ᑕᓂᓯ (tanisi)
That is hello in Cree!
The history of this land goes back much further than the establishment of the town.
Indigenous peoples are believed to have entered the northern plains following the retreat of the last glacier, approximately 11,000 years ago. With evidence of bison hunting in the area as early as 3,000 years ago.
Today, Saskatchewan is home to 70 First Nations with many located in the Qu’Appelle Valley region.
You are standing on Treaty 4 land, and traditional territory of the Metis.
Indigenous history spans thousands of years, through the oral traditions of six nations, coming together to share their stories.
From the Nakoda nation, Matthew Spencer describes the unique cooking methods of the Nakoda peoples. The Nakoda would dig a hole into the ground, stretch leathered deer skin into that hole, peg the hide to the outer rims of the hole, fill it with meat and water, then drop red hot rocks into the water to cook the food. This method made it easier to cook on the go, if they needed!
From the Nehiyaw (Cree) nation, Harry Francis shares his story about the saskatoon berry bush predictions. The saskatoon berry is sacred to the Nehiyawak, regarded as a medicine, and Nehiyawak would travel great distances for this medicine. Harry warned that if the bush does not have many white blossoms that year, leave this bush to the animals and go pick berries elsewhere. A lack of white blossoms means that saskatoon bush needs to rest another year.
Treaty 4 Territory covers the majority of Southern Saskatchewan and includes the Town of White City. Treaty 4 territory includes the original lands of the Cree, Ojibwe (OJIB-WĒ), Saulteaux (SO-TO), Dakota, Nakota, Lakota peoples. The Métis Nation is also a part of this region.
We would like to acknowledge that the land on which we gather is Treaty 4 territory and the traditional territory of the Anihšinābēk, Nêhiyawak, Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota peoples, and the original home of the Métis/Michif Nation. We recognize that both Indigenous and Métis people are the spiritual and cultural keepers of their traditional lands and still to this day, continue to practice their values, languages, beliefs and knowledge.