Jack Downey Comments on Canadian Issues to Inform and Amuse.

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125 Years Ago The Blackfoot Chief Crowfoot Signed Treaty # 7 allowing the CPR passage through Alberta to British Columbia and led to Canada's Confederation................



Background.

After the Battle of the Little Big Horn, the Sioux, led by Chiefs Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse, came across the 'Medicine Line' to gain protection from the revenge of the American Government, who had formed a large army that set out to annihilate the Indian victors.

The North West Mounted Police (now Royal Canadian Mounted Police), under the command of Colonel Mcleod and Major Brisbois 2I/C were the authority for the government of Canada in Alberta. The US Army systematically burnt off the prairie grass in front of the migrating buffalo herds for hundreds of miles, curtailing their customary movement North. This effective tactic put terrible stress on the Natives in Canada, as the few buffalo that had remained and wintered over were soon killed off for food. The addition of the Sioux brought the Canadian Natives, collectively, close to starvation.

The Canadian government put additional pressure on the situation by directing Mcleod to convince the Sioux to return to the US in response to US diplomatic demands. This put Sitting Bull and Mcleod between 'a dry Buffalo Chip and a Hard Place.' After many meetings and an agreement mediated by Mcleod between Sitting Bull and the US Army, the Sioux returned to the USA and disarmed. They were marched to an inadequate Reservation at Pine Ridge, South Dakota. It was there, at Wounded Knee creek, where the US Army eventually took it's revenge for the demise of the Seventh Cavalry commanded by Gen. G.A.Custer. It is of note that the Indians call it THE BATTLE OF THE LITTLE BIG HORN, while the US Army call it THE MASSACRE AT THE LITTLE BIG HORN and the Indians call it THE MASSACRE AT WOUNDED KNEE, while the US Army call it THE BATTLE AT WOUNDED KNEE. Keep in mind that, at the Little Big Horn, all participants were fully armed, while at Wounded Knee, the Indians had very few weapons and were on starvation rations, but the Army was fully armed and were well fed. Someone seems to be speaking with forked tongue, as the Army attacked the Indians in both cases!

Meanwhile, in Canada, Prime Minister John A McDonald (AKA Big Mac) had cut a deal with the biggest land grabbers since Ghengis Kahn, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), led by Donald Smith, later Lord Strathcona. They were contracted to build a railway to British Columbia to bring her into Confederation. Lord Strathcona almost bankrupted the young Canada in the process, but eventually the CPR was built to the Pacific Ocean, in effect, by permission of the Blackfoot Confederacy ceding southern Alberta.

The Plains Indians were in the way, so "Big Mac," our first Prime Minister who liked his firewater, set up a Treaty Commission who parlayed with the Chiefs of the Blackfoot Confederacy (Blackfoot, Stonies, Blood, and Peigans.) The Indians had no concept of 'land ownership', but all the great promises made (few kept) sounded like a good answer to the disappearing buffalo culture. Treaty #7 was signed. The CPR went through and Settlers came (many from the US, including a large group of Mormons). Soon Railway Stations and John A. MacDonald's Big Mac stands dotted the Prairie landscape and are seen to this very day, commemorating the biggest land grab in Canadian history.

Part 2

125 years later on the Blackfoot Reservation (60 km. East of Calgary), at the original Treaty # 7 site on the Bow river at 'Blackfoot Crossing', a reenactment ceremony took place. The whole thing was organized and set up in this gorgeous river valley. There were only a gravel road and finally a grassy trail to the wide oxbow flat, once buffalo pastureland. Many teepees and large 'Mark E' tents were set up. The young Blackfoot people were Parking Marshals, Golf cart guides/driver/ plus First Aid and Security. It was a fine sight to see their involvement and how great their pride and enthusiasm for this very special historical re-enactment manifested itself.

My chum Griff and I arrived on the site at about noon on an overcast autumn day. The colorfully painted teepees on this golden prairie river bottom took our breath away. We were guided to a grassy parking spot and a charming young lady took us via Golf-cart to the Food Vendors area to catch some Bannock for lunch. It was a experience! The contract for food vending had brought in 4 or 5 GERRY BUILT BUSES CONVERTED to SOMETHING AKIN to GUT-WAGONS or mobile Ptomaine Sellers (NOTE owned and operated by Pale Faces). This off Reserve contractual agreement was made to allow maximum participation of the Natives in all the ceremonies. This may have been a subtle, but effective revenge ploy for all the Rot Gut whiskey sold to the Indians lo these many years ago. I would have preferred the Rot Gut whiskey to the hideous Paleface grub. This was the only ruffle in an otherwise great day.

To the south of the encampments stands a high bluff, which in itself is a remarkable sky line, but when a very large number of mounted male and female Indians were sky-lined your heart skipped a beat. Members of the Blackfoot Confederacy, some from as far away as Montana, where the ride began, picking up more and more riders as they passed the Blood and Peigans and Stony reserves, appeared in line abreast against the grey sky. You now knew how Custer felt at the Little Big Horn. The mounted group then came down a trail in column. It looked like they came from the skyand then into their village to show their peaceful intent. After circling inside the Teepee common area, they dismounted for further ceremonies. Truly a spectacular re-enactment. The James Fenamore Cooper (the Last of the Mohicans) 'The Noble Red Man' at his/her best.


Arrival of Riders and dismounting after a long historic ride..

Part 3

How Legends are Made

Old Geezers see things that young people do not understand. Legends are needed for the young to sit around a Teepee fire on a harsh Prairie winter night; while a Blue Northern blizzard howls and wails in the darken sky. As the clouds go scudding by, the crackling fire flickers light across the faces of the young who toast strips of pemmican on sticks over the open fire. There are no Gameboys, TVs or PC games that interest them so, to ensure there is no squabbling, the Elders tell of past glories that teach of the tribal lores and traditions. This is called 'Counting Coup'. Elders are expected to be users of hyperbolae, but to maintain the basic story line.

Oral history is an important part of all cultures. Imagine that now we are in the Teepee of Chief Rain Cloud and his wife Snow Flake who, for family and tribal oral brevity are called CRC and SF.

One of the young girls asks CRC if he'll tell them of the tale of the two Pale Faced Geezers that came to the Celebration of the 125th anniversary of the signing of Treaty # 7. CRC is quietly smoking his pipe and reading The Wall Street Journal and waves her request away. The children set up a chant of 'CRC Treaty, Treaty - CRC Treaty -Treaty!' so. as always, the paper is folded and set aside and the pipe refilled, but before CRC can begin, the other villagers, who have heard the children's chant, crowd into the Teepee until it is almost overflowing. SF hands out scalding mugs of Rose Hip tea to all her guests. CRC puts a dab of tobacco in the fire to placate the spirits and begins to speak. All eyes are on him and, as the firelight reflects off the nut-brown skin of his audience, he drifts in to a light trance.

"It was in the autumn days, when the Cottonwood and Wolfwillow were just turning yellow. All of our Blackfoot Confederacy brothers and sisters had come together to commemorate the great land grab by the Chief of Dipsticks in Ottawa, also known as 'Big Mac'. Before that time no one owned the land and it belonged to all the people. We had little choice but to sign Big Mac's treaty, as the buffalo were gone and we had nothing but troubles with Yankee Whiskey traders until the NWMP ran them back across the Medicine Line. You have heard that story many times."

A chorus of quiet yeses fills the Teepee and a sad mood starts to develop.

SF hands out slices of Bannock stuffed with Saskatoonberries to all the Elders and children, which ameliorates the sadness.

CRC remains silent till all the little hands were full of Bannock and all the sparkling eyes return to him. He drifts back into his trance

"At the 125th commemoration, two white Geezers rode in to our camp. As is our tradition, and to show friendliness to strangers, we gave them the Blackfoot names of 'Rotten Hamburger or RH' and 'Lousy Smoky or LS.' These names were due to them being foolish enough to eat at the Pale Face Gutwagons.

"It was while they were being welcomed that Chief Crowfoot decided to return from the Spirit World and be visible only through the eye of LS's Digital camera. If Lady SF has got the slide projector set up you will see the appearance of Chief Crowfoot who came back to welcome the Confederacy riders from all our tribes, even the Blackfeet (USA name for Blackfoot Peigan tribe) from Montana. For those of you who may doubt and think it to be a raindrop on the camera lens, then that drop must have been put there by the Great Spirit to show that Chief Crowfoot is "still with us and always will be" for it was not raining that day.

"Now look closely at the photos..... Go ahead SF.

Below we see the unretouched photos LS and RH provided.

"The moral of this story children is .......A young girl leapt up and said, "I know. I.Know... CRC its.... We should be thankful for Rotten Hamburger and Lousy Smoky for their contribution to our Oral history and teaching us not to eat at a Paleface Gutwagon!"

"Now when the slides are finished, head for your buffalo sleeping robes. I want to find out how my Stocks are doing in the Wall Street Journal. RH gave me a hot tip on a Gold Mine he owns called The Fallen Arches.' said the smiling CRC.

(Note by LS...... I think that the Indians are about to get a Big Mac with a side order of Buffalo Chips all over again! CRC was lucky RH, a geologist, didn't sell him a map to the'Lost Lemon mine'. It's a real lemon!)

Chief Crowfoot Photos.


The Spirit of Chief Crowfoot appears on Blackfoot Confederacy's 125 th anniversary of signing of Treaty # 7 Blackfoot Crossing, on Bow River, in Alberta Canada. 20 Sept.2002 Click here to see larger image


Chief Crowfoot moving towards where Blackfoot riders will appear in two minutes and they did. Click here to see larger image


Chief Crowfoot going to welcome Blackfoot Riders. Click here to see larger image Our great Chief Crowfoot when the buffalo provided all our needs and the land belong to all. See more details: click here



Click here to hear the last time Gen. Custer heard the 7 th Cavalry 'Marching Out' song when they left for the Little Big Horn to get their Arrow Shirts and get their hair cut!! © Jack C. Downey CD




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