapiksi – Seven Persons 8. Aiiykimmikuyiu – Cypress Hills 9. Nokomis’s – Long Lakes 10. Matokeks oma’nistamoai otsitskiiitapiau – Women’s Society Left their Lodge Pole 11. A’ykomonoasiu – Green Lake 12. A’isinaiypi – Writing on Stone 13. A’kekoksistakskuyi – Women’s Point 14. Ponakiksi – Cut Bank Creek Relationship with the Land – Seasonal Round Unit Resource Glenbow Museum Relationship with the Land - Resources Blackfoot camps were composed of members of an extended family and other people who may have joined the clan. The arrangement of the tipis was not strictly defined in these camps, although all of them faced east. This allowed the morning prayers to travel towards the rising sun, helping it to come above the horizon for another day. Relationship with the Land – Seasonal Round Unit Resource Glenbow Museum Relationship with the Land - Resources Definition of the term – “Seasonal Round” The Blackfoot tribes had an enormous land base they inhabited. Within this territory they had areas where they would travel well over 500 miles during a yearly cycle to hunt, gather and renew religious commitments. Being knowledgeable of their environment and respectful of their gifts from the creator they would carefully select locations or places to travel to in a lifetime.
    [Show full text]
  • Climate in the Lake Winnipeg Watershed and the Level of Lake Winnipeg
    Climate in the Lake Winnipeg Watershed and the Level of Lake Winnipeg Prepared for the Manitoba Clean Environment Commission Gregory K. McCullough th 6 February 2015 This document has been prepared at the request of the Clean Environment Commission. The main objective are 1) to describe climatic patterns and inflow history to Lake Winnipeg over the 100 years since widespread, continuous meteorological and hydrometric records were initiated in the early 20th century, and to describe climate patterns predicted for the 21st century, and 2) to describe the effects of trends and variability in climate over the watershed on the water level record in the lake. Finally, there is a brief summary of how regulation since the late 1970s has interacted with these historical relationships. Disclosure In my current employment at the University of Manitoba, I conduct scientific research that is partially funded by Manitoba Hydro, including research related to the effects of climate change and hydro-electric regulation on Hudson Bay. However, none of the research described below was supported by funding from Manitoba Hydro. Lake Winnipeg Climate and Regulation 1 Feb 2015 Greg McCullough i Executive summary Over the last century, the total annual inflow to Lake Winnipeg has ranged by almost 4X from 35,000 to 136,000 cfs. The variability of tributary discharge and underlying climate in the watershed happens at four scales: seasonal, year-to-year, multi-decadal, and long term trends. The level of the lake has varied at all of these scales in rough synchrony with the supply of water from its watershed. Based on analyses reported in scientific literature, over the last century, precipitation has increased in the watersheds of the Winnipeg and Red Rivers.
    [Show full text]
  • University of Alberta Perceptions and Parameters of Education As A
    University of Alberta Perceptions and Parameters of Education as a Treaty Right within the Context of Treaty 7 Sheila Carr-Stewart A thesis submitted to the Faculîy of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Administration and Leadership Department of Educational Policy Studies Edmonton, Alberta spring 2001 National Library Bibliothèque nationale m*u ofCanada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographk Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. nie Wellington Ottawa ON KIA ON4 Oîîawa ON K1A ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/nlm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantid extracts fkom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or othenirise de celle-ci ne doivent êeimprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation . In memory of John and Betty Carr and Pat and MyrtIe Stewart Abstract On September 22, 1877, representatives of the Blackfoot Confederacy, Tsuu T'ha and Stoney Nations, and Her Majesty's Govemment signed Treaty 7. Over the next century, Canada provided educational services based on the Constitution Act, Section 91(24).
    [Show full text]
  • Student Research Digital Resource List
    Student Research Digital Resource List The purpose of this document is to 1) help you choose a Heritage Fair topic and 2) help you find source material to research your topic. We have provided resources related to the Edmonton area, Alberta & Canada. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ What is a Primary Source? ● A primary source is a work that gives original information. ● A primary source is something created during a time being studied or from a person who was involved in the events being studied. ● Examples of primary sources are letters, newspapers, a diary, photographs, maps, speeches, memories, etc. What is a Secondary Source? ● A secondary source is a document or recording that writes or speaks ​ ​ ​ ​ about information that is one step removed from the original ​ ​ source. ● Secondary sources interpret, evaluate or discuss information found ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ in primary sources. ​ ​ ● Examples of secondary sources include academic articles, biographies, text books, dictionaries, most books, encyclopedias, etc. Edmonton Resources Brief History of the Papaschase Band as recorded in the Papaschase First Nation Statement ​ ​ of Claim. https://www.papaschase.ca/text/papaschase_history.pdf City of Edmonton Archives- Digital Catalogue Great resource for historical images and ​ primary sources.https://cityarchives.edmonton.ca/ ​ 1 City of Edmonton Archives- Online Exhibits ​ The City of Edmonton Archives' virtual exhibits draw upon the records held at the Archives to tell stories about our city and our history. City of Edmonton History of Chinatown report https://www.edmonton.ca/documents/PDF/HistoryofChinatown%20(2).pdf Edmonton & Area Land Trust https://www.ealt.ca/ ​ ​ The Edmonton and Area Land Trust works to protect natural areas to benefit wildlife and people, and to conserve biodiversity and all nature’s values, for everyone forever.
    [Show full text]
  • The Statesmanship of Sir John A. Macdonald and Louis Riel
    University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2016 The Statesmanship of Sir John A. Macdonald and Louis Riel Anderson, Timothy Anderson, T. (2016). The Statesmanship of Sir John A. Macdonald and Louis Riel (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/28389 http://hdl.handle.net/11023/3317 doctoral thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY The Statesmanship of Sir John A. Macdonald and Louis Riel by Timothy Douglas Anderson A THESIS SUMBITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN POLITICAL SCIENCE CALGARY, ALBERTA SEPTEMBER, 2016 © Timothy Douglas Anderson 2016 ii ABSTRACT How might we better understand the Canadian regime? This inquiry provides a review of a moment in Canadian political history and its statesmen that stands as an example of the practice that shaped Canadian nationhood. Sir John A. Macdonald and Louis Riel were the only “Fathers of Confederation” to meet in pitched battle. Their conflicts between 1869 and 1885 shaped two separate and core elements of the Canadian regime: English-French and East-West tensions. Through a lens of statesmanship, this inquiry analyzes the thoughts and actions of these two men.
    [Show full text]
  • Perspectives of Blackfoot Confederacy People
    University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2021-03-02 Indian Residential Schools: Perspectives of Blackfoot Confederacy People Fox, Terri-Lynn Fox, T.-L. (2021). Indian Residential Schools: Perspectives of Blackfoot Confederacy People (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. http://hdl.handle.net/1880/113142 doctoral thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Indian Residential Schools: Perspectives of Blackfoot Confederacy People by Terri-Lynn Fox (Aai’piihkwikomotaakii) A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY GRADUATE PROGRAM IN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH CALGARY, ALBERTA MARCH, 2021 © Terri-Lynn Fox 2021 English Abstract This qualitative research project explored two main themes: the Indian residential school (IRS) settlement agreement for survivors of federally funded and church-run institutions, and the participants’ perspectives (N = 16) on the apology to the survivors and subsequent generations that have been affected. I focus on the First Nation population of southern Alberta, specifically the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksikaitsitapi). I use a Siksikaitsitapi lens and methodology on their experiences at an IRS, the IRS settlement, the Canadian government’s apology to former students, and the status of reconciliation as a whole.
    [Show full text]
  • North Saskatchewan Region Surface Water Quality Management Framework
    North Saskatchewan Region Surface Water Quality Management Framework A surface water quality management framework (framework) is being developed for the North Saskatchewan Region. The framework establishes an approach for monitoring and managing the cumulative impacts of human activities on water quality in the North Saskatchewan and Battle rivers. Cumulative effects management was first introduced in the North Saskatchewan Region with the Water Management Framework for the Industrial Heartland and Capital Region, which was developed in 2008 to address anticipated development in the Capital Region. At that time, government and stakeholders committed to maintaining or improving surface water quality in the stretch of the North Saskatchewan River from Devon to Pakan. Stakeholder and indigenous engagement on a Surface Water Quality Management Framework began in 2015 as a component of the North Saskatchewan Regional Plan, and continued in 2018. The current engagement will build on these initiatives and processes. Figure 1: The North Saskatchewan and Battle River Watersheds Surface Water Quality Pressures Surface Water Quality Status Rivers in the North Saskatchewan Region are relied upon for Many aspects of water quality in the North Saskatchewan source water for drinking, livestock watering, recreation, Region have improved in recent decades due to improved industry, providing healthy aquatic habitat and supporting management practices, especially wastewater treatment. traditional land use activities. However, pressure from Despite these advances, concerns for water quality in the different human activities can impact surface water quality in North Saskatchewan and Battle rivers include low dissolved the region. oxygen in the winter, nutrient enrichment, trace metals, and high sedimentation. Continuing efforts under the Water Population growth drives urban development, recreational Management Framework for the Industrial Heartland and growth, industrial growth and intensification of agricultural Capital Region are working to address these issues.
    [Show full text]
  • St. Albert, Cradle of the Catholic Church in Alberta
    CCHA, Report, 32 (1965), 29-35 St. Albert, Cradle of the Catholic Church in Alberta Sister M. M. CÔTÉ, S.G.M. Foyer Youville, St. Albert, Alta. On the northern border of Edmonton in the valley of the Sturgeon River lies the modern town of St. Albert. Its hills, now overspread with mossy green lawns, are dotted with comfortable homes of variegated hues. But a hundred and five years ago, these same hills were covered with deciduous and evergreen forests, the haunt of fur-bearing animals. Not a single humain being, as far as anybody knows, had ever settled in the tranquil valley. Yet, it was this very spot that was to become the centre of Catholicism in that section of our country now known as Alberta. Before we unfold our story, however, we must, like the coureurs de bois of old, like the buffalo hunters of the time, wander over the prairies in quest of a setting. The great western tract of land from the Hudson Bay to the Pacific, from the United States to the Arctic, known to the French voyageurs as les pays d’en haut, was the property of the Hudson Bay Company. Its inhabitants were 15,000 Métis eking out a day-to-day existence by hunting and fishing.1 Some had acted as rowers for the great fur company, but, with the introduction of the river steamer in the early nineteenth century, they had been left without employment. Except for a few who had settled on farms in the neighborhood of Red River (St.
    [Show full text]