Cardinal - Treaty elders of Saskatchewan : our dream is that our peoples will one day be clearly recognized as nations

Cardinal, Harold, 1945

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Our Dream Is That Our Peoples Will One Day Be Clearly Recognized As Nations

Harold Cardinal & Walter Hildebrandt

Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2019 with funding from Kahle/Austin Foundation

https://archive.org/details/treatyeldersofsaOOOOcard

Treaty Elders of Saskatchewan

Our Dream is That Our Peoples Will One Day Be Clearly Recognized as Nations

H. Cardinal and W. Hildebrandt

UNIVERSITY OF

CALGARY

PRESS

/ 3

HPP 17 TVFHT

V.

uNIVERSITY

L i B R A R Y

PETERBOROUGH, ONTARIO

2000 Harold Cardinal and Walter Hildebrandt. All rights reserved

Fourth Printing, 2008

University of Calgary Press 2500 University Drive NW Calgary, Alberta Canada T2N 1N4

Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data

Cardinal, Harold, 1945Treaty Elders of Saskatchewan

ISBN 1-55238-043-2

1. Indians of North AmericaSaskatchewanTreaties. 2. Indians of North AmericaSaskatchewanGovernment relations. I. Hildebrandt, W. (Walter),

1951- II- Title.

KES529.C37 2000 971.2400497 C00-911188-3

KF8205.C37 2000

^ ii*l We acknowledge the finadal support of the Government of Canada through the Book

C/tUlclQt! Publishing Industry Development Program (BPIDIP) for our publishing activities.

The Canada Council for the Arts Le Conseil des Arts du Canada

All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyrights hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any meansgraphic, electronic or mechanicalwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. Any request for photocopying, recording, taping or reproducing in information storage and retrieval systems of any part of this book shall be directed to CANCOPY, One Yonge Street, Suite 1900, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5E 1F.5.

Printed and bound in Canada by Friesens.

OO Phis book is printed on acid-free paper.

Foreword.vii

Preface.ix

Context.1

The Starting Point for Treaty Discussions.3

Shared First Nations Foundations.9

Iyiniw saweyihtakosiwin (The Peoples Sacred Gifts). 10

Miyo-wicehtowin (The Principle of Getting Along Well with Others,

Good Relations, Expanding the Circle).14

Wiyohtawimaw (The Divine Father) .18

Miskasowin (Finding Ones Sense of Origin and Belonging, Finding

Ones Self or Finding Ones Centre) .21

Kihci-asotamatowin (Sacred Promises to One Another, The Treaty

Sovereigns Sacred Undertakings) .25

Witaskewin (Living Together on the Land).39

Pimacihowin (Making a Living).43

Tapwewin (Speaking the Truth or Speaking with Precision

and Accuracy).48

Askiwipimacihowascikewina (Setting into Place Arrangements

for Livelihood, Living and Evolving Treaty Rights).60

Conclusion: so that they may have a good future .68

Notes.72

Glossary of Terms.78

Bibliography.81

/ ,,,-ums and numerous Elders Focus Sessions were held across the province of Saskatchewan with Elders from the Dene Cree, Assimboine, ms between 1997 and 2000. From left to right: Jacob Bill, the late Mrs. Toots Bill. Joe Stick. Agnes Alphonse. George Cannepotato, Allan ua Snrman Sunchild. Gordon Oakes. Senator Jonas Lariviere. Bart Dzeylion, Alfred Billette, Miles Musqua, Pat Robillard, and Sterling rass.

As Treaty Commissioner for Saskatchewan, I have heard many different perspectives about the treaties in Saskatchewan. Most Canadians, I think, are aware that First Nations accounts of the treaties at times differ from those afforded by a review of written treaty documents. What many people may not know is that those differences, when carefully examined, can serve to strengthen our understandings of the importance, solemnity and honour that was forged into the treaties in Saskatchewan at the turn of the last century.

The eloquently timeless wisdom of the words that belong to the Elders of Saskatchewan, as transcribed in this book, provide invaluable contemporary and historical insight. The need for this book, however, originated out of other requirements. The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations (FSIN) and the Government of Canada realized that the divergent paths they were following were not reducing the difficulties, frustration, and pain being experienced by First Nations people. In 1989, these two parties agreed to create an independent and impartial office which, at that time, would serve to research and provide recommendations on the issues of treaty land entitlement and education for First Nations in Saskatchewan. For this reason, the Office of the Treaty