Papaschase facts for kids

The Papaschase are a group of Cree people from Canada. Their name comes from the Cree word for Woodpecker. They are descendants of Chief Papaschase's Band from the 1800s. This group signed Treaty 6 with the Canadian government. Today, people who are part of the Papaschase group are working to get back their land or receive payment for it. They believe their reserve land was taken unfairly in 1888. However, the Canadian government has not yet officially recognized them as a First Nation band.

Papaschase History

Chief Papaschase, also known by other names like John Gladieu-Quinn, lived with his family and community in Alberta in the mid-1800s. They lived near places like Fort Edmonton and Slave Lake. They often traded furs with the Hudson Bay Company.

In the 1850s, they settled permanently near Edmonton, on the south side of the North Saskatchewan River. Chief Papaschase and his brother Tahkoots signed Treaty 6 on August 21, 1877. This treaty was an agreement between First Nations and the Canadian government.

The Papaschase Reserve

It took three years for the Papaschase to get their own reserve. In 1880, they were given Reserve 136 (I.R. 136). This land was far from the riverbanks where they had lived. Today, this area is part of southeast Edmonton, Alberta, including a large area called Mill Woods.

Many settlers did not want the reserve so close to the growing town of Edmonton. A newspaper owner named Frank Oliver wrote in his paper, the Edmonton Bulletin, that the Papaschase Cree should be moved. He wanted their land to be available for new settlers. In 1881, a meeting was held to ask John A. Macdonald, who was Canada's Prime Minister, to move the Papaschase Cree and their reserve away from Edmonton.

Leaving the Reserve

By 1886, only about 80 Papaschase members were left on the reserve. Many had taken something called Métis scrip. This was a kind of certificate that gave them land or money, but it meant they lost their treaty rights and status as First Nations people. They did this because they faced hard times, and the government had not kept all its promises from the treaty.

The last remaining members left the reserve in 1887. They were told to leave by a government official. Many of them moved to nearby reserves, like the Enoch Cree and the Alexander First Nation. Chief Papaschase passed away in 1918 in Northern Alberta.

Loss of Land

The Papaschase band lost their entire reserve in South Edmonton in a way that many people question. On November 19, 1888, three men signed a document to give up the land. This meeting was called with only four days' notice by the government agent.

The Canadian government then divided the reserve land into smaller pieces. They sold most of it at auctions in 1891 and 1893. Many land speculators, who buy land to sell it for profit, bought most of it. They then resold it to settlers. Railway companies also bought some of the land they needed.

Part of the reserve land was used for the Canadian Pacific Railway's Calgary and Edmonton Railway. When the railway arrived in 1891, a small town grew on the south side of the river. This town later became the City of Strathcona. Over time, the former reserve land was completely taken over by the City of Edmonton. This happened in several steps between 1959 and 1982.

Papaschase Today

In August 2006, something very important happened for the Papaschase people. The remains of at least 31 Papaschase ancestors were returned to them. Some of these remains had been kept at the Medical Examiner’s Office and the University of Alberta. A special reburial ceremony took place at the Epcor Rossdale site, which is a historic cemetery protected by law.

When new construction projects started, like the Walterdale bridge in 2012, the Papaschase people and other local Indigenous groups asked for their consent. They wanted to be asked before construction happened on their traditional lands and burial sites. Now, construction projects on these lands often have archaeologists on site. They also have monitors from Indigenous bands present. These actions show how Indigenous groups are working towards self-determination, which means making their own decisions about their lands and future.

Working for Recognition

Around 2012, about 1,000 people said they were descendants of the Papaschase band. They believe their ancestors were unfairly forced off their reserve. This happened so that more settlers could move in and to allow the railway to use the land.

In 2008, their lawsuit against the Canadian government to get their lands back was dismissed. The court said that the Papaschase were not an officially recognized band. This meant they could not make a claim against the government. The court also said too much time had passed since the land was taken.

Since then, the group has focused on becoming a recognized band. They are working with the Federal Claims Commission and using political pressure. The current Papaschase website says that their leaders are working to protect and advance their treaty rights. They want to get a fair solution for the unfair taking of their reserve land in 1888. They are also trying to find other Papaschase descendants who have been separated from the group.

On January 16, 2013, a group representing the Papaschase held a partial blockade and information picket. This happened on the Queen Elizabeth II portion of Alberta Highway 2, which is a very busy highway. This action was part of the larger Idle No More movement, which brought attention to Indigenous rights.

In 2018, the Papaschase Band was recognized as a member of the Assembly of First Nations. This was an important step towards their full recognition.