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©Keeseekoowenin 1998
Page 4
The Treaty referred to, Nº2, was signed on August 21, 1871, between Her Majesty's Commissioner, Wemyss M. Simpson, and "the Chippewa Tribe of Indians" inhabiting an area to the north and west of the just-concluded Treaty Nº1 area. The Treaty provided:
The purpose of the Treaty was "to open up to settlement and immigration" the land covered by the Treaty, and to ensure there would be "peace and good will between them and Her Majesty . ."
Chiefs and headmen were named by the assembled Indians. These officials were authorized on their behalf to conduct the negotiations and to sign the Treaty. Chiefs and headmen were to become responsible to Her Majesty for the faithful performance by their respective Bands "of such obligations as shall be assumed by them."
The Chiefs named were
Sousonse (Little Long Ears), "for the Swan Creek and Lake Manitoba Indians";
Masahkeeyash (He Who Flies to the Bottom) and "Richard Woodhouse, whose Indian name is Keweetahquinnayash (He Who Flies Around the Feathers), "for the Indians of Fairford and the neighbouring localities";
Francois or Broken Fingers "for the Indians of Waterhen River and Crane River and the neighbouring localities";
Mekis (The Eagle) or Giroux, "for the Indians of Riding Mountains and Dauphin Lake(3) and the remainder of the Territory hereby ceded".
Her Majesty's representatives, the Commissioner and Lieutenant Governor Adams G. Archibald, who was also present, "received and acknowledged the persons so presented as Chiefs and Headmen ..."
Her Majesty agreed and undertook "to lay aside and reserve for the sole and exclusive use of the Indians".
A "present" of $3 was given to each person "belonging to the Band here represented".
"Her Majesty's Commissioner shall, as soon as possible after the execution of this Treaty, cause to be taken an accurate census of all the Indians inhabiting the tract above described, distributing them in families, and shall in every year ensuing the date hereof, at some period during the month of August in each year . . . at or near their respective Reserves, pay to each Indian family of five persons the sum of $15, Canadian currency, or in like proportion for a larger or smaller family, such payment to be made in such articles as the Indians shall require of blankets, clothing, prints (assorted colours), twine, or traps, at the current cash price in Montreal, or otherwise if Her Majesty shall deem the same desirable in the interest of Her Indian people, in cash.
Persons of both Ojibway and European ancestry had a choice: they could enter Treaty and be citizens of the self-governing First Nations with the special direct relationship with the Crown, or they could become Canadians and relate to the Crown through the Canadian governmental system.
The Chiefs, on their own behalf and on behalf of their people, promised to strictly observe the Treaty, "to conduct and behave themselves as good and loyal subjects of Her Majesty the Queen, to obey and abide by the Law, to maintain peace and good order among themselves and with others. (Note that the Treaty did not make the First Nations people citizens of Canada -- their relationship with the Crown was to be a direct one.)
"Her Majesty agrees to maintain a School in each reserve hereby made whenever the Indians of the Reserve shall desire it."
Footnotes
3. Note there already seems to be two distinct groups: the Indians of Riding Mountain AND Dauphin Lake.(back)
