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Big
Bear
Cree Chief
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Once the European settlers
came to Western Canada, the way of life for the aboriginals was
threatened and Big Bear, a Cree Chief, fought, through protests of peace
to make things better for his people. He was branded a troublemaker.
This is his story and the story of his people, an account of one man's
losing battle against authority. Big Bear had fought the authorities by
word, his people fought with bullets and both lost. By 1887, Big Bear's
people were scattered throughout the country, most of his family was in
Montana, he died alone in January of 1888.
It's August 181h, 1876, on
the Carlton side of the North Saskatchewan, the day for signing Treaty
#6, between the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba and the Northwest
Territories, Alexander Morris and the Ruling Chiefs. Artist, Gus Froese
has superimposed upon this mural three Indian chiefs who tower over the
proceedings, but are not actually a part of it. To the left is Chief
Beardy, who signed the Treaty ten days later on his own turf, then Chief
Big Bear and Chief Poundmaker, who also were not part of the original
signing. The whole event takes place under a foreboding sky, which hints
of conflict yet to come.
Chief Big Bear, laying on
his deathbed called together his two sons, Dark Claw and his younger
brother Wild Horse. knowing that he would go to the great hunting ground
in the sky soon he told them "Soon one of you will become chief, but in
order to do so you must pass a test. The chief knew that Dark Claw only
wanted to kill but his younger son Wild Horse wanted peace more than
anything. The honor of being chief mostly fell to the older son, but Big
Bear did not want to give it to his eldest son. Your test shall be go to
the over the moutain, down the mighty river, to a clearing, there is a
spring that has the purest and sweetest water I have ever tasted.
I was a boy there until the
white man drove us out. Dark Claw's eyes opened wide with anger at the
mention of the white man. Bring me back some water from that spring so I
may drink one last time before I die.A mischievious grin came on Dark
Claw's face as he looked at his younger brother. Dark Claw was much
bigger than Wild Horse. He was faster but not as smart. He thought this
would be an eazy way to become chief. He would follow his brother and
wait for him to bring back the water, and then he would kill him and
take the prize to Big Bear, and become chief. You will leave at sunrise
and the first to return with the water will be chief. That night as Dark
Claw went hunting, Big Bear called his son to his side. Wild Horse, I do
not have to tell you of your brother's ways. I fear for your safty my
son. If you return with the water then I know you have outsmarted your
brother. If he returns with the water then I will know that you are
dead. Be careful my son. I cannot give one more help than the other so
you must find a way. On your own.
The next morning before the
sun rose Dark Claw set off. Wild Horse carefully packed things he might
need in a deerskin bag and left. The hike up the moutain was a
trecherous one. Three or four times times Dark Horse almost lost his
balance on the small pebbles that were sliding in his wake. Clouds
covered the sun and it began to get very dark. Wild Horse knew it was
going to rain so he took shelter in a small cave just off the path. Dark
Claw had passed that way not more than an hour ago, He was constantly on
the lookout for some where to hide to ambush his brother once he
returned.
Big Bear, like Louis Riel,
was one of the leaders of the Metis and Plains Indians who tried to
unite and press John A. Macdonald's government for native rights. In
1876, Big Bear refused to sign a treaty he believed would sacrifice his
people's rights in exchange for a reserve. But with buffalo gone and the
Cree facing starvation, the treaty was signed in 1882. Big Bear lost
control of some of his warriors which resulted in Wandering Spirit and
his men killing nine settlers at Frog Lake, north of today's
Lloydminster, and burning Fort Pitt near the Alberta-Saskatchewan
border. The warriors were eventually hanged and Big Bear was found
guilty of treason and sent to Stony Mountain penitentiary near Winnipeg.
After two years, he was released to the Poundmaker reserve near North
Battleford, Sask., and died a year later. | 
