In the Prairies, 10 years of bison revitalization

For 10 years now, a treaty concluded between 71 First Nations of Canada and the United States entitled The Bison : treaty of cooperation, renewal and restoration allows the return of bison to indigenous communities on the Prairies.

Nations signing the treaty must guarantee a safe space for bison to live and co-exist on their lands. Signatories must also promote the place of bison in culture, conservation, health, education and research.

In Saskatchewan, the Peepeekisis Cree Nation, located near Balcarres, west of the capital, Regina, is one of the signatory nations to the treaty. In 2014, she released a herd of 22 bison onto land she owns.

Since then, the community has shared this same growing herd with the Zagime Anishinabek community, a Saulteaux First Nation.

Chief Alan Bird of Peepeekisis was there when the bison returned in 2014. He has been caring for the animals extensively since then.

The elected official explains that the community has expanded its pastures and watering areas over the past ten years and that volunteers always come to help.

It’s a good relationship. It’s always a good feeling and it’s a healthy way to spend the dayhe says.

Ten years ago, Alan Bird’s son-in-law and two other men approached the band chief and council because they knew a man in Alberta – Ron Steckley – who owned bison and wanted to bring them to Saskatchewan.

We were a little worried at first because we wondered why these people wanted to bring bison onto our land for free.explains Alan Bird.

Ron Steckley and his bison producers wanted to make a contract on paper, but the band council instead told them they wanted to do it in a ceremony.

After we finished the ceremony we took the paper and threw it away saying “no, we will shake hands, we will honor your words, you will honor ours”recalls the gang leader. The ceremony we had just finished represents much more than this paper.

The Cree elected official recently attended the signing of the bison treaty by the Ojibwe First Nation of Brokenhead, Manitoba, and helped move part of the Peepeekisis herd to its new home.

This is our way of paying for the return of bison to our First Nation landsexplains Alan Bird.

It’s going to happen

Director Tasha Hubbard, from the Peepeekisis Cree Nation, created a documentary, titled Singing Back the Buffalowhich highlights the communities repatriating bison to the Northern Plains.

The filmmaker explains that the 2014 bison treaty was born from a conversation between communities and elders in Saskatchewan.

The elders said: “It is time, we must bring back the buffalo, but we will need help from other nations”she explains on the microphone of the show Unreservedde CBC.

The first treaty was signed by eight nations in 2014 – four on the southern side of the border, and four on the northern side.

She says the treaty covers all elements relating to the presence of bison in the lives of indigenous peoples and their impact on things such as culture, conservation, education and livelihoods.

It’s about committing to bringing the bison back…physically onto tribal landsshe explains. If this is not the case, it is a matter of raising awareness of the bison issue in the community, schools and the various players in our health system.

She says becoming bison aware is about remembering the once-powerful relationship Indigenous people had with bison before they were almost completely exterminated in the 19^e century.

Anthony Blair Dreaver Johnston is a member of the Mistawasis Nêhiyawak, a Cree community located near Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He acts as a special advisor for his First Nation.

Her community doesn’t yet have its own bison, but she helps care for the Sturgeon River Plains bison herd.

His great-grandfather, who lived from 1813 to 1896, declared, when signing Treaty Number 6 in 1876, that bison needed to be protected.

Anthony Blair Dreaver Johnston recalls that his grandfather saw the bison become extinct.

His hope was to protect the bison for the futurehe says.

He says he’s well aware that communities may not be able to bring back the millions of bison that once roamed their ancestral lands, but he remains hopeful.

We will work towards this for the next 150 years and it will happen, the bison will return, we will bring our brother, our grandfather’s bison, back to our landhe assures.

According to a report by Louise BigEagle, de CBC News