Young Chippewam hdian
Reserve No. 107 and Mennonite
Farmers in Saskatchewan
Leonard Doell, A4CC Snsknrche1.11nn
Good afternoon and welcome to this session on exanlining Aboriginal-Mennonite relationships
it1 Saskatchewan. My name is Leonard Doell and I will chairthis poltion ofthe
afternoon. I work for Mennonite Central Committee in Saskatche\vall and co-ordinate the
Aboriginal Neighours Pro,m~.
There will be two presenters besides myselfthis afternoon. I will provide a brief historical
overview ofthe events that led up to the Young Chippewayan people losingtl~eirla nd and
how it came to be that Mennonites acquired it. Then Albert Angus [cull-ently advisor on
treaties and land rights to Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Matthew Coon Come in
Ottawa], a descendent of the Young Chippewayan Band will tall; about how the displacement
of his people has affected him and his people and where their land claim is today. Ray
Funk [a consultant fiom Prince Albert and a folmei- Member of Parliament]. a descendent of
Mennonites settlers who have lived on that property since the 1890s, will then share [and
oral presentation] about his family's settling 011 this land and some ofthe issues that he has
wrestled with as a result ofthis experience.
This aftetnoon we will be focussing in on the Young Chippe\vayatl Reserve # 107, \vhich
is located approximately fifty miles no~tho f Sasltatoon, no~taln~d west ofthe town of Laird.
In 187G, under Treaty Six, thirty square miles of some oftlie best agricultural land in Saskatchewan
was granted to this Plains Cree Band. Chief Chippe~rayanw. ho signed the
166 Jorrrrral of hlcrrrronife Sfrrdics
Treaty, died in 1877 and his son Young Cliippewayai became the hereditary chief
Following the signing ofthe treaty, many bands like the Young Cllippewayan Band remained
quite nomadic. Tlie buffalo had virtually disappeared, leaving many Native People
starving or dying ofmalnutrition. In 1879, the land at Laird was surveyed with hopes that the
band would settle down. Rumours that buffalo had crossed the border into the United
States in 1881 prompted Young Chippewayan and his people to join the exodus of
Battleford Indians to the Cypress Hills. Unfortunately, the rumours proved to be false. This,
coupled witli the government's determinatioli to get the Indians settled on their respective
reserves, led Young Chippewayan to retuni to more familiarterritory. But only three families
made thetrek back to Battleford witli him. It seems likely that some band members joined
other bands, while others died from starvation and disease.
These conditions prevailed up to the time ofthe 1885 [Metis] Rebellion at Batoche
[Saskatchewan]. Tlie transition from hunting to fanning was adiffcult one. An oral tradition
says that the federal government feared that tlie Indians would take part in the Rebellion, so
guns were taken from tlieNative people: I) to force them to fam, 2) to eliminate the possibility
oftliem fighting with [Louis] Riel's forces. Rations were also cut backand Reserve life
became unbearable. Some members ofthe band apparently joined Riel and otliers fled
south and lived with other bands.
To the Native People the reserve land at Laird was chosen as their home and was
occupied from time to time. TheCarlton Trail, Ieadingfrotn Prince AlberttoNorth Battleford,
crossed tliis land and was bustling with activity. The site luiown as Stoney Hill was and still
is considered asacred piece of land, and is still held in high regard by theYoung Chippewayan
descendants. There are also sacred burial grounds located on this property.
In May 1897 this land was taken from the Young Cliippewayan Band by the federal
government. With the influx of settlers looking for a chance to homestead, the government
felt a need to open up evely inch of available land. Agricultural settlement was more in
keeping witli tlie government's idea of proper land use at the time.
The probleni was that this land was never surrendered by the Young Cliippewayan
Band. These people were never contacted and asked iftliey wished to dispose oftliis land.
Under Section 38 oftlie Indian Act, and I quote, "The land in question cannot be sold or
otherwise alienated until the same has been released or surrendered in the manner provided
by the Act. This section positively forbids, subject to certain exceptions which have no
application to the present case, the sale, alienation, or lease ofany reserve or portion of a
reserve without such release or surrender," unquote. On May 1 1,1897, the Department of
Indian Affairs, througli an Order-in-Council, relinq~~ishetldii s land, thus dispossessingt he
Young Chippewayan Band.
The Hague-Osler area ofthe Saskatchewan Valley was opened as aMennonite Reserve
011 January23,1895. This Mennonite Reserve was soon filled up so that in October of
1898, Township 43 and 44 of Range 5 were added to it. So the fonner Young Chippewayan
Reserve, now became a reserve for Mennonite farmers. It is doubtful tliat these Mennonites
were aware oftlie relationship ofthe government and the Young Cliippewayan Band. But it
is possible tliat they were aware it was a former Indian Reserve.
Tlie Mennonites who came to this reserve were poor and landless. They had left their
homes in Russia and southern Ma~itobawitltih e hope ofobtaining land. It was the intention
Ibrrrrg Cltippmvoynrr Irrrlinrr Reserve No. 107 artd Alertnorrife Forrrters bt Sasliafche~vnrt 167
ofthe initial Mennonite settlers to re-establish their religious communities and to establish a
simple farming way of life. To own land represented aplace for them to live as a separate
people, to live their values ofpeace and ofnonconformity to the world about theni. Without
land, they were forced to labour in towns and cities with the potential loss ofChristian values.
"For many it was sufficient that their homesteads were built and tliat their erideavours prospered.
In terms ofwork, they needed to produce enough land and resources to continue the
traditions oftlieir forefathers. The Canadian government was also interested in the successful
settlement of its colonists, but it was equally concerned thatthe colonists would prosper in
ways tliat would be usehl to tlie cou~it~Tyh. is meant that usehl crops, livestock, and industries
should be established to develop the region and the country. The Mennonites were
regarded as ideal colonists."
An injustice occurred in 1897 wlien the land belongingto tlie Young Chippewayai Band
was taken from them without tlieir consent. Mennonites became the beneficiaries ofthis
tra~isactiona nd acquired some oftlie best agricultural land in the province. The Mennonite
people now have 103 years ofliistory on this reserve where they have lived, worked, and
raised their families - and have a legal right to do so. The government has erred aid created
this injustice.
111 1976, the [Saskatchewan] provincial government decided to honour land claims to
bands who still had land owingto them from t11eTreaties. The Young Chippewayan Band is
one sucli band. The descendants oftliis band have become rehgees and as aresult, they are
classified as squattels on the reserves on which they reside. The one hope they have to begin
again is that tlie government will honour tlieir claim and that they will be given land somewhere
as an economic base. The band would prefer to have its own land back but does not
want to dispossess the Mennonites who now reside on this land.
Mennonites have 110 legal obligation to intercede on tlieNative People's behalf - only a
moral obligation. Mennonites also know tlie feeling of being dispossessed, a people without
a home, pilgrims in many lands. Native People and Mennonites do not view land from the
same perspective in terms of use, but both recognize that land represents life and hope.
Without good land there is spiritual and physical health. We as Menlionites should be best to
understand these alienated Native People.
The land claim ofthe Young Chippewayan Bald is before the federal courts. Tlie wheels
of yustice" are moving ever so slowly, while those who are directly affected seek to be
patient. tlie role ofMCC has been to build a bridge between the land owners at Laird and
tlie descendants ofthe Young Cliippewayan Band. MCC has tried to keep the dialogue
alive between these two parties, as well as to encowagethe federal government to actjustly
and quickly in responding to this injustice. If Mennonites will stand with the Young
Chippewayan people, it will give them hope in seeing that true justice will be done. This in
turn will also free Mennonites from the weight ofan unwanted burden. Efforts need to be
made in this direction and hopefully it will be possible to arrive at a peacehl and just solution,
to a problem which both peoples did not choose
