One of the most fascinating archival finds of my PhD research was a wonderful letter (in four parts) written in Cree syllabic. I came across it while researching the Adhesion to Treaty Six, which was signed by the people of the Montreal Lake and Lac La Ronge regions of Saskatchewan on a brutally cold February day in 1889.
Such files are usually read by Canadian researchers on microfilm, under the short name of ‘RG 10.’ RG stands for Record Group, and RG 10 files are primarily from Indian Affairs. These are critical files for researchers, from a time when correspondence was letters (not email or social media). While the files are mostly written by, for, and back and forth between those employed by Indian Affairs, there is the occasional fascinating jewel of a letter written by a local person. Even more rarely, there is a wonderful letter written, in Cree syllabic, by local First Nations leaders.
I took scans of these letters immediately, although I can read neither syllabic nor Cree. They languished in my digital files while I worked my way through other research, which eventually became my book, Forest Prairie Edge. The following is an excerpt that explains the Treaty Six Adhesion:
“After years of agitation and repeated requests from the boreal bands in the north Prince Albert region, the Crown finally agreed to offer treaty. The difference between an internal adhesion and an external adhesion was crucial: an internal adhesion added people to existing treaty stipulations; an external adhesion added both new people and new lands to an existing treaty. In the latter, treaty terms were at least somewhat negotiable.
“The external adhesion attempted to sort out a dual problem. On the one hand, there were bands with homes in the north Prince Albert region, within the boundaries of Treaty 6, that had not been offered treaty. Securing an external adhesion, which acted essentially as a new treaty, clarified the uncertainty of who was, and who was not, in treaty relationship with the Crown. Although there is nothing in the official records to act as confirmation, an external adhesion could negate continuing calls for arrears in treaty annuity payments.”
“The second problem came from the commercial interests of investors in Prince Albert. Surveyors, scouting and marking out timber berths, realized that the boundaries of Treaty 6 did not entirely cover the potential area of forest resources that the Prince Albert community believed was within their economic sphere. In short, the land ceded by Treaty 6 did not correspond to the boundaries of the Saskatchewan District of the North-West Territories[i] or Prince Albert’s intended commercial empire of northern boreal resources. Officials at Indian Affairs explained: “The object in getting the surrender just now is in order that the Govt might legally dispose of the lumber in that Section permits to cut which have in some cases already been issued.”[ii] It was a somewhat frantic and belated effort to legally rectify a serious error—the government was issuing timber permits on land that had possibly not yet been ceded by treaty.”
During the treaty negotiations, the Cree leaders from Montreal Lake had a somewhat different view than their Lac La Ronge counterparts in what should be included in the articles and terms of the treaty, and what should be included in the initial and subsequent treaty payments. The syllabic letters that I found were sent to Ottawa after the treaty negotiations were complete and the treaty signed, but before the first payment came in the fall of 1889. The letters came from the Montreal Lake leadership, outlining in further detail their thoughts on the treaty, and what would be most useful to them as part of their treaty payment. They had clearly had some time to think, and wanted to send a message on their expectations and needs. However, it is not known if anyone working for Indian Affairs at the time was able to translate these requests.
The letters are a mix of Cree syllabic and English handwriting, and are written by three different people: Chief William Charles, councilor Benjamin Bird (who wrote 2 of the four pages), and councilor Isaac Bird. In 2016, I met Dion Tootoosis at an event in support of Prince Albert National Park. I told him about the texts. Soon after, Andrea Custer, the Cree Language developer for the Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre took the project in hand. With the help and advice of Arok Wolvengrey and Solomon Ratt, Andrea was able to translate the syllabic into today’s written Cree, and for my benefit, to English (I am so grateful for the extra translation). Andrea deserves all the credit for shepherding this important work.
Cree Syllabic One (from Chief William Charles)
Line:
- nimithwîthihtîn, ninanâskomâw kihci-okimâskwîw
I am happy, I give thanks to the Queen - mîna otatoskîthâkana ôta ê-nakaskamâhk
and also her workers, here where we meet - mâka nipakosîthimonân kita-kitimâkihtahk nipîkiskwîninân
but I hope she listens with compassion for our talk - ôma kâ-wî-isi-kâkîsimototawâyahkik nîci-tipahamâtwânânak
this where we are going to pray for our fellow treaty people - nistam kâ-tipahamâtohk pîhonânihk sônîyâwak nîstanân
the first treaty payment here at (Ft. Carlton or F. La Corne) for us - kâ-ati-otayâniyâhk êkosi nitisi-kâkîsimonân
to have clothing, this is what we pray for
It seems clear that the translation of Fort Carlton or Fort La Corne is a bit incorrect, as this document references the treaty terms signed at Molanosa. The expected fall treaty payment for the Montreal Lake band would take place at the south end of the lake, in what would become their home reserve. But otherwise, the Chief greets the Queen and asks for compassion for his people.
The second page is from Benjamin Bird, who was an outspoken councilor both at the negotiations and as shown by his two syllabic pages.
Cree Syllabic Two (Benjamin Bird)
Line:
- hâw êkwa nîsta nititwân ninanâskomânân
me too I say we give thanks to - kihci-okimâskwîw êkwa ê-wâpahtamâhk okitimâkîyihcikêwin
the Queen and we see her compassion - okiskinwahamâkîw (syllabic too faded to read) isinamâkîw??
teacher __________the one who hands out - sôniyâwa kitakî-wî-mîthikoyâhk
money, to give us back (Give us back the money) - mostoswak ê-ohci-pî-mîkicik mistikonâpêw
cattle, we were supposed to be given, by James Smtih - amêwistoyân mâka itwêw ka-ohci-pamihikawîyâhk
the bearded one said, this is where we will be well taken care of - êkotê kihci-ohci-pamihihcik, tâskipocikan
from there we were supposed to be taken care of; rip saw - cîkahikana, pakwâyinîkana
axes, canvas - mônahihcikêkâkana athapiy-asapâp
hoes, twines for nets - pîminahkwâna, pâskisikana, akahamâtowin.
ropes, gun, ration - ninohtêpathihikonân kâ-pî-pipohk mîna tânithikohk
we are short this winter and how much - kâ-pî-asamikawîyâhk
we were given to be fed
Cree Syllabic Three (Isaac Bird)
Line:
- nimithwîthihtînân kâ-isi-pihtamâhk
we are happy that we hear - î-kî-kitimâkîthimikoyâhk kihci-okimâskwîw
that the Queen shows us compassion - ______ ikosi nîsta î-isi-tipâhtamân
this is what I hear also - anihi nitâsotamâkowininâna
those things we were promised - mîna kitakî-wî-tipahamâkawiyâhk
we were supposed to be paid out - sôniyâwak
money - ikwa mîna kotaka nipakosîthimonân
and also we are hoping - î-wî-natotamâhk
to ask for other things
Cree Syllabic Four
Line:
- âhaw êkwa nîstanân niwî-nanâskomânân
yes, and we give thanks
- kihci-okimâskwîw mîna otatoskîthâkana êkwa
to the Queen and workers and
- kâ-sâsakwîthimot ayi-misiwî-askîhk ê-pê-tamâkoyâhk
Where her roles all over the land, she brings us
- otinamâtowina ninanâskomânân mîna
her care (responsibility), we give thanks and
- nimithwîthihtînân ê-pî-tipahamâkoyâhk
we are happy she came to pay us
- nitaskînâhk êyak-ohci okitimâkîthimowinihk
our land, we are calling on her
- kâ-wî-natomâyâhk mistiko-nâpêw ninatotamânân
compassion for us. James Smith we ask
- okanawînamâkîw kistêkiwiyiniw, tâskipocikan,
the Indian Agent for: rip saw,
- kâ-wâskâwîpiniht, kinipocikanisina,
wheels (Wagon), files for saw,
- kîskimana, napaki-cîkahikana, athahikîhikana,
files, flat axes, rakes,
- nanâtohk kiscikânisa, maskihkiya,
seeds, medicine,
- ayawinisa, pîkopicikânisa, ê-kâsisiki
clothing, ploughs, sharp (nails)
- sakahikana, wâpamoni-pîskowâsînamâna
nails, window panes
I was absolutely delighted to receive these wonderful translations. They speak to me in a clear voice, across the years, of local leadership working hard to put their people to the best advantage in the negotiations of the treaty. The requests show a wonderful mix of boreal forest tools, such as rip saws for forestry and net twine for fishing, with local agricultural needs such as rakes, hoes and seeds. Window panes and nails for building strong homes fitted well with calls for medicine and clothes. Isaac Bird spoke loudest about money payments, which should have (but did not) include back payment for all the years between the original signing of Treaty Six in 1876, and the new signing in 1889.
With the help and support of Andrea Custer and the Saskatchewan Indigenous Cultural Centre, these detailed syllabics and their modern translations can now be shared with you.
[i] Ray, Miller, and Tough, Bounty and Benevolence, 144.
[ii] LAC, RG 10 Vol. 3601, File 1754, Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, Edgar Dewdney to Indian Commissioner Hayter Reed, 6 December 1888.
What a fantastic document, an original and irreplaceable piece of written history. Thank you for sharing.
[…] Massie posted a fantastic blog post about the discovery she made during her research of a letter from 1889 written in Cree syllabic. In the post, she talks about how she found the letter and what it […]
great post!
When you know how to read Cree Syllabics and know the language you can read and understand their thoughts and feelings,that is special. There has to be more documents out there to discover.
this is what is says to us word for word
1.nimithwithitien ninanahskohmaw kichi okihmawiskwew
I am joyed, I praise the mighty boss lady
2.mihna otatohski othakanihknipikiskwahnan
also her work plate (parlement),we meet she wasn’t there,.
3.mahka nipakohsithimohnan kihta kitihmakitak nipikiskwihna
but we humbly ask to feel sorry for our talks
4. oma kahwi iysi mototaswiyak nichi tipahamohwiyak
is this howe you are going to carry all you payments
5. nihstam katipahamahtak pihonanihksohniyawak nistahnan
the first payment was waited for monies and us
kahti otahniyahk, iykohsi nikakisimohnan
as we are about to put this behind us this has been our decision