Treaty 8 First Nations
From June 16-21, Indigenous people from nations in the Treaty 8 Territory gathered to honour and celebrate their history and future together as they acknowledged the 125th anniversary of the treaty.
Attended by hundreds, the six-day gathering was held at Willow Point—close to Grouard and Sucker Creek and Kapawe’no First Nations—which is about a 30-minute drive northeast of the town of High Prairie.
Treaty 8 was signed on June 21, 1899. The largest of the 11 numbered treaties, it encompasses a landmass of roughly 840,000 km2, which includes 39 First Nation communities located in Northern Alberta, Northwestern Saskatchewan, Northeastern British Columbia and the Southwest portion of the Northwest Territories.
At the time, the negotiations were conducted by the sovereign First Nations—including the Cree, Dene (Beaver, Chipewyan, Slavey), and Saulteaux peoples—and Queen Victoria of England. The signing of the treaty holds immense historical significance and has profoundly impacted the nations in Treaty 8 ever since. During the June gathering, people from many of these nations joined at the original location where the treaty was signed to reflect on the impact it has had on the nations, and how they will continue to honour it for many years to come.
“This celebration was an opportunity for nations to come together and reconnect,” said Beaver First Nation Chief Gary Kipling. “Our Elders were able to see old friends and family members, and our youth had the chance to meet new people and create new friendships.”
Many ceremonies took place during the 125th Anniversary, including welcoming the students from Buffalo Bay Academy who arrived by canoe with a drum song, a wagon train that garnered people from every direction and lasted five days, a grand entry, sacred pipe ceremonies and lighting of the sacred fire.
Additionally, in a special ceremony, Trevor Mercredi was announced the new Treaty 8 Grand Chief. Mercredi discussed plans to improve the treaty and to support nations moving forward in meaningful ways. He also released an eagle to honor and acknowledge survivors of residential schools.
“Seeing the grand entry, with flags, leaders, Elders, youth and the wagon train arriving together, was truly special,” said Chief Kipling. “Seeing all the treaty nations united was incredible. It was an impactful start to the celebrations. Everyone’s smiles and happiness set a wonderful tone for the week.”
Chief Kipling was one of the many people who participated in the wagon train, which consisted of a northern wagon train and a southern wagon train.
The southern wagon train embarked from the Driftpile First Nation Pow Wow Grounds while the northern wagon train started its journey from Red Earth. The two groups met at Kapawe’no First Nation on June 15 before joining the grand entry on June 17.
“We followed the paved road, which our ancestors didn’t have 125 years ago, so it gave perspective on what they had travelled on back then to make it to the treaty signing,” said Chief Kipling. “It gave me a chance to reflect on the things they did in the past and how it has positively affected us.”
With a focus on highlighting and honouring the history and culture of those represented in Treaty 8, there were many sessions during the celebration that allowed attendees to come together to learn about the past and think about their future.
These sessions included gatherings regarding treaty rights and knowledge sharing as well as interviews (with Elders, youth and members), open forum discussions, traditional skills teachings, an Elders panel and more.
“There was an amazing reenactment of the treaty signing from one of the drama groups in the area that a lot of people enjoyed watching,” said Chief Kipling. “Having these types of presentations really showcased why our forefathers joined this treaty and how future generations can work together to embrace it.”
Across nations, people worked together and welcomed each other with open arms. There was also plenty of great food and a variety of refreshments.
“We brought Elders and youth from our community, set up a camp and provided meals for the North Peace Tribal Council nations and many others,” said Chief Kipling. “Our youth did a fantastic job keeping the area tidy, ensuring Elders were cared for and handling cooking and cleaning. I’m very proud of them, along with our staff who attended, for representing our nation so well.”
Youth engagement was a major theme at the 125th Anniversary, which provided young members the opportunity to explore their history and learn how they can be more involved within their nation.
“The youth who attended—especially those who interacted with Elders and those who are considering leadership roles—learned why we are here and the possibilities for the future,” said Chief Kipling. “It’s crucial they understand the treaty, our traditions and the importance of all nations working together on common interests.”
Chief Kipling hopes the anniversary celebration will remind people how the treaty was negotiated and signed and why nations continue to honour it.
“The celebrations brought people together, to see our similarities rather than to look for our differences, and it showed us how we can continue to move forward in a positive way,” said Chief Kipling.
Words by Dani Wearden
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