UNIVERSITÉ DU QUÉBEC À MONTRÉAL THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ABENAKI BAND COUNCIL IN ODANAK, 1812-19 14 SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE MASTER'S DEGREE IN HISTORY BY TRISTAN RHEAUME JONES SEPTEMBER 2013 UNIVERSITÉ DU QUÉBEC À MONTRÉAL Service des bibliothèques · Avertissement La diffusion de ce mémoire se fait dans le~ respect des droits da son auteur, qui a signé le formulaire Autorisation de reproduire et de diffuser un travail de recherche de cycles r; up~rtsurs (SDU-522- Rév.01-2006). Cette autorisation stipula qua <<conformément à l' article 11 du Règlement no 8 des études de cycles supérieurs, [l'auteur) concède à l' Université du Québec à Montréal une llc~nce non exclusive d'utilisation et de . publication .de la totalité ou d'une partie Importante de [son] travail de rechercha pour des fins pédagogiques et non commerciales. Plus précisément, [l'auteur) autorise l'Université du Québec à Montréal à reproduire, diffuser, prêter, distribuer ou vendre des copies da. [son] travail de rechercha à dea flns non commerciales sur quelque support que ce soit, y compris l'Internet. Cette licence et cette autorisation n'entrainent pas une renonciation da [la) part [de l'auteur) à [ses] droits moraux nt à [ses) droits da propriété intellectuelle. Sauf ententé contraire, [l'auteur) conserve la liberté de diffuser et de c mmer 1 li r n n val n [il] po èd un exemplaire.» UNIVERSITÉ DU QUÉBEC À MONTRÉAL L'IMPLANTATION DU CONSEIL DE BANDE CHEZ LES ABÉNAKIS D' ODANAK, 1812-1914. MÉMOIRE PRÉSENTÉ COMME EXIGENCE PARTIELLE DE LA MAÎTRISE EN HISTOIRE PAR TRISTAN RHÉAUME JONES SEPTEMBRE 20 13 To THE ONE AND ONLY JOHN JONES FATHER, TEACHER, BEST MATE, AND THE REASON FOR IT ALL WISH YOU COULD STJLL BE HERE TO WJTNESS THE REST ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Master's rèsearch paper could only have been completed thanks to the support of the Université du Québec à Montréal. My sincerest regards to my superviser Dr. Alain Beaulieu for his patience and dedication in guiding me through the project despite a number of trials and setbacks. I must also acknowledge the members of the Chair of Research on the Question of Indigenous Terri tory, firstly for their commitment in making many archivai documents readily available, but particularly for creating a stimulating environment to carry on my research within their wider objectives. I would also like to thank McGill University. Luckily, the years I spent there as a Bachelor student led me to meet Dr. Elizabeth Elbourne and Dr. Margaret Kuo, both of whom were instrumental in my decision to pursue my career in history. Finally, to my parents: no words can start expressing my gratitude. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............. .. .. ............. ...... .. ..... ... ........ ......................... ...... .. ... .. .... ii ABSTRACT ....... .... ........... ....... .................................. .. ............ .... ................. .. .. ................. vii INTRODUCTION .......... ........ ... ......................... ......... .. ..... .... .. ..... .. ... .. .............................. 1 1. Case Study: Odanak .. ..... .............. .. ........................... .................................... ............... .... 2 1.1. Timeframe ........................ ~ ... ...... ................... .. ....... ............ .... ....... ....... ..... ... ... 3 1.2. Research Objectives ..... ............ .... .... ......... ......... .. ........... ......... ...... .. ... ...... ....... 4 2. Historiographie Perspectives .... ..................... ........... ...... .............. ..... ................ ........ ...... 6 2.1. Historiographie Context ....................... .... ..................................... ................... 6 2.2. Discourse Assaulted, Deconstructed, and Rebuilt: Indigenous His tory at the Crossfire .... ...... .......................... .. .... ... ......... ..... ... ... ... ... ........................ ............. ..... 7 2.3 Paradigm Shifts .......................... ... ..... ... ......................................... ... .... ...... ...... 8 3. Indigenous Political Culture in Epistemological Currents .... ....... ....... ....... ........... .. .. ..... 11 3.1. Study ofCanadian Policies ........................ ........ ......................... ................. .. 14 3.2. Judiciary Implications ................ ... ........... .......................... ........ .. .. .. .. .. .. ...... .. 16 4. Methodology and Sources ................. ...... .. ... ... .... ....... .. ............. .. .. ......................... .. ... ... 19 5. Outline of Chapters ............................................. .... .... .. ......................... ... .... .. ........... .... 21 CHAPTERI THE ABENAK.IS: HISTORICAL CONTEXT .............................................................. .. 23 1. People of the Dawn: the Abenaki at European contact... ............ .. ................................. 23 1.1. Migrations: the Settling of Saint-Francis 1 Odanak ............ .... ............. .... ....... 24 1.2. Military Conflicts ....................... ............... ........ .... ...... .. .. ... .... ........................ 27 2. Abenaki Culture at a Crossroad .... ............................ .. ................. .......... .... .. .................. 29 3. Undermining Traditional Land Tenure: Precursory Measures ..... .. .. .................... .. ...... 34 3.1 . Hunting Territory: Competition, Demographies, Intervention .................... .. 36 3.2. Non-Indians using Odanak's land ................... .... .... ....................................... 37 3.3. Neighboring Non-Indians and Abenaki Land .... .... ...... .... ..... .. ....................... 39 4. Conclusion ...... ........................... ... .... .. ... ... .. ........................... ....... .. ................ .. .. .. ......... 42 v CHAPTERII ELABORATION AND EVOLUTION OF OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT POLICY ........ 44 1. Fashioning the British Imperial Vision .............. .. ........... .. ..................... : .. .... ............ ... .. 46 1.1. F annulation of Property Law ...... .. .... ...... ...... ... ........... .......... ........ .............. ... 51 2. Indian Allies Become Obsolete - Establishment of the ' Civilization Po licy' ............... 56 3. 19th Century Policy Ma.king: Deciding the Future Fate oflndians in Canada ..... .......... 58 3 .1. Commissions of Inquiry and the Passing of Legislation: Pillars of the Indian Act ..... ... .. ......... .. ........... .... .... ... ..................... .... ... ......... .. ...... ... ....... .. ..... .... .. .......... 59 3.2. Creation of Band Government .... .. ........ .... ... .. .... ...... .. ... ...... ...... .. ........ .... ....... 63 4. Conclusion ..... ........................ ..................................... .. .... ......... ........... ......................... 67 CHAPTERIII THE BAND CO UNCIL GOVERNMENT T AIŒS ROOT ....................... .. ........... .. ........ 70 1. First Elections in St-Francis ................ .............................................. ...... .. ... .. .. ........ ...... 71 2. Procedure ..................................................... ........................... .. ... ............... .. ................. 74 3. Participation .................................. ............. .. .. ..... ................... .. .......... .......... ......... ......... 76 4. Administrating the Band: The Elected Council Self-Determined? .. ......... ..................... 78 Band Fund ..... .. ................ ...... ..... ...................................... .. ... ... .. ..... ...................... 79 Territory .............................. .......... ... ..... ... ... ...................... ..... ................ .. ....... ... ... 80 Membership ........ .... .. .......................... ...... ... ..... ... ...... ....................... ................ ..... 83 5. Conclusion .................................................................. ... .. .......... ........ .. ............. .. .. ......... 85 CHAPTERIV EMERGENCE OF A NEW POLITICAL CULTURE ...................................................... 86 1. Change in the Guard .......................................................................... ............................ 87 1.1 . Competing for Influence According to new Standards ...... : ... ... ................... .. 87 1.2. Traditional Leaders Undermined .. ................................................................. 90 1.3. Rise ofPolitical Competition ................. .... ......................... .... ....................... 93 Joseph Laurent ....................................... ............................................................... 94 2. Opportunities Through the Band Council: Position, Power and Prestige? ................... 96 2.1. Struggle for Influence ................................................................................... 97 2.2. The Brosseau Commission ....................................................... ............. ......... 99 2.3 . The Culture ofProtest and Internai Turbulence ........................................... 100 Vl 3. Conclusion ............................ .... .... ........ .... .. ....... .: ... ...... ... .. ............. ........... .................. 103 CONCLUSION .. ................ .... .. ............. ... .................... ... ..... ................. .. ......................... 105 REFERENCES ..... ............... .. ... .... ... ......... ....................................................................... 110