Songs for a Sunday: Wyatt C. Louis

Wyatt C. Louis is a Nêhiyaw singer-songwriter based in Moh’kinstsís on Treaty 7 Territory. (more on treaties below)

Treaty 7 (Southwest Alberta) is the last of the Numbered Treaties made between the Government of Canada and the Plains First Nations. It was signed on 22 September 1877 by five First Nations: the Siksika (Blackfoot), Kainai (Blood), Piikani (Peigan), Stoney-Nakoda, and Tsuut’ina (Sarcee). Different understandings of the treaty’s purpose, combined with significant culture and language barriers and what some have argued were deliberate attempts to mislead the First Nations on the part of the government negotiators, have led to ongoing conflicts and claims.

To make a long story short, in essence, the Canadian government wanted land for resources and industry and to build railways to connect the east and west, protecting their interests from the United States to the south. Many indigenous groups had no concept of land ownership and may have believed it was an agreement to share the areas of interest.

There are hundreds of disputed land claims currently in Canadian courts.

You can read more here about Canada treaties.

-Leon

Want to read more music blogs? Here are some of the ones I follow: Mostly Music Covers, Take it Easy, Beetley Pete, A Sound Day, PowerPop… An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture, SuperdekesVinylReviews, Fox Reviews Rock

Leon Stevens is a multi-genre author, composer, guitarist, songwriter, and an artist, with a Bachelor of Music and Education. He published his first book of poetry, Lines by Leon: Poems, Prose, and Pictures in January 2020, followed by a book of original classical guitar compositions, Journeys, and a short story collection of science fiction/post-apocalyptic tales called The Knot at the End of the Rope and Other Short Stories. His newest publications are the novella trilogy, The View from Here, which is a continuation of one of his short stories, and a new collection of poetry titled, A Wonder of Words.

My new book page: http://books.linesbyleon.com/

Sign up for my bi-weekly newsletter and receive a free book!

Oh, pick me! C’mon, space stuff!