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Poi
Ardoch Algonquin First Nation Newsletter
March/April 2006
The Petition
of Shawanapenesi
one of the Indians of the lake of two Mountains Tribe humbly sheweth: That your
petitioner together with the other Indians of the same tribe with their families
have long been accustomed to spend the hunting season in the tract of country
embraced within the limits of the townships of Bedford, Oso and South Sherbrook-and
now that their natural means of subsistence have become precarious by reason of
settlement of the country, they have of late turned their attention, in part, to
the cultivation of Corn and potatoes, and are now anxious to be protected, by
Your Excellency in Council, in the occupancy of a limited tract of land within these townships whereon they may be allowed to
support their families and as the land is of very poor quality, your Petitioners
hope that they will not be refused.
On July 11, 1842 Peter Shawanapenesi (Southernbird) addressed
this petition to the Governor General of Canada, Sir Charles Bagot. The petition
itself was scribed by an Indian Agent, Mr. Jarvis. Later, Shawanapenesi would
scribe letters in his own hand in a futile attempt to preserve his small
community in the face of the social and environmental destruction brought by
logging and settlement. This particular document is part of the story of the
Algonquin people in the Ottawa Valley. It is also used as evidence to support
the present Land Claim by the Algonquins of Pikwakanagon.
The
story of Shawanapenesi and his community at Bob's Lake is a sad one. It is made
even more heartbreaking when we realize that this story unfolded countless times
in other Algonquin communities in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec.
The Government of Sir Charles Bagot granted a license of
occupation to Shwanapenesi and his band of 90 or so souls in 1844. Shawanapenesi
and the people of the community dreamed of having a sawmill, school and farms.
In that same year loggers arrived in the upper watershed of the Tay River and
began felling timber on the 2000 acre Reserve. Men were beat-up, women were
raped and the only valuable resource was cut and floated down river.
Shawanapenesi complained. He received a letter from the Government of Upper
Canada explaining that he had received a license of occupation and that the
timber license had been given to a Mr. Flint. Shawanapenesi complained of the
treatment that the band members had experienced at the hands of the loggers. The
Commandant at the garrison in Perth wrote to Shawanapensi to assure him that
should the Indians harm the loggers or settlers he would dispatch soldiers to
the area, but for no other reason. Within a few short years of the beginning of
the Bedford Reserve it was devastated, The People retreated further into the
backlands.
As we
ponder the possibility of another deal with Canada and Ontario we creed to ask
ourselves if this relationship has changed to any great measure. When the
governments with which we are talking do not recognize our history, our homeland
or even that we exist as a people it is imperative that we not repeat the
mistakes of the past. We owe it to our ancestors to resist being fools again,
History Lesson: Bob Lovelace
Facts
about the Algonquin Land Claim
(Per information gathered from the Canadian Government’s website) By: Cindy Vance
1.
The area of claim covers a territory of 36,000 square kilometres (8.9 million
acres), within the Ontario portion of the Ottawa and Mattawa River Watersheds.
The Government says this area covers the following:
-approx.
59% of the claim is privately held lands
-21%
is within Algonquin Park, (to which they claim is most of the park)
-16%
is land held by the Ontario Government and Provincial Crown Corporations - 4% is
Federal Crown Lands
-
These areas include CFB Petawawa and the National Capital Region, including
Parliament Hill
- This has
made it a complex claim to them because more than a million people live and work
within the boundaries of this land Claim area.
- possible claim settlement "may
include economic development initiatives, land, financial compensation, defined
harvesting rights covering fishing, hunting, trapping and gathering and other
related cultural matters".
- that final settlement is expected to
take the form of modern-day treaty which will provide certainty of legal title
to lands in the region and will give legal force to a lasting and comprehensive settlement
of all outstanding issues related to this Aboriginal Claim".
"How
would our ancestors treat the European invaders if they had known then what they
do now?
My
thought on the Land Claim Negotiations as they stand right now:
I
like to believe that our ancestors were wise beyond their years. We wouldn't be
who we are now had they not traveled the roads they traveled. We are a proud
people that understands the concept of Family Unity and the importance of past
and future generations.
The
pain of our people at the hands of many, runs deep.
I
would like to think our ancestors would say:
- We are a
people that need to heal. - These lands are not for sale.
-
My right to fish, hunt and harvest to feed my family was given to me by
the Creator, not by White Man's Law. - I will not allow you to BREED" out
my family's heritage and tell my grandchildren they cannot participate
with our family because they aren't INDIAN ENOUGH.
" l WILL NOT BARGAIN AWAY MY RIGHTS, THE RIGHTS OF OUR GRANDFATHERS BEFORE US, OR THE RIGHTS OF OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS"
Upcoming
Events
Heads
of Family meetings are the last Sundays of
every month, except December. A Pot
Luck lunch will be served at 12:30, prior to meeting. Member input is essential
to the work of our Council. All members are welcome and encouraged to attend
these meetings. Attending the meeting
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