The True Spirit and Original Intent of Treaty 7 (McGill-Queen's Indigenous and Northern Studies, 14)

by Treaty 7 Elders

The True Spirit and Original Intent of Treaty 7 is based on the testimony of over 80 elders from the five First Nations involved in Treaty 7 - the Bloods, Peigans, Siksika, Stoney, and Tsuu T'ina. Their recollections highlight the grave misconceptions and misrepresentations between the two sides, due in part to inadequate interpretation and/or deliberate attempts to mislead. The elders consistently report that the treaty as they understood it was a peace treaty, not a surrender of land, and that they had agreed to "share" the land with the white newcomers in exchange for resources to establish new economies - education, medical assistance, and annuity payments. The book provides both a historical overview of Treaty 7 and an analysis of the literature on treaties generally and Treaty 7 specifically. It makes clear that different agendas, different languages, and different world views affected each side's interpretation of events. This review of the events and interpretations surrounding Treaty 7 takes place at a time when aboriginal and indigenous peoples all over the world are re-evaluating their relationships with imperial powers. It was undertaken in good faith in hopes that it will begin a dialogue that can alter the dominant discourse of Euro-Canadian society, which has been so damaging to aboriginal people.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Canada

432 pages, Paperback

First published October 28, 1996

Reviews

[Shelley Âû · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard read but well worth it

[Lyf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not reading a lot of books in this vein, I can't really speak to the literary quality of the work. What I can speak to is the apparent thoroughness of the interviews and exploration of the subject matter. What a true gift to hear from the mouths of elders themselves. Also to have such a near complete agreement between the different First Nations who were at the signing almost 150 years after the event is incredible.