The Buzz

The Buzz, a word or a phrase, what is the talk of the town in a particular time or particular context, would describe the term buzzword.  Better yet, what is the “Soup of the day?”

Indian people, or Indigenous, or First Nations, or Aboriginal, or Native and even Native American, whatever buzzword or new title we have, I’m talking about us. Other mentions I can’t leave out; Skin, Rezdog, or Neechi. What is the buzzword for us today?

Reconciliation. Wow, a big buzzword.

It means to restore friendly relations. It’s written in the Treaties; did you know that? Treaty 7 reads; “that they will not Molest the person or property of any inhabitant.” Meaning, settlers would not be harmed. My question is, when did the friendly relations dissolve? And who dissolved those relations? And who initiated that molestation?

So, if we need Reconciliation, it means the Treaty was broken. I don’t remember any of the above-mentioned people breaking that Treaty promise. If a Treaty is broken it usually means a new Treaty must be negotiated.

I’m not against Reconciliation, if anything it created millions of dollars in grants and jobs for the above-mentioned people. It was a great buzzword, I like it.

It opened a dialogue about the shameful legacy of residential schools. It improved health, education and economics for Indigenous people. It created and opened an awareness for Canadians of the unjust treatments of the above-mentioned people. Anytime a buzzword is conjured up by the government, millions of dollars is spent on making that buzzword famous.

For me it was seeing Willie Littlechild on the Edmonton Oilers giant screen, saying the word “Reconciliation,” in Cree then saying “this is my land.” After that every Canadian NHL team began each game with a land acknowledgement.

Now that Truth and Reconciliation is out there and buzzing around, what is the next step? My thoughts are using Willie’s words, “this is my land.” And yes, I want it back. My plan is to get my land back, and reestablish the Many Tumors Band.

It’s not unheard of – the Chacachas Treaty Nation got their land and status back. On May 29th. the first time in 114 years, they swore in their newly elected chief and council. Chacachas band was dissolved in 1908 and amalgamated into the Ochapowace band. November 2000, a statement of claim was filed in federal court. It stated Chief Chacachas signed Treaty 4 and affirmed they were an existing band according to the Treaty. The problem was the government took their land away after he died and merged the Chacachas band with the Ochapowace band.

This also happened to my Band, Many Tumors Band or Aakaiksamaiksi.

My Great-grandfather Medicine Calf signed Treaty 7. In fact, out of the 51 signatures, he was the 5th Chief to sign Treaty 7. His band was recognized on the paysheets until 1884, that is until Edgar Dewdney made an amendment to Treaty 7.

Medicine Calf was not invited to the Treaty signing amendment, nor were three other prominent Chiefs. On February 1, 1884, a new Treaty amendment was made and all Blood chiefs 22 in total, along with their people, were amalgamated into the Blood Indian reserve, led by Chief Red Crow of the Fish Eaters Band.

My Band existed in the Cypress Hills. We shared it with the Gros Ventre people. It was our summer camp, and when we moved to our winter camp near Loma, Mont. The Gros Ventre used the Cypress Hills as their winter camp.

Using case-law from the Chacachas court decision, I want to file a statement of claim from Treaty 7, and get my Band reestablished and reclaim our traditional territory in Cypress Hills.

Yes FSIN, there will be a Blackfoot band in the province.

But wait a minute, Blackfoot are from Alberta. I have people from Saskatchewan who keep saying this to me. Well guess what? Alberta and Saskatchewan didn’t exist when the Treaties were signed. The original Treaty 7 document says the territory to be included in the proposed Treaty is occupied by the Blackfoot and estimated to be about 35,000 square miles (90,650 square kms) in the area of Red Deer River south to the USA border, and from Rocky Mountains east to Cypress Hills.

As a great-grandson of Medicine Calf, I now carry his name, Naatoonistaah, I’m leading the Many Tumors Band into this progression of Reconciliation. I was at a recent powwow and saw a youth wearing a tee-shirt that read “Land Back.”

I want my land back. It’s been 140 years since we occupied the Cypress Hills. I’m going to get that new Buzzword hyped up; Land Back.

That is the Truth and Reconciliation.