FIRST NATIONS METIS INUIT Prepared by Larry McCallum Consultant Images are copyrighted by the owners For Personal Use Only May 20, 2009

DEFINITIONS  Aboriginal – the descendants of the original inhabitants of Turtle Island (North America)  This is an umbrella term used to categorize all people of Indian, Metis and Inuit ancestry into a single entity.  Usage is acceptable if your intention is to categorize all nations into a single entity

What’s In a Name?  First Nations – new term, referring to the ancestors of the original inhabitants who are classified by the term “Indian”  replaces the term ‘Indian’ except in reference to the Act  Umbrella term for those recognized by the Indian Act.

What’s in a Name?  Indian – legal term under the ‘Indian Act’; The Act defines who can be an ‘Indian’  May have three legal definitions:  Status – means you fit under the Indian Act; registered, thus have ‘status’; every “Indian” has status  Treaty – has status, plus belong to a First Nation that signed a treaty  Non-status – claim Indian/First Nations status, yet are not registered under the Act. They identify with a First Nations or Inuit Community culturally or linguistically

FIRST NATIONS IN SASKATCHEWAN (Commonly used term in brackets)  NEHIYAWIK (Cree)  DENE (Chipewyan, but not recommended)  ANISHINABE (Ojibway; Saulteaux)  LAKOTA (Sioux), DAKOTA (Sioux), NAKOTA (Sioux; Assiniboine; Stoney but not recommeded)

Circle of Life ROCK WATERWATER EARTH GRASSES CHILDHOOD WINGED ONES HONESTY ORDER FOUR LEGGED SOUTH - SUMMER TREES STARS NORTH -WINTER DEATH/OLD AGE HARMONY CREATOR PURITY WIND FIREFIRE SUNSUN FLOWERSFLOWERS BIRTH INFACYBIRTH INFACY TWO LEGGEDTWO LEGGED EAST SPRINGEAST SPRINGEAST SPRINGEAST SPRING LOVELOVE CONTROLCONTROL WEST AUTUMNWEST AUTUMNWEST AUTUMNWEST AUTUMN UNSELFISHNESSUNSELFISHNESS BALANCEBALANCE ADULTHOODADULTHOOD SWIMMERSSWIMMERS VEGETABLESVEGETABLES MOONMOON

Traditional First Nations Spirituality God / Creator / Great Sprit / Great Mystery Sun/Moon/Earth/Stars Rock/Fire/Air/Water Plant Life Insect World Swimmers / Flyers Four Legged Creatures Humanity This is the circle in hierarchal form Each depends on order above or at the same level for survival. Everything in the natural world has a spirit. Some nations have the Earth, Sun, Moon, Stars at a level next to the Creator

THE METIS  Aboriginal peoples of mixed ancestry, part First Nations, part European  Example: Cree and French  On the prairies, they maintain a distinct and separate culture  French Metis fly the blue flag and the English/British Metis fly the red flag; remnants of the NWCo. and the HBCo.  Spirituality: Christian based

The Middle World Perspective  Racist views are directed from the First Nations and from the Euro-Canadians  We aren’t able to fit into either world  The constitution recognized the Metis as one of the three aboriginal groups and created a “box” we have to fit in  Many Metis view the treaties negatively due to being left out of the process  Metis harvesting rights, won through Canadian courts are often overturned by higher courts

Perspective Continued  Issues of ‘identity’ continue to plague the Metis nation. Just who can be a Metis?  Metis people often try to disappear into the Euro-Canadian world  Political blundering continues to shed negatively on all Metis people and Metis communities  There is no land base for Metis people, except in Alberta.  The Metis land Claim in Saskatchewan was turned down by the supreme court in December 2007

THE REALITY TODAY  Struggle for recognition; the ‘forgotten people’  Struggle for “Identity”  Caught between two worlds/realities  Political strife

INUIT  Formerly referred to as Eskimos  Recognized as a separate group under the Charter

FOUNDATIONS OF CANADA Read from the bottom up. This is the beginning of Treaties.

Foundations con’t …

Sayings of the Elders  “In the old days, no one would have dreamed about laying claim to the land. It belonged, not just to the Dene, but to the moose, caribou, bears and bears as well. The river was shared by the fish in it and the people on it.” Andrew Chapeskie, Alaskan Dene Nation

TREATY MAP OF SASKATCHEWAN

Treaty Land in Saskatchewan  100% of Saskatchewan is treaty territory  That means all of Saskatchewan was taken by the Treaties  Approximately 97% of Saskatchewan is made up of Crown land or private land  Zero % is set aside for Metis people  Approximately 4% is set aside for road allowance

Treaty Land in Saskatchewan  Approximately 3% of Saskatchewan is made up of reserve territory; these lands were set aside by the Federal Government for First Nations use  The reserves are technically the property of the federal government  “The 97% is supposed to look after the 3%”

TREATY MAP OF SASKATCHEWAN

In Saskatchewan, we are all Treaty people!

FIRST NATIONS TREATY RIGHTS  Once-for-all Expenditures:  $12/person  farm stock and equipment  seed, tool; flag, medal, horse, harness and wagon for each chief (or two carts in lieu

First Nation Treaty Rights  Recurring incidental Expenditures:  $1500/year for ammo and twine  triennial clothing  $1000 a year for “provisions” for first 3 years

First Nation Treaty Rights  Annuities:  By census: $25 per chief  $15 per headman  $5 per Indian

First Nation Treaty Rights  Schooling:  Maintain schools on reserves, as advisable, at peoples’ request

First Nation Treaty Rights  Medical Chest:  Under Agent’s direction, maintain a medicine chest for the benefit of Indians  Assistance in case of pestilence or famine

First Nation Treaty Rights  Intoxicants:  Prohibit liquor on reserve until authorized by legislation  Protect Indians from evils of intoxicants

 Reserve Lands:  Provide 1sq. Mile per family of 5 (640 Acres)  Not sell, lease, or dispose” of reserve lands unless agreed to by Indians  Compensate for reserve lands taken for public works  Deal with intruders

 Ceded Lands:  Permit hunting, fishing and trapping, except on tracts of land taken up for mining, lumbering, settlement or other purposes, and subject to federal regulations

Sayings of the Elders  “Our people respected the Creator’s beings, and as a result, on our long history of dominance on this continent, none of the animals we hunted ever became extinct.” Chief John Snow, Wesley Band, Stoney Nation

FIRST NATIONS TREATY RESPONSIBILITIES  TITLE:  “Cede, release, surrender and yield up” specified lands to the crown FOREVER; plus “transfer and relinquish”  There is a major difference in perspective on this point

First Nation Treaty Responsibilities  PEACE, LAW AND GOOD ORDER:  Observe treaty and law  Maintain peace and order  Not molest settlers or other bonafide persons  Aid in apprehending Indian offenders  “conduct and behave themselves as good and loyal subjects of Her Majesty”

First Nation Treaty Responsibilities  LAND USE – RESERVE LANDS:  Not to sell or alienate reserve lands  Not to alienate lands without consent of Governor-General-in-Council

Chiefs sign Treaty #6

EURO-CANADIAN TREAT RIGHTS  Mobility in each treaty area after the signing  Own/purchase land in each treaty area after signing  Access to the resources in the treaty area  Rights of a Canadian citizen (Canada built largely on a foundation of the Treaties)

EURO-CANADIAN TREATY RESPONSIBILITIES  Annuities of $25/chief; $15/headman; $5/Indian  Schooling – maintain schools on reserves at peoples’ request  Medical Care – provide a medicine chest; and provide assistance in case of pestilence or famine

Euro-Canadian Treaty Responsibilities  Reserves: provide reserves of appropriate size  Compensate First Nations for reserve lands taken from them  Not ‘sell, lease or dispose’ of reserve lands unless agreed to by First Nations  Deal with intruders

Euro-Canadian Treaty Responsibilities  Permit hunting, fishing and trapping on ceded lands subject to federal regulations

THE REALITY?  Erosion of First Nations treaty rights  Treaty land taken away without notice  Definition of Treaty Indian changed  Benefits don’t reflect the times.