2.9.9 Indian Reservation Nos. 161 and 161A The Island Lake band, otherwise known as the Ministikwan Lake band, drew annuity with Seekaskootch and Ooneepowhayo bands from 1876 to 1908. A surveyed reserve was of concern to this band as early as 1905 when Sibbald reported that three leading men of the band had called upon him protesting against the proposed intention of a man by the name of McPherson to cut timber on a portion of land which they had been settled upon for years. It was their intention to ask the department for a reserve at Island Lake (PAC RG10 CRF, Vol. 7769 F.27115-6, Sibba1d to McLean, November 21, 1905). McLean immediately informed Sibba1d that application had been made to the Department of the Interior to temporarily reserve a tract of land six miles deep around Island Lake, and not to grant any timber licenses therein, until the question of surveying a reserve for the Indians of that locality had been decided (.-tb.-td.,McLean to Sibbald, December 5, 1905). At this time there were about 30 families in the band as well as another small group living at Loon Lake about 20 miles east of Island Lake. According to the paylist of 1909 there were an estimated 179 persons in the band, although not all were recognized as having taken treaty and therefore, were not all entitled to land. However, Agent Sibbald reported that, finding themselves strong in number, and most 107 of them living in the neighbourhood of Island Lake, it has been thought well to show them separately, and it is intended ere long to have a reserve surveyed for them (SP27, 1910:140). Inspector Chisholm was directed by McLean to ascertain whether any of these Indians had received land elsewhere as well as any other information necessary for the setting aside of a reservation. Because it was difficult to determine whether or not these Indians had taken land elsewhere, or had been included in the allotment of land to other bands in the agency, the department decided to set aside a reserve calculated at one square mile for each family of five at their present population (PAC RG10 CRF, Vol. 7769 F.27ll5-6, McLean to Chisholm, March 1909). Inspector Chisholm reported that population to be 250, including 117 at Island Lake, 27 at Loon Lake and 24 at Big Island Lake. They were entitled to 50 square miles. Reid was commissioned to survey the reserve for this band after he had consulted with the Indians and with Inspector Chisholm. McLean suggested that a single reservation was most desirable, but that two or more separate reservations might be necessary for the different groups at their respective locations if the Indians absolutely refused to live together on the same reserve. In his annual report for 1910, Agent Sibbald stated that the reserve, while not yet laid out, would cover the major portion of Township 58, Range 25, West of the 3rd Meridian. He noted that the locality where they are choosing to have their reserve is not well adapted for farming, but will embrace some valuable hay-land and from the lake they draw a large number of 108 whitefish, the principal item of their food supply (SP27, 1911 :147). In response to reported dissension among the Island Lake Indians with regard to the location of their reserve, Acting Agent Turner held a meeting with the band on January 28, 1911. There were 23 persons present with the heads of most families attending, and with Little Hunter as the principal speaker. Turner reported that the surveyor had indicated that almost all the lake. would be inside the reserve and that if any other Indians wished to join the band the reserve would be enlarged. However, the way the reserve was planned it appeared to the Indians that only a small portion of the north shore of the lake was included and a number of houses belonging to members of the band had been excluded. Little Hunter suggested that someone had changed the plans to include hay lands, but that the Indians preferred to include the lake as it was from the lake that, they made their living. He asked for all the lakeshore except a small portion of the south shore; also a piece of land running south from the south-west corner, and to give up a strip off the west side of the present reserve (PAC RG10 CRF, Vol. •7769 F.27115-6, Turner to McLean, February 3,1911). Turner stated that he had been present at a meeting held by the surveyor with the Indians before the survey was made, at which time the Indians expressed their desire to have a reserve which would surround the lake and include some valuable hay lands. They were advised by Reid and Turner to IIsecure the haylands and not to think so much about the lake. 1I The majority favoured the lake. However, one of the leading men with his followers visited Reid after the meeting to express their desire to include the hay lands. Reid and Turner, therefore, attempted to 109 shape the reserve in such a way as to include both the lake and the hay lands. Turner concluded: As I believe the country all around the lake has been surveyed, it would not be difficult to alter the reserve if the department wished to do so, but, with the interests of the Indians in view, I would not recommend that land should be given them round the lake in place of the hay1ands to the north, but a portion of the west side might be given up, to allow the land on which buildings are now situated being included (ibid.). According to Chief Surveyor Bray, the Indians were in error as to the position of some of the houses they thought were outside the reserve. Some of them were actually within the boundaries of the reserve. He recommended the changes which Turner had suggested and Agent Sibba1d held a meeting with the band in early June to explain the recommended changes. The band now appeared ~leased with the division of the reserve into two and requested only a few section changes. IR 161, containing 20,645 acres and located in Township 58, Ranges 24, 25 and 26, West of the 3rd Meridian and IR 161A, containing 6,989 acres and located in Township 59, Ranges 25 and 26 and Township 60, Ranges 25 and 26, West of the 3rd Meridian were confirmed by Order-inCouncil P.C. 1704 on August 3~ 1911. This gave the band a total area of 27,543 acres. In February 1912 the Indians at Island Lake asked for the addition of certain sections around the southeast shore of the lake so that the entire lake would be included in the reservation. Sibbald informed them that as they already had the land they were entitled to, he would mention their request to the department, but would not recommend 110 Map 13: Island (Min;stikwan) Lake Indian Reservations Nos. 161 and 161A. 111 the change. When Sibbald visited the Indians at Big Island Lake he found 46 treaty and 33 non-treaty people. At a meeting with them to discuss a reserve, they refused to leave the district they were then in or to have a reserve unless they were given a large tract of country north of the Beaver River which was their usual hunting ground. Sibbald reported that these Indians refused to understand the survey system, pretended to know little or nothing about the treaty and believed that the government had no control over the country north of the Beaver River. Because the majority of the Indians were away hunting, it was impossible to determine their wishes. Nevertheless, he suggested a tentative location in Township 63, Range 24 and Township 62, Range 24. Because the Indians at Big Island Lake refused to join the Indians at Island Lake, it became necessary for the department to reduce the area of the reservation at Island Lake to an area more in keeping with treaty allowances according to population. The Island Lake Indians had been granted a reserve for 207 persons while they numbered only 117. Sibbald held a meeting with these Indians in 1913 at which he informed them of the decision of the department to reduce the area of their reserve. He recommended the deduction of 13 sections on the east side of the lake which were of very little agricultural value, being rough and scrubby, and left the Indians to judge for themselves what would be of least value to them in the remaining three sections. After some discussion the band reported that they did not want to relinquish any part of their land. The band was still adamant in their refusal when Sibbald visited them in December 1913, so he recommended to the department the deduction of those sections in Township 58, Ranges 24, 25 and 26 which were of least agricultural value. In April 1914, the Indians on IR 161 refused vaccination. Sibbald reported that, they had asked the Department to allow their reserve to remain as it was originally surveyed and that if their request was granted they would then say what they would do with regard to vaccination (PAC RG10 CRF, Vol. 7769 F.27ll5-6, Sibbald to Secretary,oApril 2, 1914). The value of the land in IR 161 became a matter of concern when Sibbald reported that even if two square miles were allowed for every five souls, -it would not compensate for the difference in value between the land contained in this reservation and the land in the other reservations of the agency (ibid.). He then recommended allowing the Indians to have the land they asked for. Until this was taken care of he felt these Indians would remain obstinate in their opposition to him and the vaccination program. The department did not fall in with Sibbaldls suggestion; the treaty allowed 640 acres for each family of five and this band had been allotted an area much larger than the actual number of persons-willing to reside on it. Surveyor for the department, E. Robertson, reported in March 1915 that he had surveyed Island Lake IRis 161 and 161A and reduced them by cutting off 10,279 acres, even though the Indians strongly objected to this reduction. IRis 161 and 161A now contained a total area of 17,264 acres. Order-in-Council P.C. 976 dated April 27, 1916 authorized the elimination of the area deducted by Robertson and confirmed the remaining portions of IR 161 and IR l61A. Reserves were surveyed in 1916 for Joseph Bighead Band at Big Island Lake (Lac des Isles) and for the Loon Lake Band at Loon (Makwa) Lake.
Posted on: Thu, 03 Apr 2014 21:15:32 +0000
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