SASKATCHEWAN HISTORY

The First Peoples

Some believe that the first people to live in Saskatchewan arrived about 30,000 to 40,000 years ago across the Bering land bridge that once connected Asia to Alaska.

Saskatchewan's First Peoples had plenty of food. They hunted the bison, deer and antelope in southern Saskatchewan, moose, elk, caribou and deer in the forested areas of northern Saskatchewan. They also hunted geese and ducks and fished. Beaver, rabbits and ground squirrels were trapped. They gathered plants that grew wild (wild rice, turnips, onions) and berries (chokecherries, saskatoons, blueberries, raspberries).



The people who lived in the central and southern regions hunted and followed the herds of animals. They hunted with spears and later with bows and arrows. Bison (buffalo) became one of the main sources of food for the Indian nations who lived on the Great Plains.

The bison also provided them with clothing, shelter and tools. To catch the bison, the hunters would attack the animals at water holes, trap them in gullies or surround them. Bison were also stamped over cliffs.

INDIAN NATIONS AND LANGUAGES

The main First Nations tribes living in Saskatchewan were the Blackfoot, Chipewyan, Sioux, Assiniboine, Gros Ventre, Sarcee, Cree, Saulteaux, Shoshoni, and Nez Perce. The Indian nations were grouped into language families ( map )

• Algonkian language family - Blackfoot, Blood, Peigan, Gros Ventre and Plains Cree
• Siouan family - Assiniboine and Sioux (Dakota, Lakota)
• Athapaskan language family - Sarcee and Chipewyan (Dene)

THE ARRIVAL OF FUR TRADERS AND SETTLERS

The culture of the Plains First Nations changed after the arrival of the fur traders. They exchanged furs, hides and skins (of the fox, marten, weasel, moose, deer, buffalo, beaver) at trading posts and received kettles, pots, knives and axes. The arrival of settlers brought more problems for the Plains People. Diseases and warfare reduced the number of native people. They fought over hunting grounds and the best campsites. Small groups of warriors would raid other camps to capture their horses. Horses were a prized possession and were used as gifts and loaned to those in need or traded. The Government of Canada established the North West Mounted Police (1873) to bring law and order.

The Métis Nation:

The Métis were a group of people evolved from the fur traders and the Plains Peoples. They were descendants of European fathers and Aboriginal mothers. Their lifestyle was a combination of both cultures. Some were bison hunters, traders and trappers, some were guides for explorers, some delivered cargo with their Red River carts and some were farmers.

Ways the First Nations Peoples helped the settlers

By the end of the 19th century the great herds of bison had disappeared. The Plains First Nations were worried about how they would survive without the bison. The government encouraged them to sign treaties and they were placed on reservations. They had a hard time adjusting to the new way of life. The Métis felt threatened when homesteaders arrived and started farming. They feared they could not keep their land. The government ignored their concerns. The Métis led by Louis Riel along with Cree leaders Chief Poundmaker and Chief Big Bear rebelled in 1885. The fighting did not last for long. The leaders of the North West Rebellion were punished.