My ancestors came to Turtle Island in 1647 and my vessel is the 11th generation on Turtle Island (North America). My ancestors have a long history with those who have ancestors that lived here for thousands upon thousands of years. My grand father and great grand father spoke fluent French, English and nêhiyawin (Cree) which testifies to our long and intimate relationship with our nêhiyawin brothers and sisters. My relationship is improving with each passing day, but I cannot say that for most other people. So I felt it important to write a series of blog entries on treaty and this tenuous relationship that gets most everyone upset when the topic comes up. But it is important that we really examine what unfolded so that we can reconcile our relationships and bring peace to a genocide that continues to this very day.
Source: Canadian Encyclopedia Royal Proclamation 1763 Article
When we talk about treaty, most of us has heard about the numbered treaties. But what most of us don't realize is that there are two sides to this story and the other side is rarely heard and when it is heard it gets very uncomfortable. Here is a short video to help kick off this post.
If we were to ask our teachers or politicians, they would rebuke such notions that was shared in that video. So why the disparity? This is the contract we must reconcile when viewing treaty from two very different points of view.
If you have been keeping up with my blog, you are already aware of the 'Doctrine of Discovery'. It is a series of papal bulls that gives the kinds of Europe the right to claim land not already claimed by a 'Christian'. The ayisiyinowak (people) of Turtle Island (North America) were not 'Christian' so they were viewed as animals, heathens, not worthy of viewing as equals. So the kinds claimed this land as their own with the authority of the Pope.
The french settlers made friends with the ayisiyinowak and when France went to war against England and Spain, they fought along their brothers as allies. The Paris Peace Treaty signed in 1763 did not include representatives of the ayisiyinowak nations of Turtle Island, specifically the nations of Abenaki, Ottawa, Menominee, Winnebago, Mississauga, Illinois, Sioux, Huron-Petun or Potawatomi. Only the Kings of England, France and Spain signed the peace treaty. There is no evidence that these ayisiyinowak nations signed over their land or sovereignty to the French King making them subjects to the French Crown. They maintained their sovereignty and fought as allies, not subjects! But that is not how to Kings of Europe saw matters. They saw these people as subjects, property to be divided up and conquered.
As such, when King George III issued the Royal Proclamation of 1763 he viewed all the indigenous nations as being his subjects when the King of France surrendered, but no connection or oath of fealty can be found to support his assertions. This act by King George III was to shanghai these nations into involuntary slavery. Within the Royal Proclamation of 1763 it reads:
"that the several Nations or Tribes of Indians with whom We are connected, and who live under our Protection, should not be molested or disturbed in the Possession of such Parts of Our Dominions and Territories as, not having been ceded to or purchased by Us, are reserved to them.” ...
"And We do further declare it to be Our Royal Will and Pleasure, for the present as aforesaid, to reserve under our Sovereignty, Protection, and Dominion, for the use of the said Indians, all the Lands and Territories not included within the Limits of Our said Three new Governments, or within the Limits of the Territory granted to the Hudson's Bay Company, as also all the Lands and Territories lying to the Westward of the Sources of the Rivers which fall into the Sea from the West and North West as aforesaid.”
I'll need you to read that part over again so that it really sinks in. The Royal Proclamation of 1763, a document that is viewed to protect the 'Indians' instead is a document that claims all the land and the people and places it all within the feudal demesne of the Crown. If it is reserved under the kings sovereignty (dominion and territory) and protection, it means the king made them subjects to his rule. This conclusion can be further re-enforced when we explore the wording within Treaty 6.
In 1876, when Treaty 6 was signed, that claim of ownership over the land and the Nations or Tribes of Indians continued. Within the Treaty 6 document, the text reads “Her Indian subjects”. Again, there is no oath of fealty or treaty to make such a claim. The "Indian" men did not have the authority or jurisdiction to sign over the land as that rested with the women of the nations and tribes. The men only had authority to conclude peace. They did that by ensuring the text of Treaty 6 established a relationship “so that there may be peace and good will between them and Her Majesty”. However, Her Majesty lied!
Treaty 6 for the nêhiyawin was to share the land and ensure peace was maintained. There is no Cree word for 'cede', but seed has meaning but sound a lot a like. Through my research, I must conclude that the Crown engaged in fraud, deceit and genocide at every turn as their goal was to control the land and profit from it all. The nêhiyawin were in the way and needed to be wiped out. That is why the buffalo were nearly wiped out, diseased blankets were given out, residential schools were setup, etc. It was a genocide program that still unfolds to this very day.
To think that the land patents that the Crown wrote that forms the 'legal' foundation for all the land titles that people hold is founded on the Crown's own fraud, raises some serious questions about the foundation of the whole land title system and how legitimate it is (not)!
My relationship with the nêhiyawin of Treaty 6 improved greatly once I realized these truths and started to hear their side of the story. Their ceremonies hold the other half of the treaties and the written word of the Crown is not the whole treaty. They promised peace and a willingness to SHARE the land but they were never treated with the peace that was promised in Treaty 6! But that is still their intent. The reason they are so vocal now is because they are working hard to protect the land, air, water, plants and animals from all the damage that has been done by colonists blinded by greed, power, control and lies.
My relationship has improved because I rejected the crown and all that it stands for. By returning to the land, living off the land, respecting the land and being the land, that is exactly what they are looking for themselves and for all people on this land. Many are caught up in the colonial system and so there is great turmoil among all people.
The peace we seek is found within and our relationship with self, creator and the land. That is how I currently comprehend what their version of Treaty 6 is all about. They have every right to cancel Treaty 6 due to the Crown's violations and being unable or unwilling to uphold the terms and conditions of that treaty. But they continue to speak despite the hatred and genocide against them. It takes great courage to speak up and I will stand by their side to make sure the message is heard. So as I move forward with these issues in my blog, this is the foundation behind my posts. There is a lot of research that is required in order to fully comprehend what is going on.
These relationships are amazingly complex and it would take somebody a hundred life times to unwind it all. My spirit tells me that I am close to the spirit of what has unfolded. So I base my actions and writings on these principles as I move forward to reconcile my relationship with these people so that we can learn how to share this land as they originally intended.
“If you no longer speak your language and no longer practice your culture, then you have no right to demand aboriginal rights from us, because you are assimilated with the ruling power.” - Pierre Trudeau 1983
This is the views and goal of the state. Their job is to attract EVERYONE to the ruling power. That is feudalism. If we reject that ruling power, we can then establish ourselves on the other side and return to the land in peace and freedom. It is a daunting task, but that is where many are now working. It is a long, difficult journey as the states own existence depends on this journey not being taken by people like myself.
Here is some information on the famous 1969 white paper on the governments relationship with the Indians.