Poundmaker First Nation honours history of Treaty 6

It was a time of remembrance and celebration for Treaty Day on the Poundmaker Cree Nation.

The Cree Nation west of the Battlefords near Cut Knife came together to with ceremonies and activities to honour the signing of Treaty 6 yesterday, May 26. Poundmaker Cree Nation Headman Milton Tootoosis said the treaty is a significant part of their history.

“From what I was taught from my parents and my elders is treaty is why we are here,” Tootoosis said. “First and foremost, our ancestors entered into treaty and agreed to share over 120,000 acres of land with the newcomers.”

The day started off with a pipe ceremony at sunrise, a traditional ceremony to remember the act of signing the treaty and all three parties involved.

“At treaty signing events, say at Fort Carlton or Fort Pitt, they did include the pipe ceremony and again that’s symbolic of the promises that are being made and the commitments that are being made in the eyes of the Creator, not just between man. The third person there was the Creator,” Tootoosis said.

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The pipe ceremony was held on the Nation right next to Chief Poundmaker’s grave site, who Tootoosis called a hero to his people as well as a major part of First Nation politics and the signing of Treaty 6.

“He cautioned a lot of the other Chiefs at that time who were ready to sign their ‘x’ on the treaty. He had warned the Chiefs to be very cautious and to be careful as to what the Queen was offering his people,” Tootoosis said.

Tootoosis doesn’t believe Poundmaker was doing it to be negative; Poundmaker was just a cautious man who wanted the best for the people amidst all the promises made during the signing.

He also equated Poundmaker to other Chiefs like Big Bear, Red Pheasant and Little Pine who he said were instrumental and visionary people on the Prairies.

mkelly@jpbg.ca