Introduction

The Gold Rush

Aboriginal Culture

Chief Isidore

Chief Isidore

Rev. Coccola (FS-159.303)

I was Chief of an East Kootenay Ktunaxa band in the late 1800’s. My people and I lived in and around St. Eugene Mission, between Cranbrook and Fort Steele. It was a Catholic mission built in 1873 by Father Fouquet of the Catholic Church. Then, in 1887, Father Coccola took over Father Fouquet’s job. He was a man of great honour and learned to speak our language, along with the French and Italian languages that he already knew.

He ministered to our needs and the white men’s alike.

In the beginning we didn’t know Father Fouquet or if we should trust him but he soon proved himself to be a good kind man. My people and I slowly built our

Baling hay at St. Eugene’s Mission 1910's, BCARS (NA-41813)

homes near his and little by little St. Eugene Mission turned into a small community. Here we farmed crops of wheat and raised cattle. We also built a flourmill to grind our wheat. Because the bison that we had hunted for so many years were slowly becoming extinct my people began to raise cows as a major source of food.

My band lived in peace with the European settlers around us for many years.

Introduction		Trouble Starts