SADDLE LAKE RESERVE HISTORICAL EVENTS – 100 YEARS TRANSLATED BY: MATILDA BRERTTON ILLUSTRATIONS BY:LAWRENCE LARGE Copyright 1977 by SADDLE LAKE EDUCATION COMMITTEE. All rights reserved.
TYPED BY: LORRAINE HOULE onihcikiskwapowin
❖ “Mirage on the Lake”: According to legends of our forefathers, a “wihtikow” was seen crossing the ice but stopped when he reached open water and sat down on the ice. For a long time, people, such as dog teams or fishermen, saw him sitting on the ice. Everyone knew it was a mirage because it always disappeared. The open water was otherwise known as “Shadow Lake”, or “onihcikiskwapiwin”. ❖ The name was mistakenly shortened to “aspapiwin”, or “Saddle”. ❖ The mission of St.Paul des Cris had been abandoned in 1873, that of Saddle Lake was not definitely founded until 1888. Arrival of Missionaries 1875 – Chief Papaschase, “The Woodpecker”
• Known as John Gladu-Quinn • Born in 1838 • Chief from 1875-1885 • 195 Papaschase tribal members • Band #136 • Some Fort Edmonton citizens claimed the band is made up of Indians from other bands • Edmonton citizens were not comfortable having Indians as neighbours, creating a hate campaign to have them removed from their treaty lands • Total no. of band members: 256; members from the Little Hunter and Lapotac Bands Treaty No. 6: September 9, 1876 Signing at Fort Carlton and Fort Pitt Treaty No. 6: September 9, 1876 Signing at Fort Pitt
The Band’s leader and spokesman at the Treaty negotiation was : James Seenum (Pakan) and Little Hunter (onah-tah- mee-na-hoos or Little Chief-Hunter). The Significance of Treaty No. 6
Medicine Chest and Famine and Pestilence Relief Clause • The “only” treaty that includes: A medicine chest would be kept at the home of the Indian Agent for use by the people • Guarantee of assistance for famine and pestilence relief Borders of Pre- Amalgamated Bands
Members of the Cree, Metis, and Stoney Which has grown up in the 19th century along the North side of the North Saskatchewan River stretching from Lac St. Anne (west) and to Fort Pitt (East) June 1886; Surveyor J.C. Nelson of Land Survey Indian Affairs began to lay out lands for the Saddle Lake Four- Area Bands. The first one was Whitefish Lake #128 (Chief James Seenum(Pakan), #126-Chief Muskewagtic-Waskatenaw or Hollow Hill Creek (Bear Ear’s Band Saddle Lake #125 (Chief Onchiminahos-Little Hunter or Thomas Hunter and Chief Blue Quill (sepekanap) #127. These four bands would be laid out in one block under Chief James Seenum (Pakan). Blue Quill, (EggLake) Whitford, known as “Andrew”), agreed that they would abandon their houses and gardens and move to Saddle Lake by 1887, where they would take Reserve Land Final land maps finished in 1887 May 17,1889; Order in Council P.C. 1151 confirmed Whitefish Lake #128 for “part of Pakan’s Band”
Saddle Lake #125 – for the bands of James Seenum, Chief Little Hunter, and Blue Quill
Waskatenaw Band #126 for the band of Chief Bear’s Ears – last to join Saddle Lake Band (Cache Lake, confirmed in 1889)
- Pressured to leave Waskatenau by Indian Agents, exchanging that for equal land available from North Sask. Banks called Hollow Hill Creek.
- Agency wanted to closely supervise them - Allegedly surrendered on September 26, 1896. Completion of Legal Amalgamation ✓ 1900 & 1902; completed legal land amalgamation, which is now legally one band (Saddle Lake Band) – Whitefish, Saddle Lake, Waskatenaw and Blue Quill
✓ All the bands of the area settled in locations close to the Agency and within reach of the government farm instructor’s establishment
✓ 1902; Agent Mann (worked for DIA) signed the agreement
✓ The final step to date in the formal amalgamation of the two bands was taken in 1953 when the Treaty pay lists of Saddle Lake Bands merged. However, retaining separate chiefs and council had been re-established of the Little Hunter Band chieftainship in 1913 Land Surrender – 1925 - was taken February 27,1925.Surrender was carried out by majority of three. 123 votes were cast. Total area sold 18,720 acres for the price of $187,200 ($10.00 per acre). Each person was entitled $100.00 and Chief at that time of the surrender was Thomas Makokis.
In 1926, Saddle Lake people were promised interest payments one year after land surrender but only $5.00 per person was paid out as token payments, (ya-ki-mo-s)In the following years, 1927,1929,& 1930,the gov’t made various attempts for the people to surrender more land. Votes were taken later and showed that people were against surrendering any more land. An Irish Home Coming
1927 – 28 Lake-Lander. Thursday, March 23,2000
– The arrival of British immigrants to the St. Paul de Metis area. There were 54 Irish families who settled in St. Brides in 1927 – 28. Leaving behind troubled times, “Northern Ireland wasn’t a great place to live at the time”. – The Dominion government in the early 1920’s sold land and was purchased by the Soldier Settlement Board as part of the British 3000 Settlement Scheme. – This parcel of land was soon named “St. Brides” in honor of the Irish patroness Saint Bridget, by Reverend A. MacDonell, President of the Scottish Immigration Society. – Lily McCool, carefully directs Rob W. Henricks, to the only 20 foot square four-roomed structure remaining on its original location, that of Hugh Quinn (Saddle lake), not far from the current St. Brides Store. Hugh and his wife Margaret had 11 children. There was 30 families for Saddle Lake Reserve. – A whole new settlement suddenly appears in a two month period. A piece of Saddle Lake Reserve suddenly turned into an little Irish community. -“Just like that!” And nods in agreement. – The short tour shows me that time and circumstances eventually spelled the end of this settlement on the reserve. 1930 ‘s - DEPRESSION YEARS
– 1930 – 31 – 32 – 33 Hungary 30’s as it was called this year. Money had little value and very hard to come by and goods were very cheap. Foodstuff & clothing were rationed. Tobacco with papers .10 cents. – Farm products dropped next to nothing: Grain, Oats 4 cents-10 cents per bushel. Hogs:$3.00-$6.00. Barley: -.09 - .12 cents. Calves: $2.00 - $5.00. Butter.-10. cents Royal Proclamation(1763) Residential Schools
Treaty Rights & Intent(1876) Sixties Scoop
Identity Issues White-Paper
Indian Act Banning Ceremony
Lands & Rights Constitution, 1982
Government Policies Loss of Language
Reserve Development Rites of Passage
Pass Permit System Blanket of Diseases Effects on Saddle Lake ‘Nehiyowak’
The Royal Proclamation (1763) • British officials hoped the proclamation would reconcile American Indians to British rule and help to prevent future hostilities • The proclamation forms the basis of land claims of Indigenous peoples in Canada – First Nations, Inuit, and Metis. The Royal Proclamation of 1763 is thus mentioned in Section 25 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples • Was adopted by the General Assembly on Thursday, 13 September 2007, by a majority of 144 states in favour, 4 votes against (Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States) Pass Permit System •Forbids First Nations in the prairies from leaving their reserves
“No rebel Indians should be allowed off the Reserves without a pass signed by an I.D. official. The dangers of complications with white men will thus be lessened & by preserving a knowledge of individual movements any inclination to petty depredations may be checked by the facility of apprehending those who commit such offences.” – Hayter Reed
Banning Ceremonies 1880-81 • 1880; the Indian Act was revised to include a ban on the Sun Dance (also known as “Thirst Dance”) which would remain in place for the next 71 years • Reasons: the Sun Dance taking place during a critical time in farming and one should be close to their crops were provided • Moreover, the piercing ritual, which had been misunderstood as a mutilation was noted • Ultimately, underneath these reasons was the deeper reason: Administrators and missionaries understood the connections between spiritual practices and the persistence of indigenous social, economic, and political systems Residential Schools • The first residential school in Alberta was Blue Quill's Indian Residential School (Hospice of St. Joseph / Lac la Biche Boarding School) • Opened in 1862, moved to Blue Quill Indian Reserve #125, Saddle Lake, and closed in 1898 • The last residential school in Alberta was Immaculate Conception Boarding School (Blood Indian Residential School / St. Mary's Mission Boarding School) • Closed in 1975 Blue Quill’s Indian Residential School (St. Paul’s) • Father Mérer founded a Roman Catholic mission, Sacred Heart, at Saddle Lake in 1888 • The residential school opened in 1898 and was called Blue Quills but in 1931 the school moved to St. Paul • Bknown as the St. Paul's Boarding School; was of Roman Catholic denomination and under the jurisdiction of the Saddle Lake Indian Agency • Blue Quills became the first Native- administered school in Canada in 1970. The Indian Act • Comes into effect and creates Indian Agents, who had absolute control of all areas of Native life • Reservations are patterned after the Jewish Ghettos established throughout Europe • This forced the People into poverty and purposelessness: • Isolated Indians from other cultures • Led to impoverishment • Destroyed traditional religion and culture • The breaking up of families • Sexual exploitation • Fraud Government Policy – Indian Act (1876) • Legal power to the government to control the lives of First Nations communities across the country
• Included clauses about land, Indian status, and local government
• Defines who is considered a “Status Indian” that become treated like children in need of parental care by the government
• Before 1951, Status Indians were not deemed to be “people” under the laws of Canada, therefore, being denied certain rights that other Canadians enjoyed
• Status Indians could only become “persons” by voluntary enfranchisement – then they would be allowed to vote, own property, or have the rights of other Canadian citizens
• It also specified who could live on the reserves – government officials had power and could dictate where children would go to school
• Discriminated people by using infringed laws regarding alcohol use; it was illegal to own and/or consume alcohol for anyone falling under the Indian Act Blankets of Diseases • Gave blankets to First Nations, disguised in good will and intention • Caused many deaths via disease • “akoso”(sick)Road, • Vegreville, natives died from smallpox massive grave-yard
Types of Diseases • Cholera • Scarlet fever • Bubonic plague • Diphtheria • Small pox • Chicken pox • Influenza • Typhus • Pneumonia • Measles • Tuberculosis
❖ REFERENCES CITIED:
Matilda Brertton: Historical Events-100Years-Saddle Lake Reserve
http:www.saddlelake.ca/noflash/?page_id=222
https-sea1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/tl.0- 9/12938237_10153869065570660_76560569…
The Lake-Lander. Thursday March 23,2000 (p.7) – An Irish Homecoming; St. Brides Revisited, Rob W. Hendricks.
Power-Point submitted and prepared by: Mabel Shirt, S.L.