paper, ink, wax, purple ribbon

2 red wax seals

Description of Surrendered Land:

The Chippewa and Swampy Cree Tribes of Indians surrendered unto Her Majesty Queen Victoria forever, all the lands included within the following limits:

Beginning at the international boundary line near its junction with the Lake of the Woods, at a point due north from the centre of Roseau Lake; then to run due north to the centre of Roseau Lake; then northward to the centre of White Mouth Lake, otherwise called White Mud Lake; then by the middle of the lake and the middle of the river issuing therefrom to the mouth thereof in Winnipeg River; then the Winnipeg River to its mouth; then westwardly, including all the islands near the south end of the lake, across the lake to the mouth of Drunken River; then westwardly to a point on Lake Manitoba half way between Oak Point and the mouth of Swan Creek; then across Lake Manitoba in a line due west to its western shore; then in a straight line to the crossing of the rapids on the Assiniboine; then due south to the international boundary line; and then eastwardly to the said line to the place of beginning. Her Majesty agreed to lay aside and reserve for the sole use and exclusive use of the Indians the following tracts of land: For the use the Indians belonging to the band of which Henry Prince, otherwise called Miskookenew, so much of land on both sides of the Red River, beginning at the south line of St. Peter's Parish, as will furnish one hundred and sixty acres for each family of five, or in that proportion for larger and smaller families; and for the use of the Indians of whom Nashakepenais, Nanawananaw, Kewetayash and Wakowush are the Chiefs, so much land on the Rouseau River as will furnish one hundred and sixty acres for each family of five, or in that proportion for larger or smaller families, beginning from the mouth of the river; and for the use of the Indians of which Kakekapenais is the Chief, so much land on the Winnepeg River above Fort Alexander as will furnish one hundred and sixty acres for each family of five, beginning at a distance of a mile or so above the fort; and for the use of the Indians of whom Oozawekwun is Chief, so much land on the south and east side of the Assiniboine, about twenty miles above the portage, as will furnish one hundred and sixty acres for each family of five, reserving also a further tract enclosing said reserve to comprise an equivalent to twenty-five square miles of equal breadth, to be laid out round the reserve. Her Majesty also agreed to provide 3 dollars for each Indian man, woman, and child belonging to the bands represented. And further, she agreed to maintain a school on each reserve. No liquor was to be permitted on reserve, and a census was to be taken of all Indians inhabiting the districts described above. All Indians included in the census were to receive 15 dollars, such payment to be made in articles required by the Indians.

Witnesses:

Adams G. Archibald, Lieut. Gov. of Man and N.W. Territories

James McKay, P.L.C.

A.G. Irvine, Major

Abraham Cowley

Donald Gunn, M.L.C.

Thomas Howard, P.S.

Henry Cochrane

James McArrister

Hugh McArrister

E. Alice Archibald

Henri Bouthillier

Crown Signatories:

Wemyss M. Simpson, Indian Commissioner

William Pennefather

First Nations Signatories:

Miskookeenew, or Red Eagle (Henry Prince)

Kakekapennais, or Bird Forever

Nashakepennais, or Flying Down Bird

Nahawananan, or Centre of Bird's Tail

Kewetayash, or Flyinground

Wakowush or Whipoorwill

Oozawekwun, or Yellow Quill

Date document signed

Canada, Indian Treaties and Surrenders from 1680 to 1890, 2 vols., (Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1891), 1: 282-284.

3 August 1871, Western Treaty No. 1, Library and Archives Canada, Indian Affairs, D-10a, Series A, Volume 1846, Reel T-9939, GAD REF IT 255, http://grasac.org/gks, (heritage item id no. 3239, accessed [date]).

This record was created under the direction of Heidi Bohaker as part of a larger research project funded by an Aboriginal Research Grant titled “Braiding Knowledges: Anishinaabe Heritage in Community Perspective”from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).