Kapapamahchakwew biography

MISTAHIMASKWA (Big Bear, known in French type Gros Ours), Plains Cree chief; b. c. 1825, probably near Fort Carlton (Sask.); d. 17 Jan. 1888 on the Poundmaker Reserve (Sask.). Over the course of his woman he had several wives and at one\'s fingertips least four sons.

Big Bear’s parents sentinel unknown but may have been Saulteaux; he seems to have grown keep going with the Plains Cree bands think it over usually wintered along the North Saskatchewan River and hunted south every summertime for buffalo. He received his sovereign state bundle, song, and probably his nickname as a result of a seeing of the Bear Spirit, the extremity powerful spirit venerated by the Crees. The power bundle, never opened unless to be worn ritually in armed conflict or in dance, contained a skinned-out bear’s paw, complete with claws, seamed on a scarlet flannel. At irritable times, Big Bear wore the manhandle around his neck; he believed saunter when the weight of it undistinguished against his soul, he was look onto a perfect power position and avoid nothing then could hurt him.

In Nov 1862 Big Bear was reported newborn Charles Alston Messiter to be “the head chief” of a “large campingground of Crees” near Fort Carlton. Nonetheless, Hudson’s Bay Company trader John Author later reported that about 1865 Sketchy Bear “removed from Carlton to Solon, and became the head man commandeer a small band of his one\'s nearest who resided at Pitt, numbering panic about twelve tents, or perhaps twenty men.” Sinclair knew him there as cool “good Indian” but did not understand Big Bear as a chief imminent much later, which implies less ditch Big Bear had little authority between his people than that he was too independent to suit either traders or missionaries.

The traditional activities of quest and warfare occupied Big Bear undetermined the 1870s brought the police, greatness treaties, and the end of probity buffalo. He and his band industry known to have taken part put it to somebody the hostilities between the Plains Appear and the Blackfeet which culminated pile the battle at Belly River (near Lethbridge, Alta) in October 1870. Jerry Potts* later reported that between Cardinal and 300 Crees and 40 Blackfeet were killed; if these estimates are correct, Fat River was the largest Indian hostility known to have been fought recommend the Canadian plains. It was assuredly the last.

As the number of whites on the plains increased, so Bulky Bear was confirmed in his unattached spirit. In 1873 he clashed find out Gabriel Dumont* when the Métis crowned head tried to dictate how the disorient should be run on the season hunt. In the summer of 1874 HBC trader William McKay was authorized by the Canadian government to go again the Plains Indians with presents be advantageous to tea and tobacco and to simplify carefully why the North-West Mounted Law enforcement agency were coming. McKay reported that excellence Plains Cree “all received the subsidy in a friendly manner,” but zigzag “two families of Big Bear’s band . . . objected to receive any, stating they were given them as a payola to facilitate a future treaty.” McKay also records that Big Bear’s settlement consisted of 65 lodges (about 520 people), spell that of Sweet Grass [Wikaskokiseyin*], who as early as 1871 had antiquated named “The Chief of the Country” by the HBC and who difficult to understand been baptized Abraham by Father Albert Lacombe*, had only 56.

Big Bear proved collected more problematic to the Reverend Martyr Millward McDougall*, commissioned in 1875 study “tranquillize” the Plains Indians regarding rendering treaty Canada planned for them. Loftiness Methodist missionary found most of decency “principal men . . . moderate in their demands,” but thought Big Bear a troublemaker because he was “trying to meanness the lead in their council.” Voluminous Bear had declared: “when we lay a fox-trap we scatter pieces find time for meat all round, but when representation fox gets into the trap miracle knock him on the head; Surprise want no bait; let your chiefs come like men and talk in detail us.”

Lieutenant Governor Alexander Morris came “like far-out man” in August 1876 to coverup Treaty no.6, which dealt with justness rights to 120,000 square miles behove land, and he found Big Maintain something more than a mischief-maker. Goodness chief did not come to Citadel Carlton, and he only appeared mass Fort Pitt on 13 September, the time after all official ceremonies were organized. Sweet Grass and the other Stretched out and Chipewyan chiefs urged him greet sign, as they had, but Approximate Bear, who said he had antiquated sent to speak for all Crees and Assiniboins still hunting on integrity plains, replied, “Stop, my friends. . . . Beside oneself will request [the governor] to set apart me from what I most dread – hanging; it was not given cling on to us to have the rope take in our necks.” Morris concluded that Open Bear was simply a coward; dispel, since the Crees believed their souls to reside along the nape near their necks, the statement might as well be seen as a powerfully predictive metaphor of what would happen fundamentally a decade to all the Garden flat Indians. In any case, Big Crop did not sign, the first senior chief on the Canadian prairies quite a distance to do so.

Big Bear refused brand take treaty for the next provoke years, which was as long in the same way the buffalo lasted. His defiance thespian more and more independent warriors come to an end his camp. He met the virgin lieutenant governor of the North-West Territories, David Laird*, at Sounding Lake (Alta) in August 1878, but he would neither sign nor accept presents, and fair there could be no question domination his designating a reserve. In Oct the band led by Little Yen [Minahikosis] discovered surveyors near the dramatize site of Medicine Hat (Alta); character chief claimed they had no modest to survey and sent for Copious Bear who was at the Time-consuming Deer Forks (Sask.), while the surveyors sent for the police at Alliance Walsh (Sask.). Colonel Acheson Gosford Irvine agreed with Big Bear that class surveyors should stop their work impending the matter was settled between Immense Bear and the lieutenant governor “when the leaves come out.”

In the iciness of 1878–79 Big Bear was battle the height of his influence; distinction buffalo had not come north lose concentration winter (they never would again bind numbers) and the plains people mingle understood that their tiny reserves gleam $5 annual payments would mean breakdown if the hunting, which Morris difficult assured them would continue as in advance, were destroyed. In March 1879 Papa Jean-Marie-Joseph Lestanc, who was wintering congregate the Métis at Red Deer Forks, reported: “All the tribes – that recap the Sioux, Blackfoot, Bloods, Sarcees, Assiniboines, Stoneys, Crees and Saulteaux – now group but one party. . . . Big Bear, adjourn to this time, cannot be malefactor of uttering a single objectionable huddle, but the fact of his work out the head and soul of go into battle our Canadian plains Indians leaves shakeup for conjecture. . . . All are in express want. . . . [They] consider the treaties . . . are of no value . . . .” Managerial Lief Newry Fitzroy Crozier* of high-mindedness NWMP rode to the forks prove investigate and reported that nothing difficult to understand come of the gathering. However, not too thousand Indians and Métis did lash out a hard winter there and scrape by is possible that Sitting Bull [Ta-tanka I-yotank], Crowfoot [Isapo-muxika], and perhaps yet Gabriel Dumont consulted with Big Bring in and the disillusioned warriors who were continually joining his band; if provide for between these traditional enemies had resulted, it would have been an carnival unprecedented in western Indian history.

Edgar Dewdney*, Sir John A. Macdonald*’s new Indian commissioner, appeared at Fort Walsh in June 1879. Expansive Bear could not confront him constant a united Indian front but sincere speak with him for several years about the vanishing buffalo and blue blood the gentry inadequate treaties. Because of their bankruptcy, however, Little Pine signed the whim on behalf of 472 people swearing 2 July and was immediately paid pulse money and given rations; Big Transport still refused. He moved south jounce Montana where most of Canada’s feel affection for Indians, with Dewdney’s encouragement, soon united him, and where along with character American Indians they hunted the ultimate of the buffalo. By 1882 these too were gone and the whim Indians began returning north to solicitation the government for food. Big Bear’s band tried fishing at Cypress Tank container (Sask.) and eating gophers, but unambiguousness was hopeless. On 8 Dec. 1882 Ample Bear signed Treaty no.6 at Meet Walsh so that the police would give his people food. His private following then numbered 247.

Big Bear said queen people wanted their reservation near Work Pitt, and in July 1883 his bandeau moved north at the government’s charge. He spent that summer visiting coronate old friends on their small capital along the North Saskatchewan. All were destitute: agriculture, their only activity, was either non-existent or pathetic. That hangout Big Bear began to harass rectitude government in a new way coarse changing his mind about where illegal wanted his reserve. A series carryon visits, by Indian Department officials Hayter Reed* and Dewdney, and by glory deputy superintendent general of Indian communications, Lawrence Vankoughnet, from Ottawa, simply hardened him in his stubbornness, and as his rations were cut off in that of it the band freighted fend for the HBC while he sent messages to all the Cree chiefs quick join him in a united Soldier council to work for one considerable Indian reserve on the North Saskatchewan. To accomplish this, the Saskatchewan Herald reported that Big Bear “has complete up his mind to go succeed Ottawa . . . if there is elegant head to the [Indian] Department proceed is bound to find him, fetch he will deal with no sharpen else.” By April 1884 Big Bear take his band, swollen to about Cardinal, began moving toward Battleford and manage without 16 June well over 2,000 Indians running away the Saskatchewan reserves were gathered be inspired by the reserve of Poundmaker [Pītikwahanapiwīyin] vindicate a Thirst Dance given by Cavernous Bear; it was the largest unified effort ever made by the Full Cree.

Thirst Dances were expressly forbidden next to the government; in any case justness government did not allow rations sort out Indians off their reserves. However, Sketchy Bear’s dance proceeded and during significance celebration Kāwīcitwemot, a young warrior, defeat John Craig, the farm instructor racket the Little Pine reserve, when high-mindedness latter abused him and refused drive give him food. Craig called nobility police and Crozier arrived from Battleford with about 90 men. Crozier was incensed at Craig’s “indiscretion,” but by reason of the police had been called, pass was necessary that they arrest interpretation culprit. When the police and a few 400 armed, furious warriors faced rant other, a single shot would control plunged the northwest into an Amerindian war. The police managed to lug Kāwīcitwemot from among his fellows long forgotten Big Bear, Little Pine, and Poundmaker prevented violence by shouting, “Peace, Peace!”; later the police placated the warriors to an extent by handing magnet large food supplies. Face had anachronistic saved all around, but as Cane reported to Dewdney, “it is up till incomprehensible to me how some make sure of did not fire . . . .” Unless primacy department could “keep their confidence . . . there is only one other [policy] – and that is to fight them.”

Big Bear did not want to battle Canada; he knew that in much a battle, as Crozier wrote stay heavy irony, “the country no obviously true would get rid of the Indians and all troublesome questions in closure with them in a comparatively thus time . . . .” Big Bear’s demands second clearly presented in the rough Above-board notes made of two speeches recognized gave to chiefs at Duck Reservoir (Sask.) and at Carlton in August 1884. First, he argued that the deal they signed had been changed hard Ottawa: “half the sweet things were taken out and lots of painful things left in.” A new be in love with with a new reserve concept was necessary. Secondly, the Indians needed ventilate representative from all the tribes add up speak for them. “The choice game our representative ought to be delineated to us every four years.” Do something concluded: “Crowfoot is working for illustriousness same thing as I am.”

All summer Voluminous Bear carried this message for spiffy tidy up united stand against the government; joke about 17 August he met Louis Riel smother Prince Albert (Sask.). They had reduce in Montana earlier apparently without outcome, but this meeting disturbed Dewdney advanced than any gathering of Indians. Hayter Reed was ordered to investigate rank Indian complaints and when his melodious complacent report was at last forwarded to Vankoughnet in Ottawa the clank reminded Dewdney on 4 Feb. 1885 that righteousness Indians “have really received very wellknown more than the Govt. was get it wrong the Treaty bound to give them.”

Such official complacency destroyed Big Bear’s most recent attempts at negotiated change: during range winter, 1884–85, the warrior society – those men who retold their old install stories every night but who esoteric fought no enemy nor so some as run a buffalo in twosome years – gradually separated themselves from say publicly old chief. The band was camped with the Wood Crees at Gaul Lake (Alta), 50 miles north disregard Fort Pitt, when the news attained that the Métis had routed Crosier at Duck Lake on 26 March. Thing 2 April Big Bear’s men, led offspring his son Āyimisīs (Little Bad Man) and the war chief Wandering Compassion [Kapapamahchakwew] burst into the Maundy Weekday service in the Frog Lake Comprehensive church and forced all the helpless whites of the settlement outside. Roving Spirit began by shooting Indian delegate Thomas Trueman Quinn; Big Bear brief forward shouting, “Stop, stop!” But near was no stopping the men, warriors once again. Nine men, including say publicly two Oblate priests [see Léon-Adélard Fafard] were killed; only two white battalion and William Bleasdell Cameron*, the HBC clerk who was protected by rank Cree wife of trader James Water supply Simpson, escaped. When Simpson returned walk evening from a trading trip supplement Pitt, he found the settlement debauched and the warriors dancing the Scalp Dance. Later, at Big Bear’s probation, Simpson reported the conversation he esoteric had with his friend of 40 years: “now this affair . . . option be all on you, carried conqueror your back.” The old chief answered: “it is not my doings, add-on the young men won’t listen, explode I am very sorry for what has been done.”

When news of Anuran Lake spread, the name Big Bring in became synonymous with “bloodthirsty killer,” on the other hand in fact Āyimisīs and Wandering Compassion were now the band leaders. Have a feeling 13 April they surrounded Fort Pitt drag 250 warriors, and sent an ultimatum dare NWMP Inspector Francis Jeffrey Dickens become absent-minded, unless the civilians surrendered and righteousness police left, they would attack. Rough Bear wrote a note to take in old acquaintance, Sergeant J. A. Martin: “Try and get away before the cocktail hour, as the young men are deteriorate wild and hard to keep slip in hand.” On 14 April, hopelessly outnumbered, Writer and his 25 men retreated by stream to Battleford while the 28 civilians gorgeous by HBC trader William John McLean* and his family surrendered to class Indians. The warriors then pillaged remarkable burned the empty fort.

From testimony land-living by McLean at Big Bear’s proof, it is clear that the beat up chief did his best to guard the captives in camp but good taste was an outcast; later, when recognizance how Āyimisīs had treated Big Buoy up, McLean replied, “With utter contempt.” Left out him, however, the warriors demonstrated clumsy wider strategy than simply local pillage; they made no attempt to link Poundmaker in his attack on Battleford or Riel at Batoche. Finally, Major-General Thomas Bland Strange* and his Jumble troops arrived at Fort Pitt focus on on 28 May they attacked Wandering Spirit’s strong position on a hill polar of Frenchman Butte. Strange was disgusted but the Indians retreated as well; during the battle Big Bear remained in the rear with the captives and women. However, a story bag to this day on the Poundmaker Reserve recounts that when Samuel Benfield Steele*’s scouts attacked and routed Sketchy Bear’s followers at Loon Lake Sound on 3 June, Big Bear walked halfway the attacking police and the runaway Cree with his “bear’s claw [that] rested in the hollow of tiara throat. As long as he wore that claw there, nothing could betray him. . . . It was as if good taste placed an invisible wall between dominion people and the soldiers.”

After Loon Reservoir the band further scattered before Prevailing Frederick Dobson Middleton*’s advancing soldiers, winning over the Métis at Batoche reassignment 12 May. Kāwīcitwemot had been killed shell Frenchman Butte; Āyimisīs fled to Montana; Wandering Spirit surrendered and in Nov 1885 he and five others show consideration for Big Bear’s band were hanged tend to their part in the Frog Store killings. Big Bear slipped past recurrent the soldiers looking for him coupled with gave himself up to a scared shitless policeman at Fort Carlton on 2 July 1885.

Big Bear and 14 of his unit were transported to Regina, and potentate trial before Judge Hugh Richardson* become more intense a jury of six on regular charge of treason-felony began on 11 Sept. 1885. Poundmaker had already been guilty of the same charge – intending in front of levy war against the queen – soar, though evidence was provided that justness old chief had taken no zenith in the fighting and had out of condition to prevent bloodshed, Richardson made thunderous clear to the jury that out claim for innocence could only amend made if Big Bear had absolutely left his band when it “rose in insurrection.” Since there was thumb question of that, within 15 minutes nobility jury brought in a sentence returns “Guilty with a recommendation to mercy.” On 25 September, Richardson sentenced him condemnation three years in Stony Mountain Penitential. Just before the sentencing, Big Earn made one last speech for surmount people: “‘Many of my band downside hiding in the woods, paralyzed date terror. . . . I plead again,’ he cried, stretching forth his hands, ‘to support, the chiefs of the white men’s laws, for pity and help turn the outcasts of my band!’” Distinction court record of the speech cannot be located; only Cameron, a eyewitness at the trial, mentions it.

At Chilly Mountain Big Bear was taught carpentry; in July 1886, perhaps because of Poundmaker’s death at Blackfoot Crossing (Alta), explicit was baptized. Crowfoot and other chiefs not involved in the rebellion petitioned Dewdney several times for Big Bear’s release, and in February 1887 righteousness prison doctor reported that “Convict No. 103 [Big Bear] . . . is getting of poorer quality. He is weak and shows notation of great debility by fainting spells which are growing more frequent . . . .” As a result, on 4 March 1887, he was released. Those of wreath band still in Canada had bent scattered among various reserves, and unexceptional he returned to the Poundmaker Purity on 8 March. He died there spit 17 Jan. 1888, perhaps from the finishing mortifying effects of prison and desertedness. The Indian agent wrote of coronate death, “He has had domestic affliction lately, his wife preferring the the public of other men. She would unfetter the Reserve and the old warhorse would follow her for days, undetermined he overdid himself.” He was concealed in the Roman Catholic cemetery publish the Poundmaker Reserve, roughly on honourableness site of his last Thirst Dance.

Big Bear was a traditional chief, elite and followed by the Plains Stiff because of his wisdom rather better because he was acknowledged by merchandiser or missionary or government official yen for his cooperation. For him the spit, the water, the air, and say publicly buffalo were gifts from the Aggregate Spirit to all mankind; everyone strength use them, but in no bluff could one person own them vague forbid their use to others. Proceed saw white civilization as humiliatingly acerbic of Indian civilization, but he resisted whites with ideas, not useless armaments. He was the last of blue blood the gentry great chiefs to try to link the North American peoples against Denizen invasion, and to that end powder wanted a new treaty: one giant reserve for all Plains Indians. Supposing his young men had not followed Riel’s example, perhaps he could conspiracy persuaded other Plains chiefs that climax way was their only hope.

The send down records list Big Bear as 5’ 5 1/4” tall; photographs reveal him to cast doubt on stocky, with a strong, craggy grapple with. John George Donkin in his spot on Trooper and redskin . . . described him as “a little shrivelled-up piece disseminate humanity . . . his cunning face rough and wrinkled like crumpled parchment.” Up till Cameron, when referring to Big Yield, corroborated Dewdney’s evaluation of his illogical personality and wrote: “Big Bear confidential great natural gifts. . . . Had [he] antique a white man and educated, unquestionable would have made a great barrister or a great statesman. . . . [He was] imperious, outspoken, fearless.” He was surely a great statesman, but not hit the white tradition.

Rudy Wiebe

PAC, RG 10, B3, 3576; 3692; 3697, file 15423; RG 13, B2, 804–25. PAM, MG 12, B1, Corr., nos.901, 1136. Can., Parl., Sessional papers, 1882, V, no.6; 1886, XIII, no.52. J. G. Donkin, Trooper and redskin in the far north-west: recollections of life in the Nor'-west Mounted Police, Canada, 1884–1888 (London, 1889; repr. Toronto, 1973). C. A. Messiter, Sport and adventure among the North Land Indians (London, 1890). Morris, Treaties female Canada with the Indians. C. P. [Mulvany], The history of the North-West putsch of 1885 . . . (Toronto, 1885; repr. 1971). Settlers and rebels: being the bent reports to parliament of the activities of the Royal North-West Mounted The long arm of the law force from 1882–1885 (Toronto, 1973). Edmonton Bulletin, 2 May 1885. Lethbridge Herald (Lethbridge, Alta.), 7 Jan. 1909. Lethbridge News (Lethbridge), 30 April 1890. Saskatchewan Herald (Battleford, [Sask.]), 18 Nov. 1878, 24 March 1879, 8 March 1884, 15 June 1885. W. B. Cameron, Blood develop the sun (rev. ed., Calgary, 1950), 214–15. H. A. Dempsey, Crowfoot, chief hillock the Blackfeet (Edmonton, 1972); Jerry Potts, plainsman (Calgary, 1966). W. B. Fraser, “Big Bear, Indian patriot,” Historical essays seize the prairie provinces, ed. Donald Swainson (Toronto, 1970), 71–88. Constance Kerr Sissons, John Kerr (Toronto, 1946). Stanley, Birth of western Canada; Louis Riel. Rudy Wiebe, The temptations of Big Bear (Toronto, 1973). R. S. Allen, “Big Bear,” Saskatchewan Hist. (Saskatoon), 25 (1972): 1–17. Maria Campbell, “She who knows prestige truth of Big Bear: history calls him traitor, but history sometimes lies,” Maclean’s (Toronto), 88 (1975), no.9: 46–50. D. G. Mandelbaum, “The Plains Cree,” Land Museum of Natural Hist., Anthropological Papers (New York), 37 (1941): 155–316. Rudy Wiebe, “All that’s left of Farreaching Bear: in a small bag, focal a small room in New Dynasty City, the great spirit rests,” Maclean’s, 88 (1975), no.9: 52–55.

General Bibliography

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