Saskatchewan First Nations

Canada First Nations Research  Saskatchewan  First Nations

Timeline of Important Events
1670   The Hudson’s Bay Company is founded.

1670  Hudson's Bay Company granted charter for “Rupert’s Land” – the entire drainage system of   	 Hudson Bay: including northern Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, a large part of Saskatchewan, southern Alberta and some of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

1684  York Factory (trading post) established on southwest Hudson Bay.

1691 Henry Kelsey, a young employee of the Hudson's Bay Company, travels to the future 	Saskatchewan in search of First Nations trading partners.

1740s	Guns and horses reach the plains of Saskatchewan.

1763	The Royal Proclamation of October 7 recognizes that the Indian Nations on land west of the 	established colonies should not be disturbed by settlement.

1774	The first trading post is established in Saskatchewan at Cumberland House, a central 	location for a transportation and supply post. Several waterways led north and northwest to 	the Churchill and Athabasca regions as well as eastward to Hudson Bay, and southwest to 	the Great Plains.

1776-77   Plains Cree suffer a smallpox epidemic.

1781	Chippewyan suffer a smallpox epidemic which almost destroyed them as a tribe.

1781-1782   Cree suffer a smallpox epidemic.

1820 	Sir Peregrine Maitland advocates the concept of Indian residential schools. 1830	Assiniboine suffer extensive smallpox epidemic.

1840	The first school in Saskatchewan is established at Cumberland House by Henry Budd.

1871	August 21,Signing of Treaty 2; it covers a small portion of southeastern Saskatchewan.

1840	The first school in Saskatchewan is established at Cumberland House.

1867	Confederation of Canada

1870	North Western Territory and Rupert’s Land transferred from control of Hudson’s Bay 	Company to the Dominion of Canada.

1870s	The bison are quickly disappearing from the plains due to massive slaughter for hides and to 	eliminate the subsistence for plains tribes, to force them onto reserves. Plains tribes were 	faced with extreme hardship and starvation. By 1880, the bison were gone.

1870	A large number of Metis leave Manitoba and settle in the provisional North West territory of 	Saskatchewan

1874	September 15, Treaty 4 is signed, covering Saskatchewan south of the South Saskatchewan 	River. The federal government agrees to provide schools on reserves.

1876	September 9, Treaty 6 is signed, covering a large part of Saskatchewan north of the South 	Saskatchewan River.

1880s	Nearly 50% of the population on Reserves perish due to diseases such as tuberculosis, 	whooping cough, measles, and diphtheria.

1885	Metis uprising – North West Rebellion at Batoche

1899	June 21, Treat 8 is signed. Parts of northern Saskatchewan.

1906	August 28, Treaty 10 is signed. What is left of northern Saskatchewan.

Tribes and Bands (First Nations) of Saskatchewan

 * A list of tribes and contact information in is found at Native American Nations


 * A list of bands is found at First Nations Bands of Saskatchewan


 * Map and contact information on First Nations bands, tribal councils, and other information in Saskatchewan. First Nations in Saskatchewan (pdf file)

Records

 * "Indian genealogy records : records of births, marriages and deaths of the members of the Indian bands of Wollaston Lake Post including Lac La Hache band and Brochet or Barren Lands band": by Maigret, Father:


 * Indian Registers, 1951-1984, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, are maintained at the Library and Archives in Ottawa. Access to these records is restricted. Inquiries must be directed to the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada regional offices.