Powwow marks 150 years of Treaty 4

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/07/2024 (618 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Powwows are always a special occasion, but there were a couple of factors adding to the excitement at Rolling River First Nation this past weekend.

Last week, Rolling River celebrated the 150th anniversary of the signing of Treaty 4 and that celebration carried over to the weekend, with some community members proudly wearing their treaty medallions around their neck.

“This past Thursday, we had a pipe ceremony, we had a feast honouring our ancestors that signed Treaty 4 for our people,” said Rolling River Chief Wilfred McKay in his opening remarks following the 1 p.m. grand entry on Saturday.

“This powwow is extra special because we’re celebrating that 150 since the treaty was signed.”

Treaty 4 was signed over 10 days in 1874 at Fort Qu’Appelle and Fort Ellice, Sask. by the Crown and First Nations from what are now Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

One of the special guests on Saturday was Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Cathy Merrick.

“Today, we still have to fight for our rights as a people,” Merrick said. “I’m very grateful to be here, I’ve never been here … have a happy two-day celebration of prayers and other healing dances for you and your people.”

A century and a half later, band councillor Claude Shannacappo said the Crown has yet to live up to its obligations to treaty signatories.

“It’s been 150 years of them trying to break the treaty,” Shannacappo said.

He said an element of that discussed by the community is the Manitoba Natural Resources Act of 1930, part of a series of acts passed by Parliament that year granting certain provinces rights over natural resources previously controlled by the Crown.

“The Government of Canada had no right to transfer those resources to the provinces, didn’t consult with the owners or the caretakers of this community, of Treaty 4,” he said. “I think that there’s a long way to go. We talk about real reconciliation, that’s not happening properly.”

This weekend was also the last time that the Ojibwe First Nation will hold a powwow at its current arbour, located right next to Highway 10 about 10 kilometres south of Erickson and 75 kilometres north of Brandon.

Shannacappo said there will be a new structure and campground about 450 meters further to the west, farther away from the highway.

When it comes time for the current arbour to be taken down, he said, there’s a protocol that needs to be followed rather than just tearing it apart.

“There’s tobacco to be had and also prayers from the elders,” Shannacappo said. “To do it in a proper way that recognizes our ancestors.”

Laura McKay, part of the powwow committee, said Rolling River’s powwow is considered traditional. That means that while there is some element of competition among the dancers and drummers present, it’s not the main focus.

“Our traditional powwows welcome everybody to come dance and sing … it’s basically to bring everybody together and to just have a good weekend,” McKay said.

Among the types of dance on display over the weekend were traditional jingle dress dances, grass dances and chicken dances for men, women and “tiny tots who are practising to be those types of dancers,” she added.

The Sun visited the powwow on Saturday afternoon, when the first of three grand entries over the weekend was taking place.

Lined up under the circular powwow arbour were groups of people sitting on lawn chairs or bleachers, interspersed with drumming groups from different communities.

Before the grand entry, each of the drumming groups took a turn performing a song as a man with a wireless microphone on a stand walked between them to make sure everyone present could hear the performance through the sound system.

That was followed by a performance from some young grass dancers and a smudging before dancers were slowly brought into the circle from the arbour’s eastern entrance by age group and category to show off their regalia.

Some participants in the grand entry carried eagle staffs or flags. Some belonged to families, some belonged to visiting communities like Ebb and Flow First Nation.

Some of the flags called attention to causes important to the participants, like Treaty 4, missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls or Every Child Matters.

Visitors also came from Skownan First Nation, Waywayseecappo First Nation and some Parks Canada workers came down from Riding Mountain National Park.

After the grand entry, Rebecca Jarlock, her partner and her three children sat in the shade underneath a tent and enjoyed some lunch together. The rest of the family was dressed up and ready to dance while Jarlock said she was content to just watch.

The family was visiting from O-Chi-Chak-Ko-Sipi First Nation, formerly known as Crane River, as part of their goal to attend as many powwows as possible this year.

Rolling River marked their fifth powwow of the season and the target is to go to “probably at least three or four more.”

“This is actually my record this year,” Jarlock said. “This is my first time going to more than two powwows.”

» cslark@brandonsun.com

» X: @ColinSlark