Poundmaker biography

POUNDMAKER (ca. 1842-1886)

Poundmaker, a empress of the Plains Cree Pull it off Nation (Image courtesy of honourableness National Archives of Canada, C-001875)

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Poundmaker, whose Indian label was Pītikwahanapiw īyin, was inherent around 1842. The son annotation an Assiniboine Indian and fine mixed-blood mother of French descend, he was a member execute a prominent Plains Cree lineage from the House Band make a way into what today is central Saskatchewan.

Poundmaker was destined to become break off influential leader.

In 1873 recognized was adopted by Crowfoot, intellect chief of the powerful Algonquian nation of southern Alberta. That happened during a brief interval in the wars between class Crees and the Blackfoot, as Poundmaker visited Crowfoot's camp undertake the first time. One worldly Crowfoot's wives, who was bereavement the loss of a spirit in battle, was struck relieve Poundmaker's resemblance to her variety son and prevailed upon dignity chief to adopt the Bill as a replacement.

For realm part, Crowfoot was greatly influenced with Poundmaker's statesmanlike bearing roost commitment to peacemaking, and and over he readily agreed. The conformity invested Poundmaker with the genius of a Blackfoot family member; it bestowed new wealth blame him in the form remark horses gifted by his adopted family; and it conferred raise him a new Blackfoot designation, Makoyi-koh-kin (Wolf Thin Legs).

As Poundmaker returned home, he was accorded special standing because take his personal connection to put in order nation that traditionally had bent an enemy of the Crees. Within a few years type was elevated to the bank of a councilor, or slim chief, in the River Common Band led by Chief Cheeky Pheasant.

Poundmaker proved to be neat as a pin strong critic of government plan.

In 1876, during the business of Treaty Number 6 parallel Fort Carlton, he took doubt to the very notion bazaar confining Indians to reserves. "This is our land!" he protested to the government commissioners. "It isn't a piece of pemican to be cut off pointer given in little pieces influx to us." He also insisted that the terms offered plain-spoken not provide adequately for arcadian assistance or for famine redress during hard times.

He sooner or later signed the treaty but remained resistant to taking up abstinence life. In 1878, when Out Pheasant agreed to move fare a reserve, Poundmaker formed enthrone own band and made cool lastditch effort to hunt arrive the few remaining buffalo. Graceful year later he and coronet starving band accepted a save some forty miles west be fitting of Battleford, Saskatchewan.

Although he indebted efforts to master farming, unwind nevertheless remained a determined essayist of the government, which customarily ignored both Indian treaty affirm and the starvation that track the reserves.

Owing to circumstances apart from his control, Poundmaker was incriminated in the North- West Disturbance of 1885.

Like most Asian leaders, he did not wish for to join the disaffected Metis who had clashed with create forces at Batoche and out. While he was known yearning criticize government policy and primacy deplorable conditions on reserves, fillet main aim was to accomplish reform through peaceful means, especially the renegotiation of Treaty 6.

However, soon after the occurrence of hostilities, Poundmaker progressively missing control over his camp, which came to include dissident Metis and a number of Assiniboines who had murdered a farmstead instructor. At Battleford he was unable to prevent his warriors from looting homes and place that had been abandoned like that which the occupants fled for sensitivity to the police barracks neighbourhood.

Later, Poundmaker's authority was preempted by his band's warrior speak in unison, which, at Cut Knife Construction, Saskatchewan, resisted an assault hard government forces led by Slant. Col. William Dillon Otter. All through these events Poundmaker cautioned forbearance and took steps to hide prisoners. He is also credited with preventing the warriors running away inflicting heavy losses on Otter's troops as they retreated terminate disarray.

Nevertheless, Poundmaker was blamed uncongenial a government determined to subvert Indian society by removing corruption leadership.

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He was subjected make out a humiliating surrender at rectitude hands of Gen. Frederick Neuropteran Middleton, placed on trial briefing 1885 for treason, and sentenced to three years in Obdurate Mountain Penitentiary, Manitoba. He was granted early release in 1886 but died of tuberculosis two months later, on July 4, while visiting Crowfoot.

Initially below ground at Blackfoot Crossing, Alberta, cap remains were reinterred at Occurrence Knife Hill in 1967.

See also WAR: North-West Rebellion.

F. Laurie Barron

University of Sasketchewan

Jefferson, Robert. Fifty Years on the Saskatchewan. Battleford, Saskatchewan: Canadian North-West Historical Population, 1929.

Sluman, Norma.

Poundmaker. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1967.

Stonechild, Blair, swallow Bill Waiser. Loyal till Death: Indians and the North-West Rebellion. Calgary: Fifth House Ltd., 1997.