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The History Student – Prairies & The North
Place A: Batoche, Saskatchewan (A place I want to visit)

Relevance to my studies: “Since I have been studying Canadian history from outside of Canada, the 1885 Northwest Resistance has been an important historical event. I want to stand at the site of the Battle of Batoche so I can connect physically to the events of the past and especially so I can understand those events from the point of view of the Métis. The battle represented a struggle for rights, identity and sovereignty and that is something I am very interested in learning about first hand.”

Traditional Indigenous Territory: Batoche has traditionally been the ancestral territory of the Métis Nation; this area is also located in the ancestral territory of Nehiyaw (Cree) and Nakota (Assiniboine) peoples.

Treaty: Batoche is located in Treaty 6 Territory, however, the Métis were often excluded from the treaty-making process. The 1885 Resistance at Batoche was partially a response to the need for the Métis to secure a land base and have their rights recognized, which were never addressed in the treaties signed with First Nations.

Indigenous-led Organization (for Education/History): The Back to Batoche Festival run by the Métis Nation-Saskatchewan. The festival is held annually every July and is a living representation of Métis culture, history, and community. For someone visiting like me, attending this festival is one way to learn about Métis history, not from a textbook, but through Métis music, dance, food, and stories from the community itself or as a means of truth-telling and enjoyment.

Place B: Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (A place I want to visit)

Relevance to my studies: “I find the concept of modern treaties and Indigenous co-governance fascinating. As the capital city situated along the shores of Great Slave Lake, Yellowknife appears to be the epicentre of this new model of governance in Canada. I wish to visit to see a location where Dene, Inuit, Métis and non-Indigenous people are creating a society rooted in land claim agreements.”

Indigenous Territory: The traditional lands of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation (Weledeh Dene); and generally in the broader areas of Dene peoples and the Métis.

Treaty/Land Status: Yellowknife is located within the Akaitcho Territory Dene First Nations’ land claim negotiations; unlike southern historic treaties, this is a continuing negotiation based on the Dene’s unceded Aboriginal title. The Tłı̨chǫ Agreement (2005), to the north, is a great example of the modern treaty model that will likely influence the future of the Yellowknife area.

Indigenous-Led Organization (for Governance/Community Development): The Dene Nation. This advocacy organization represents the Dene peoples throughout the Northwest Territories. If you are a visitor who is interested in governance, then learning about the Dene Nation’s role is critical to your understanding. It demonstrates how Indigenous nations are politically organized to negotiate, administer their lands, and protect their languages and cultures in the modern era.