Headman Milton Tootoosis with Chief Poundmaker’s artifacts. Photo by Manfred Joehnck.
It has taken 132 years, but a rifle and war club belonging to Chief Poundmaker have arrived on his home reserve near Cut Knife and officially go on public display Tuesday through Saturday.
The grand unveiling of the artifacts includes a full of celebration and ceremony on the Poundmaker First Nation with the presence of storytellers, an honor song and dignitaries.
There is also a major push to right the wrongs of 1885 when Chief Poundmaker was wrongfully convicted of treason and sent to prison. During the Northwest Resistance, Chief Poundmaker was seen as man of peace and compassion. He prevented his warriors from annihilating more than 300 soldiers, while at the same time protecting his people. Despite this, he served a few months in prison before his health began to fail. Shortly after his release, he died of a lung hemorrhage.
Poundmaker Headman Milton Tootoosis says the band has passed a resolution asking the federal government to exonerate the chief, which has the support of the Assembly of First Nations and the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations.
“It may be very difficult,” Tootoosis said, “but on the other hand, if it is and we get stumbling blocks and road blocks from Canada we’ll just keep marching on.”
Chief Poundmaker. Photo courtesy Saskatchewan Archives Board.
Tootoosis says having Chief Poundmaker’s rifle and war club back on his home reserve is historic, even if it is just for five days. He says eventually he would like to have the local museum upgraded so it could accommodate the many artifacts from 1885 that have been removed from the First Nation.
“Historically, I think it is very, very significant,” he said. “We know there are numerous items around the world in various museums and collections that we need to bring home, or least get replicas of some day.”
Tootoosis says were it not for the efforts of Chief Poundmaker, Canadian troops would have met the same fate as General Custer and his soldiers at Little Big Horn nine years earlier.