Carry the Kettle Nakoda First Nation
Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation (Assiniboine: Cegha Kin [Chay-gah-keen] 'Carries the Kettle', also known as Assiniboine First Nation or Assiniboine 76) is a Nakota (Assiniboine) First Nation located approximately 80 km (50 mi) east of Regina, Saskatchewan, and 13 km (8.1 mi) south of Sintaluta, Saskatchewan. The reservation is in the Treaty 4 territory.
 | |
| People | Nakoda |
|---|---|
| Treaty | Treaty 4 |
| Headquarters | Sintaluta |
| Province | Saskatchewan |
| Land[1] | |
| Main reserve | Assiniboine 76 |
| Other reserve(s) |
|
| Population (2019)[2] | |
| On reserve | 892 |
| On other land | 0 |
| Off reserve | 2029 |
| Total population | 2921 |
| Government[3] | |
| Chief | Brady O'Watch |
| Tribal Council[4] | |
| File Hills Qu'Appelle Tribal Council | |
| Website | |
| cegakin.com | |
History
In 1859 John Pallisers expedition (Spry) Palliser, Stoney Guides as well modern day now known southern Alberta Bloods identified Cypress Hills as being ‘Assiniboine country/ territory’. The bloods were deathly afraid of going with Palliser there. As we went south west along the South Saskatchewan River from the Red Deer Forks, only the Stoney guide named Nimrod accompanied him in the July towards the Cypress Hills. As they made their way toward what is now known as Elk Water Alberta or Head of the Mountain, their Stoney/Nakoda guide came across camps. He was able to communicate with the Carry the Kettle ancestors there at Elk Water Lake.
The ancestors of the modern "Carry the Kettle #76" First Nation/Reserve signed adhesion to Treaty 4 at Fort Walsh on September 25, 1877. The three Assiniboine chiefs who signed the treaty 4 adhesion were Man Who Takes The Coat (Cuwiknaga Je Eyaku, in the Assiniboine/Nakoda language), Long Lodge (Teepee Hoksa), and Lean ManMosquito-Grizzly Bear's Head-Lean Man (Wica Hostaka).
The band had ancestors who were unfortunate victims on the Cypress Hills Massacre on June 1, 1873. When a gang of American Wolfers massacres around 300 Assiniboine at Battle Creek in the Cypress Hills. The newly created North West Mounted Police (now Royal Canadian Mounted Police) who were Old Tomorrow's response to the incident, couldn't bring the perpetrators to justice.
As mentioned the tribe signed adhesion to treaty 4 in Cypress Hills in Fort Walsh. The chief who sign were Chief Man Who Takes the Coat (čuwiknaga he eyaku) Long Lodge (Tibi Hanska) as well as Lean Man (wiča hoštaka). The federal government began to create the reserve in the fall of 1879 as Edgar E Dewdney made his way into the Cypress Hills as the new Indian Commissioner and did the ‘duty to consult’ and ‘meetings of the minds’ in all treaty 4,6 and 7 that spring summer and fall of 1879.
The Nakoda / Assiniboine wanted their reserve at the west end of the Cypress Hills at Head of the Mountain. Which was their spiritually significant home as their held their annual sundance and vision quests in Medicine Lodge Coulee. This reserve had a creek running through it as it was called Maple Creek. As John McCoun observed in 1879, Maple creek was the only creek that drained its waters from the Cypress Hills into the South Saskatchewan River. So DLS Allan Ponytz Patrick surveyed a Reserve and Called it the Assiniboine Reserve in the Cypress Hills. This reserve was 340 squared miles. This 340 square mile reserve would have been enough for 1700 Assiniboine Indians. As per the treaty 4 and Indian act one square mile for family of 5. The south boundary ran west to east from the Head of the Mountain all the west for 1@ miles until you start the descend down to Reesor Lake. Then North to Lake of Many Isles for 34 miles. Back west from that point for another 10 miles then southward back to the Head of the Mountain.
JJ English was the Farm instructor who was to help the Assiniboine learn how to farm at their head of the Mountain home farm. Which he did. With great success. English knew you could successfully grow at that altitude. So he made the home farm in Medicine Lodge Coulee. Which today is occupied by a good course. In a coulee you could successfully yield potatoes and barley. English knew of this.
So the tribe planted a successful crops in 1880 and again in 1881. Then everything went astray for the Assiniboine once the federal government decided to reroute the CPR southbound instead of the original modern day Highway 16 route. So once this was decided fortunes turned for the Assiniboine as the railway was coming straight smack dab through their reserve. This was decided in May 1881. By then the Assiniboine has their crops in the ground at the head of the Mountain and also on another home farm 10 miles north within the Assiniboine Reserve on Maple Creek. This was called the Maple Creek Farm. Assiniboine planted crops there too in 1880 and 1881. Dewdney began to write contradicting reports of the farming at Cypress Hills Assiniboine Reserve. It was successful but he needed to justify the unlawful removal, Genocide and breach of trust of many treaty 4 and Indian act laws that he and his buddy Sir John A MCDonald would commit. Sir John A also got massive kick backs from Sands Mill, which took timber from the Assiniboine reserve and used them for the rail way. Sands mill was in operation from 1883 and was in production on Elk Water Lake in the Heart of the Assiniboine reserve 🤭🤫
So the government send in Edwin Allen to obtain a land surrender which he tried in 5 occasions to obtain from chiefs man who take the coat, long lodge and lean man. If there's any indication to fact and truth in the world on this matter, it would be that if you are seeking to obtain a valid land surrender as per Indian act by a Canadian government employee from treaty 4. Would may allude that you are acknowledging that the reserve was created and was valid. Of course the Indian claims commission failed to see this in 2000... so it continues...
So they couldn't obtain a valid land surrender with signatures from the 3 Assiniboine chiefs. As the train was fast approaching they had to remove them. So they did in may of 1882. Made them walk to south of present-day Indian head. Which was characterized as a military escort. Starved them out. Each of those chiefs and a new leader Grizzley Bears head were promised their own reserves in new locations. So long lodge and man who takes the coat were given their own reservations south of Indian head and qu’ appelle. Lean Man and Grizzly bears head were given their own reserves along by Treaty 6 Stoney Chief Mosquito in the Eagle Hills by Battleford.
In August 1882 Long Lodge and others went back to their Original Reserve in the Cypress Hills. They got starved out that winter. May 1883 as the Railway approached their reserve at present day Walsh on the AB/SK border. Something happened. Indians were thrown into jail. Leaders were jailed as well many died. The Unauthorized History of the RCMP called it a railway workers strike 🤫. So all the Assiniboine were taken to the newly created town of Maple Creek. Put onto flat deck railcars and shipped back to this new unwanted reserve south of Indian Head. The railcarrs skidded off the track. Many Assiniboine died. So they walked the rest of the way. Twice removed. Population at the time of Cypress Hills Assiniboine Reserve survey 1880: 1700 Assiniboine. Population of Assiniboine south of Indian Head in 1883. 300 total. You do the math.
Carry the Kettle is currently holding Canada Accountable for these actions in the name of national policy. Canada needs to know and acknowledge the role that the Carry the Kettle Bnad members and their ancestors have played in the development of this great country.
References
- "First Nation Detail". Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
- "First Nation Detail". Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
- "First Nation Detail". Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
- "First Nation Detail". Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
- Carry the Kettle First Nation Inquiry: Cypress Hills Claim (PDF) (commission inquiry report), P.E. James Prentice, Roger J. Augustine, and Carole T. Corcoran (panel), Indian Claims Commission, July 2000, pp. 209–326, retrieved September 17, 2014CS1 maint: others (link)
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