154th Anniversary of Treaty 1 Commemorations
Lower Fort Garry, Manitoba
Part of the research that won’t make it into my MA project about land acknowledgements is travelling to community events, or paying special attention to the ones I’m at to see how Treaty 1 is spoken about, remembered and commemorated. In pursuit of this, I travelled to Lower Fort Garry on July 31 and August 3 to see two different commemorations of the Treaty. Both events were covered by various local media.
July 31 - Treaty 1 Nations
On July 31, I attended a commemorative event put on by the Treaty 1 signatory nations held at Gabeshiwin, just outside the walls of Lower Fort Garry, and not far from where Watson’s Map reports Riel, Lapine and Donohue to have scaled the wall to enter the Fort. The event featured traditional indigenous teachings about the land, water and relationships, including the spirit and intent of the Treaties. Dennis White Bird, former Treaty Commissioner of the Province of Manitoba delivered impromptu remarks. The event was heavily rooted in Indigenous traditions, which were powerful to observe, and be included in, as a non-Indigenous person who’s space is dictated by the Treaty.
August 3 - Parks Canada
By contrast, the official Parks Canada commemoration was much more low key, fitting within the day to day operations of the fort, including re-enactment of life there sometime in the 1840s or 1850s. While the event did make space for Indigenous presenters and knowledge keepers, I was again reminded of the important work that must continue to reach historically disengaged members of the public.
