COMPLETED TRADITIONAL LAND USE STUDIES
Piapot First Nation: Historical and Current Traditional Land Use Study
by Twin River Consulting
Chief Payepot was a great leader of the Plains Cree. He excelled as a hunter and provider and gained a large following during the decline of the bison in the mid-1800s. In his youth he was a poisoner of the Sioux after smallpox had decimated his band. He became known as the Sioux-Cree or “Nehiawapot” and with his additional knowledge of Cree and Assiniboine he became a great communicator. The Sioux taught him their medicine and their plains adaptations, and the Cree had taught many other skills. He led his followers during the Indian Wars south of the US border and through the vagaries of Canadian Treaties. He protected his band during the 1885 unrest and chose to reside in the Qu’Appelle Valley north of what is now Regina. Today Piapot First Nation thrives in their many businesses and spiritual pursuits and shows leadership among their peers. This is one of many stories shared within Piapot First Nation Traditional Land Use Study. This study is filled with the stories of the Elders.
Mistawasis First Nation: Historical and Current Traditional Land Use Study
by Twin River Consulting
Mistawasis First Nation Traditional Land Use Study is filled with historical facts and traditional land use within the First Nation. The Cree of northern Saskatchewan were experienced and knowledgeable in both the plains and the woodlands regions. The Band, which was eventually called Mistawasis, lived on the edge of the plains and frequented the plains hunting bison, wintering on the edge of the northern woodlands. Because they were able to adapt to both plains and woodland ecosystems, they were able to survive and prosper in challenging situations, showing this resilience after the decline of the bison and during the unrest of 1885. Today Mistawasis First Nation is a well-known and respected Saskatchewan First Nation. They participate in many economic initiatives and their main reserve is located north of Saskatoon on good agricultural lands where they protect their ecosystem and ways of life. Located within the Traditional Land Use Study this information is presented and with much greater detail.
Ochapowace First Nation (The Kakiishiway and Chacachas First Nations): Historical and Current Traditional Land Use Study
by Tracey Tanner and Jim Tanner
This traditional Land Use Study accumulates historical data; a thesis written by an Ochapowace member discussing the effects colonialism had on their people; the traditional knowledge of 32 individual Elder and traditional land user interviews; archived interview; and information from a large group interview in order to outline the loss of lands and cultural knowledge inflicted upon these peoples since Treaty. Historic and current G.I.S. land use maps are included.
Saulteaux First Nation “Kayas pimachihowin ohci kitaskinak” (Long ago livelihood from our land): Historical and Current Traditional Land Use Study
by Tracey Tanner and Jim Tanner
Kayas pimachihowin ohci kitaskinak incorporates detailed land use data collected from 28 Elders and traditional land users, as well as data obtained through historical, archaeological, and anthropological research summarizing the migration and history of the migration of the Anishinaabek; the effects of the fur trade and movements of Saulteaux ancestors; and the influence of treaty and European settlement on their traditional livelihood and lands. Maps and data record the Saulteaux First Nation historical and current land use patterns and practices in an effort to better define and protect their historical and current traditional lands. In lieu of the 2016 Husky Energy Pipeline Oil Spill on the North Saskatchewan River, ground-truthing by Elders was conducted and an assessment of their traditional lands – specifically from the North Battleford area up the river towards Lloydminster – is included in this book.
Carry the Kettle Nakota First Nation, “The Assiniboine of the Meadows”: Historical and Current Traditional Land Use Study
by Dr. Jim Tanner, Dr. David R. Miller, and Tracey Tanner, M.A.
Through information provided from 33 Elders and land user; a large group meeting in Cypress Hills with the Mosquito First Nation; as well as 1929 interviews from Carry the Kettle ancestors in Wold Point Montana, this study depicts the historical traditional land use of these Assiniboine peoples and their forcible removable from their Cypress Hills home to a reserve they have adjusted to in Indian Head Saskatchewan.
Gamblers First Nation: Traditional Land Use Study
by Tracey Tanner and Jim Tanner
Being a smaller Band, the knowledge base of 8 Elders were interviewed for this book. Also utilized was the biography written by the founder of the Gamblers First Nation ‘John Falcon Tanner’ who recounted his traditional land use from a child to adulthood in the early 1800s, providing firsthand information of land us and seasonal rounds, along with Aboriginal sentiments of the atrocities brought on through settler societies including battles; disease, confinement and land loss.
Sakimay First Nations “The Goose Lake People”: Traditional Land Use Study
by Tracey Tanner and Jim Tanner
Through the knowledge of 21 Elders and land users, along with historical and anthropological, this study provides a vivid account of the history of the ‘Goose Lake People’ in order to protect and preserve their Aboriginal Rights; lands and culture. As with our other studies, the Sakimay story depicts how government and settler society ignored the Treaty Rights of Aboriginal people, displaying a clear breach of treaty in regards to the traditional land use and livelihood of the Sakimay First Nations.
White Bear First Nations: Historical and Current Traditional Land Use Study
by Tracey Tanner M.A. and Jim Tanner, PhD.
White Bear First Nation signed Treaty 4, yet reserve lands allotted were in Treaty 2 territory. White Bear consists of three different tribal affiliations: Saulteaux, Cree and Assiniboine – all forced to amalgamate in 1901. This study collected knowledge from 30 Elder and land users in order to depict a true historic image of cultural diversity and the atrocities endured through government legislation and European settlement.
Nistawayaw “Where the Rivers Meet” Fort McMurray #468 First Nation: Traditional Land Use Study
by James N. Tanner
As with all our Traditional Land Use Studies, the objective of this project was to identify and document the traditional lands and activities of Fort McMurray First Nation and to preserve the knowledge of Elders and ancestors for future generations. Interviews were conducted with 36 Elders and land users, with ground-truthing of gravesites, cabins, and spiritual sites carried out. Elder and Land User biographies are included and many subsections on animal Traditional Knowledge were written by the Elders themselves. The study found that members of Fort McMurray First Nation were able to maintain many aspects of their traditional livelihood up to the 1960s and 1970s, when oil sands development began in earnest in the area. Increased development since that time has dramatically disrupted wildlife habitat and greatly impacted on the ability of members of Fort McMurray First Nation to practice constitutionally-protected traditional land use.
Kai’ Kos’ Dehseh Dené The Red Willow River (Christina River) People
by James N. Tanner
Kai’ Kos’ Dehseh Dené describes the history of the Dene people of the region using pictures obtained from the community and from archival research by Tracey Tanner. The book contains land use maps, Elder interviews and some description of the changes the people have experienced.
Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation: Traditional Land Use Study
by James N. Tanner
Historic and current land use activities were recorded from Elders in order to create a study of land use maps outlining traditional territory, in order to share this knowledge and protect their lands for future generations.
Footprints on the Land: Tracing the Path of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nations
by James N. Tanner and Alice Rigney
This book is full of striking pictures of the Elders and the land use of the Denesoline people. It records the early history and legends and then, with photos and stories of life in the Boreal forest, their forest, the recent harvesting is described.
Some Effects of Oil Sands Development on the Traditional Economy of Fort McKay
by James N. Tanner, C. Cormack Gates & Bertha Ganter
‘Some Effects’ was the first traditional land use study done in the region combining GIS mapping with loss of use assessment. The book contains maps of berry picking sites, moose and trapping locations used by the First Nation peoples. These sites are compared to the oil sands mines footprints and an assessment of loss is provided.