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The Work of a Few Years
AMOKG THE
I 0^ ID I -A. 3xr s
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MANITOBA and the NORTH-WEST
TERRITORIES, CANADA.
MAY, 1S93.
RuperVs Land Indinn Fndvfitrutl School I'rvif.
% \ f HEN visitors to the Cliica^'o Expcsilioii learn tlmt
\. \. sncli of tlie Canadian Indian exliibits as evidence
civilization, come from Indians in Manitolia and
tiie North-west Territories, whose reclamation
virtnally commenced little more than a deca(Je of
years atro, and in some instances still more
recently, they will naturally desire to learn soiiie-
thinsi of the metliods hy which tribes, who but a
few years ujio were rcamin'r the prairies as
savajres, have made the de*jree of progress of
w Inch the evidences are on view.
It is to afford the information demanded hy such intelligent
interest, that the following brief outline of the policy adopted
and pursued by the Canadian Government in the treatment of
its Indians has been prepared.
In dealing with the aboriginal possessors of the country, a
i-lioiee of three courses was open to the people who dispossessed
them.
Tliese were to leave them, after a more or less prolonged
struggle, to perish before tlie advance of a civilization which
their utmost efforts could but serve to retard ; to maintain them
in ignorance and idleness and consequent vice on reservations;
or to endeavour to teach them to support themselves by in-
dustrious pursuits, and tirarlually transform them into hap|>y
and useful members of the commonwealth.
It would be a good thing if those (perhai)8 well meaning)
critics who question our right to impose upon Indians and
their children our civilization., would remember the only
alternatives opeu to us. Surely none who possess the germ of
charity can help rejoicing that the jieople of Canada, through
their Governmont and the Churches, elected to bring to bear
upon the Indian tribes the influences of a Cliristian civilization,
nor fail to sympathize with our gratitude for and pardonable
pride in the great measure of success already attained.
Till' W'lifl: iif a Fill' Ymrf^ (Dii'nifj til'
Even wiien viewed from the (^oinp-irutively law stantlarj of
eiNdioiny, the wisdom of tiie course eli,tted has been fully
demonstrated, for the experieiu-e of others has shown that the
direct cost of ii;:htin;r Indians has always been >j:reater than
that of oivilizin*; tiieni, without takinjr into consideration the
loss caused tliroujjii the comparatively tardy settlement of
distri(!ts meiiaced liy the presence of iiostile savages.
To review the history of our relations with our Indians from
the earliest date of contact would be (piite beyond the intended
scope of tiiis sliort outline, and probal)ly prove tedious to many
of those for wliose inform.ition it has be.Mi presented.
It is, moreover, (juite unnecessary t<» attempt anything ol the
kind, because the real ditliculties of tlie Indian (piestion are
l)eing met and solved in Manit;)l)a and tlie Nortli west Terri-
tories, and more particularly in tliat part of tlie latter known
as the great Fertile Belt, and it will be snibcnent to show Ikjw
the (jrovernment has dealt with the Indians within that tract
of territory.
The initial step was tlie ne^^otiation of treaties. It must be
noticed on the threshold that the word treaty has a tendency
to convey a wrong impression of the policy adopted in Canada,
suggesting the idea that the Indian tribes were treated with as
Independent nations or princi]xilities, which happily was not
the case.
The treaties and the records of proceedings attending their
negotiation, show that they were in reality agreeujentsby which
the title to the soil or right of occupancy, was extinguished on
liberal terms, and that such agreements were made by Her
Majesty the Queen with the Indians as her own subjects.
Thus was avoided a fatal error by whicdi the Indians might
have been left without recognition of a legal status, exempt from
the operations of the law, to be variously treated as fi)reigner8,
wards, or subjects without rights.
In 1850 two treaties, known as the " Robinson Treaties," were
negotiated with the Indians for the extinguishment of their
rights to mineral lands on Lakes Superior ai»d Huron. These
only require luention here as the precursors of otiiers, and
because their main features, viz., Reserves for Indians,
annuities, liberty to hunt over the unoi;cupied domain of the
crown, were afterwards followed.
In 1862, by another treaty, the greater part of Muuitoulin
Island was surrendered.
In 1870 the Indian pro))lem, properly so-called, was nre-
sented to the Gove, nmont. Prior to the year 18U9-70, the date
of the acquisition by the Dominion Government of Manitoba
and the North-west Territories, the resident white population
(ionsisted of a few fur traders of the Hnds )n's Bay and the
Ivdiamt of MjirU\v, potatoes and oats to plant land actnally
broken for cnltivation ; all to bo Lriven oiuro and for all.
It was further au'reed that schools should be maintained,
intoxicants excluded, and the Indians allowed to hunt and Hsh
over unoccupied Crown domain.
In Treaty N •. 7, to me, ^t the different cinMimstances of t'le
Cuuntry and the p'^culiar tem|)erament of the Indians, provision
was made to ;zive more cattle in lieu of aof l)y her Indian aj^ent or ajrents.
" will jrrant to the Indians assistance of su(di ciiaracter and to
" such extent as her Chief Superintendent of Indian Affairs
" shall deem necessary and sufHcient to relieve Indians from
" the calamity that sliall have befallen them."
This is of special interest, as the l)asis of the rejrnlar system
of rationing Indians adopted throu>rhout the Territories after
the disap|>earance of the l)ufl'alo, which will be reverted to
later on.
From the forejfoin^ statement of stipulations, it will be
apparent to those ac()uainted with tlie history of tlie Ciovern-
ment's dealin^rs with the Indians, that all promises made have
been fully kept, and the most liberal po8sil)le construction in
the Indians' favor put upon most.
It will be observed, luoreover, that the (lovernment had
clearly recognized tliat it was its duty to put the Indiana into
a i)ositif)n in wliich they would be able to support them-
selves in a maimer consistent with their rapidly chan^iu};
surrounding's.
In the East the conditions were such that the Indians ('onld,
in their forests and alouj; their lakes, retain, without hurt to
settlers, their huntinj; irrounds, and follow the manner of life
Consistent with the pursuit of «rame for their subsistence.
In the Fertile Belt the case was widely different.
It be(!ame evident that the two races could not loup; refrain
from menaein;^ each other's existence, and that, as tlie advance
of settlers would drive away the ^ame upon whicdi the Indians
were dcpe/ident for their food supply, the latter (;ould but
proion*:, by depredation upon the former, a precarious existencie,
doomed at no distant date to destruction.
Iiiiliniiii of Mintitoho and tin- Xorth-uixl.
H(»Nv, then, wasexistoiice to he made po.ssiltle f(»rtlie Iiuliiin,
without (letriine;it to the iii('omineen advocated.
The advantages of the system, briefly stated, are the
following: —
The reservations do not arrest the mandi of settlement
in any one direction, and consecpiently do not to any
great extent excite the cuj)idity of settlers.
The Indians, vvlien congregated in small luimbers, cliivg
less tenaciously to tlieir habits, customs and modes of
thought, and are in every way more amenable to the
influences of cm vi ligation.
They have less opportunity for devising mischief, and lack
the combination nec-essary to carry it into operation.
The danger of quarrels among hereditary enemies is
avoided.
The game w hich contributes towards the Indians' main-
tenance does not disappear with such rapidity as in
the presence of large numbers of hunters.
iU,
» e iulians could make no material impression
on iinu I d so had nothing to chec!; the indiscriminate
slaughter wiiich tended to encourage that improvidence whicii
is one (»f the characteristics most dilficult to eradicate.
When, however, in about the year 1870, American railways
penetrated the ))uffalo regions, there (Xtmmenced the begin-
ning of the end. It was found that robes and bides
commanded ready and lucrative sale, and a horde of white
hunters, or rather butchers, swarmed in. Hundreds of
thousands of hides reached the markets, each of winch
represented the slaughter of several animals, the (Carcasses of
whi(;h had been left to rot upon the prairies.
Jr.
Jv(ii(()tf> of Mui'tthd (ivd tin hnlJ.-vnt.
*^.
'I'itiie WHS iiot^iveii the cioonied animals evfis to breinning had heen made tcnvards ht. The old and infirm liad largely perished,
strong young braves were re inced to sivelelons, their ponies
traded ofr for food, their dogs eaten ; they w ere dependent for
suutenance on what gophers, mice and so foith, thev could
find.
'I he gravity of the position can hardly be exaggerated. The
natural source of sup[)ly cut ofl befi re ai.y appreciable step
had been taken towards the provision of a sul)stitute. This,
too, at a time w hen means of transport were'limited largely to
the use of tiie '-
Ivflianf of Mfniitahd atirl Ihv I^^orth-uypt.
9
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most salutary influenee npon all classes of the community, and
trom the day the red coat first appeared npon the plains, it
may he asserted that life and property became practically
secure. The great secret of their success with the Indians
has been that the latter quickly learned that, while prompt
and firm in bringinjr offenders to justice, the well-behaved
c/)uld always rely upon their friendship and active sympathy
in case of need.
Another secret of success in dealing with our Imlians has
been the respect paid to one of their most marked peculiarities
in their dealings with white men, viz., their unrelenting and
literal exaction of the fulfilment of any promise made.
Indians have a most iKU'uliar '"ode of morals. "^ heir honesty,
in some respects, excites admiration and surprise. The absence
of doors and locks in their natural surroundings created a
sacred regard for eacli otlier's property, necessarily left unpro-
tected; and one is often astonished to find how scrupulous they
are in respecting property even under circumstances which
would seem abnost to justify a different course. On the other
hand, in order to gain an advantage over a white man, they
would not, as a rule, hesitate to make the falsest statements;
and yet, as already said, they expect a white man to fulfil to
the letter any pnmiise made to them.
An Indian does not understand a conditional promise, nor
will he make allowances for unforeseen difficulties which may
have prevented or delayed fulfilment. There is, moreover, a
great danger of his regarding as a promise something whi(^h
may have never l^een intended by the speaker to bear such
lonstruction. A large proportion of grievances can be traced
to this source, and so much importance has been attached to
the exact fulfilment of anything regarded as a promise, that,
with a view to avoid trouble, subordinate oflrtcers visiting
reserves are not allowed to hold meetings and li.s> n to com-
plaints and bring on discussions which might lead to mis-
conception on the part of the Indians as to what had been
promised them.
Before passing away from the general features of the policy
whicii has turned out so well, it would be unfair to leave
iinacknowledged the extent to which, in dealing with the
Indians now under raview, the road had been cleared by the
Huds(Mi's Bay Company, which, by an uninterrupted course of
fair dealing, had pre[)ared the Indians to put confidence in the
justice and friendly intentions of the white man.
The half-breed population, too, served as a go-between, and
although their influence may not have invariablv been for
good, on the whole it has been very beneficially exerted
between the Indians and the (Tovernment.
10
The Woric of « Few Yeorsi amohg the
To turn to psirtievilars, the first step was, as already stated,
to «ret the Indians settled on their reserves and at work.
The fart tliat the disappearance of tlie buffalo aided in snch
settlement has already (i?en noticed, as well as the advantaj:es
resulting from tlie division of Indians over reserves separated
hy some distance from ea<'li otlier.
Althouj^h the general policy had lieen clearly defined, the
methods of carrying it ont were necessarily tentative, and one
of tlie first things discovered was the need of ample and
constant supervision, such as would enable each Indian tol»e
knovvn and dealt with individually. Agencies were established
with fanners in charge of reserves iherein, and, as the
advantages (»f closer supervision became apparent, these
aveiicies have been increased and subdivided.
The control of rations has i>een the only lever beyond moral
suasion available to compel Indians, naturally averse to it, to
work. The principle laid down has been to help the Indian
t • help himself, to support liim just to tlie extent necessary to
enable 1 iin to lecomc self-supporting In theory this principle
is Sound, but many dit^ii'Uties have been encountered relative
to reducing it to practin moral suasion, it will he
readily recognized how necessary it has been to employ in the
work men possessed of energy, firmness, patience, tact,
decision, fertility of resource in dealing w ith emergencies, and
such knowledge of the Indian character as can be gained by
experience alone.
There is now resident in the North-west Territ(»ries a
Dignitary of one of the Churches, who some few years ago
took charge of one t)f our agencies for a time.
This gentleman had been born and had sper.t the greater
part of his life among Indians as a Missionary, and not
unnaturally thoug^ht he was in [jossession of all that was to be
known about tliem, but when handling them as an agent of
the Government, he felt compelled to admit that under their
idianged conditions they presented an aspect quite new, and
very hard to deal with.
In faw of 8U» h evidence (and much more of like kind might
be adduced), it can readily be understood how utterly unfi*
fiidiariK of Mtinitdhn and the North-weH.
11
iiiexpHrienced men, liowever estimable and capable in otiier
directions, are to manage Indians.
It, has, therefore, been fortnnate tliatthe foresight of Canada's
greatest statesnian, the late Hon. Sir John A. MacDonald.
determined himonaconrse by wiiich politi(!8 slionld not be
idlowed to interfere witii tlie appointment of those entrnsted
witli carrying otit the details of the Department's Indian
polielled to rely for everything upon the charity of the
Government.
What he has been purchasing secures to him the means of
assured independence, and his position arouses a spirit of
emulation in his less industrious brother.
Nothing tends so strongly as the ac([uisition of property to
render Indians averse to having the existing order of things
disturbed, for with them, as in white communities, the lawless
and revolutionary element is to be found among those who
have nothing to lose, but nuiy perhaps gain by upsetting law
and order.
When so far prepared, effect cdn l^e given to the provision
made lor the subdivision into farms, to be held in severalty, of
the reserve so far occupied .in common. Assured that the
benefits will thus be secured to himself and heirs, he is
encouraged to improve his property. Already on many of the
reserves this system of subdivision iiud tenure by location
ticket is in operation.
The [Kitriarchal form of governmcnit by hereditary chiefs has
to be broken down, and provision has been made for the substi-
tution of a system of election, when the time becomes ripe for it.
It may not prove possible to merge the Indians of the
present generation to a ly extent with the white population.
The majority of them may have to be kept on their reserves
To enable them to cope ,vith the temptations and assaults to
whicii they would be exposed if thrown upi.n their own
resources among white men, it may well be that training must
commence in childhood.
In aiming at this, however, snflicient progress has })een made
to justify the confident expectation that within a comparatively
short time the Indians of tiie present generation will at least be
made self-reliant, self-supporting and self-respecting on their
own reserves, and if nothing more be accomplished, tliis
achievement will have been worthy the best efforts of a
civilized and Christian nation.
14
The Work of a F(V Yiars omo'tig the
Even such I rief review of tl e Cn veri nert's Irdian jolicy
as tl e foregoing vn( ulcl I e ii;(< nijilele villcut a jilanre at wluit
is l eing dore for tie rising ^ert'iatioii. In view ol what lias
been accomplisl ed in a (( nijaratively short time, wlien
dealing with an adult j opiilatioi, taken fr( ni a savage state, it
d(es not seem an extravagai^t exjectation tl at mai y of the
rising generatitn can he tan^-l.t t( h( Id tl eir ( vn and.perhaj s,
e\eii to amalgamate w ith the v hites. To this end, the ean est
ai d persistent educational efff rts of the Government are
direr for their children, hut no civilized nation canjustily
itself in leaving ignorant savages, whose country it has taken
jK ssession (,f. to deteimiiie their o^^n course and follow the
blind promptin^is c>f their natural impulses.
1 he education of the rising generation is u logical sequence of
the policy already described, a^d that this was recognized
\N hen it ^^ as first outlined, will be seen from the {(revision
made in the treaties for the establishment of day schools on
the reserves.
As the necessities of the case and the true scope of the orkw
have gradually become apparent, the Government lias un-
hesitatingly stepped beyond the strict obligations imposed by
treaty stipulations, and with the full approval of the country,
developed an extended system of education for its Indian
wards.
In this work it has been greatly assisted by the Churches,
which, by contributing to their maintenance, have enabled a
better class of teachers to be employed, and more schools, at
any rate ol the boarding classes, to be provided than would
otherwise have been p(,ssible.
A commencement was made with day schools on the
reserves, but by decrees tneir insuiliciency became clear. The
strong affection for their children, which is such a pleasing
characteristic of the Indian, prevents the exercise by him or
by the teaciier of the firmness and discipline necessary to
compel regularity of attendance, or obtain the best results from
sucii attendance as mav be secured.
\i
Iiuli/mif of MnuUob;(, and the North-west. 15
i*
At best, coinp.iratively little impression can be made on
children wlie.i the iufineiice exer iisjd diirin>5 scliool hours is
rei^ularly counteraiited by the longer iioiirs and stronger
impressions of home association.
For these reasons, and with the additional one of providing
means for instrnotion in trades, such as could not be alForded
al individual reserves, the establishment of Industrial Sciiools
at a distance from the reserves was determined on.
Of tlie.se In iastrial Schools, supported entirely by the
(lovernrajut, there nave alre.i ly bee:i established one at Fort
Qu'Appelle, one at Battleford, one at High River, and one at
Regina, while two others at Retl Deer and Brandon respec-
tively are in immediate contemplation.
These st^hools, although conducted under the auspices of
various religious deiiominations, have been wholly supported
by the G iver.iment, and in addition to the ordinary common
sjhoal edacation, instruc^tion in carpentering, blacksmithing,
shoe-making, printinj;, farming, etc.. is given to the boys, and
in various household industries to the girls. They have not
been in opjration sulfi neatly long to give much in the way of
ultimate results, but those wiiich have bjen longest established
are beginning to give proof that the hopes entertained in
founding such institutions will not be disappointed. Of the
progress ma le i'l imp.irting industrial instruction, the exhibits
will l)est speak for themselves.
Tlie system of farm. ug out m )re alvancel papils under
careful suparvision and to reliai)le settlers has been
inaugurated, and so far tlie saricess m.it with has been most
encouraging. By this means it is hoped that many will
gradually becouu imbued with the sentiments as well as the
habits of wiiite people.
'here yet remains for serious consideration whether pupils
sliould be allowed to return to their reserves, to there run the
risk of relapsing into the condition from whicli they liave been
taken, or be placed by themsvilves in colonies, or trusted to liold
their own as citizens amjng white numbers of the community.
In addition to these Industrial S diools wholly supporteil by
the Government, there have been established several similar
institutions nure directly under the control of the various
religious bodies, who undertake a share of their maintenance.
Towards the support ot pupils at these institutions, the
Government contributes an annual per capita grant of $100.00,
an l at each of them, industrial and other instruction of the
character already described is give o, although not compulsory
in more than two trades. Of tliese, there are one at St. Boniface,
Winnipeg; one at St. Paul's parish, a few miles i^istant from
the same place; one at Elkhorn, in iVIauitoba, etc., lc.
16
llic Work of a Few Years among the
Yet anotlier class of boarding K('lio<*l8 is comhicted by tbo
various deiiominatioiis, which receive a per capita grant of
$72.00.
These are intended, as far as possible, to take tlie place of
day-schools, and are in most cases sitnated upon or adjacent
to reserves, but they tend in a measure to remove the cliildien
from tlie disadvantages of contact with home influeiices and
associations.
The cost of these Boarding Schools, although from one point
of view but small, is, in the aggregate, so great that they
cannot be substituted for day-schools as fast as could be
desired.
There were thus, during the past year, at these Industrial
Boarding and Day Schools in Manitoba and the Nortii-west
Territories, in round numbers some 4000 children brought
under direct educational influences, and the work is being
steadily extended.
The beneficial results upon the present, and still more upon
tlie coming, generation, can hardly fail to be such as to re])ay
the people of Canada for the enlightened policy pursued in the
treatment of the aboriginal population of vast tracts oi terri-
tory, perhaps the richest in natural resources, and most full of
promise for the future of any on this continent, or in any part
of the world.
^
ladiayix oj Mavitotxi and the North-west.
17
IXTotioe.
f
HE Printing of this book is en-
tirely the work of young Indian
lads and their instructor, at the
Rupert's Land Indian Industrial
School, St. Paul's, Middle Church
P. O., Manitoba, Canada.
^^^
Printed at the ,
RUPERT'S LAN D
INDIAN INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL,
Middle Church,
manitoba, - canada.
^^K