Lower Fort Garry powwow commemorates Treaty 1 agreement

Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site hosted its annual Treaty 1 commemoration ceremony on Monday, marking an agreement between Canada's First Nations and the Crown that was made almost 150 years ago.

"It's the place where Treaty 1 itself was actually made, right here, not far from the spot I'm standing," said David Lavallee, a communications officer with Parks Canada in Winnipeg.

"It was the first of the numbered treaties between the Crown and First Nations people in Canada."

Events got underway with a pipe ceremony at 10 a.m., followed by a treaty relations committee panel discussion in the visitor centre. And organizers at the historic site added a new event.

"This year it's bigger — we're having a powwow and it's a big step forward for us in commemorating the treaty," said Lavallee.

Treaty panel discussion

Peter Atkinson participated in the panel discussion, which focused on the question, "What do we know about the treaties?"

"I tried to share as much as I could about what was taught to me growing up about some of the more important points [to] our people," said Atkinson. "My whole point [was] for people to understand that it was clan governments [not chiefs and councils] that signed the treaties."

You give your kids two things: one is roots and the other is wings.- Ruth Christie

Atkinson said he wanted to impress upon younger generations that "the spirit and intent of [Treaty 1] was to coexist."

"We have treaties here that we need to honour. We have agreements in place to coexist here, but it's hard to find that coexistence," said Atkinson, adding it's important First Nations youth are taught where they came from. 

"It's changing, though. We've come a long way since contact"

'This is part of my history'

Ruth Christie, a retired Parks Canada employee who worked at Lower Fort Garry, said the Treaty 1 commemoration was like "coming back home"

"It's a special meaning for me," said Christie, who is of Scottish-Cree heritage and an elder-in-residence at the University of Winnipeg's indigenous studies program.

"This is part of my history … because this is where Treaty 1 was signed."

In addition to the 20 years she spent working at the Fort, Christie has another connection to the site. Joseph Monkman, her great-great-grandfather, was involved in the signing of the Treaty 1 agreement in 1871.

"I think it's important that we get together to keep our history alive — especially now when there's much more openness to learn about other's cultures," said Christie.

Christie said marking that agreement with annual ceremonies is important to her, but it isn't universally considered something worth celebrating.

"Some people used to call it a celebration, while others had another idea that it wasn't a celebration, because … over the years the aboriginal people lost a lot…. Lost children, language, land, culture," said Christie.

Roots and wings

While people within First Nations communities may not all agree on how to commemorate the signing of the treaties, Christie said the event at Lower Fort Garry, and ones like it, offer elders an opportunity to keep unique cultural practices from disappearing.

"I think it's important now that we tell our stories," said Christie, emphasizing the significance of passing down First Nations storytelling and oral history traditions.

"You give your kids two things: one is roots and the other is wings," she said, recalling words her grandmother told her as a child.