Backgrounder

The Sakimay First Nation (formerly the Sakimay Band) is a Cree-speaking nation located east of Regina, Saskatchewan, near the community of Grenfell. Today’s Sakimay First Nation is a combination of the Sakimay or Mosquito Band and the Little Bone Band. Historically, the Sakimay Band was part of the Fort Ellice Band led by Waywayseecappo, who signed Treaty 4 in 1874.

Following the signing of Treaty 4, Sakimay and his followers were paid treaty annuities with Waywayseecappo and were listed under his paylist until 1881, when a separate paylist was drawn up for them. Following Sakimay’s death, the Band split into two groups; one group was led by Yellow Calf, the other by Shesheep. Each group was paid treaty annuities separately until 1883, when they were recombined under one paylist.

In 1881, Indian Reserve (IR) 74 was surveyed for the Sakimay First Nation on the south side of Crooked Lake, where the group led by Yellow Calf resided. IR 74A, consisting of 1,651.2 acres on the north side of Crooked Lake, was set aside in 1884 for Shesheep and his followers. In 1889, additional lands were added to this reserve and its size was confirmed as 3,584 acres.

By 1887, the Sakimay First Nation had developed close ties with the Little Bone Band, which occupied IR 73A, on Leech Lake, near the Sakimay reserve. It is thought that Little Bone’s Band was represented at Treaty 4 by his half-brother, Cowessess. Little Bone and his followers were paid their treaty annuities with Cowessess until 1881, when a separate paylist was created for them.

As early as 1885, correspondence between Department of Indian Affairs officials acknowledged the close ties between the bands located in the Crooked Lake area, including the Sakimay and Little Bone Bands.

Little Bone and his followers were paid annuities under the Sakimay paylist from 1887 on. By 1907, the Department of Indian Affairs acknowledged that the two bands had amalgamated and proceeded to formalize the arrangement. Both bands voted in favour of amalgamation, and the Little Bone Band voted to surrender IR 73A for sale.

In the early 1980s, the Sakimay First Nation submitted a claim alleging an outstanding treaty land entitlement. The claim was rejected by the Department of Indian Affairs in 1984. The First Nation completed further research and resubmitted the claim in 1997. Following the rejection of this submission in 2002, the First Nation requested that the ICC conduct an inquiry into its rejected specific claim.

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