Tête Jaune facts for kids

Pierre Bostonais, also known as Tête Jaune (which means 'yellow head' in French), was an important trapper and explorer. He was part Iroquois and part Métis. He worked for big fur trading companies like the North West Company and the Hudson's Bay Company a long time ago, in the 1700s and 1800s. People called him Tête Jaune because he had blond hair. His other name, Bostonais, might mean he came from America, as some First Nations people used that name for American traders.

In the early 1800s, Pierre made a big journey. He crossed the Rocky Mountains through a pass that is now named after him: the Yellowhead Pass. Later, in 1819, he led a group of Hudson's Bay Company men through this same pass. They were going to meet the Secwépemc people. Pierre later moved his trading post to a Secwepemc fishing village on the Fraser River. In 1828, Pierre and his family died in a conflict near the Smoky River. This happened because of disagreements over land with the Dane-zaa people.

Places Named After Tête Jaune

Several places are named after Tête Jaune, honoring his explorations and work:

• Tête Jaune Cache, British Columbia
• Yellowhead Highway
• Yellowhead Pass, which is in Jasper National Park in Alberta

The Story of Tay John

A Canadian writer named Howard O'Hagan (who lived from 1902 to 1982) wrote a novel called Tay John in 1939. The name Tay John is a different way of saying Tête Jaune. This book mixes old stories about the frontier, tales from Indigenous peoples, and the history of Jasper National Park. The novel became very popular and was reprinted many times. It is often studied in Canadian literature classes across the country.

See also

• Yellowhead (disambiguation)