(City of Lacombe)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

new artwork unveiled

Lacombe holds ceremony to recognize Treaty 6

Dec 9, 2021 | 12:13 PM

The City of Lacombe held a Treaty 6 land recognition ceremony this week, and commemorated a piece of artwork to be displayed outside council chambers.

The artwork was commissioned by the City after consultation with Elder Roy Louis of Maskwacis, and done by Byron Samson, whose Cree name is Mistikonapew (miss-stick-ōh-nah-pay-yô).

“The City of Lacombe is proud to display this vivid reminder of our long history with the Indigenous communities with whom we share this land,” Mayor Grant Creasey said. “On behalf of council, I would like to thank Mr. Samson for this contribution to our community. I hope that everyone who comes to City Hall knows our community is committed to building and expanding meaningful, constructive relationships with all of our neighbours.”

According to the City, the art piece acknowledges that the community sits on Treaty 6 lands, as well as the historic Indigenous travelling route called the Buffalo Trail. The trail passed through the Medicine Hills or Mahikan Wachisak (Wolf Hills) / Nisto Chaki Atinak (Three Pointed Hills), what is now the city of Lacombe and central Alberta.

It also includes images of several First Nations Chiefs and others involved in signing Treaty 6.

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The City notes that commemoration is the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call to action #79 of 94.

Treaty 6 was signed in August and September of 1876, and was the first of the 11 numbered treaties to include language identifying a medicine chest. This provision stipulates that the Indigenous people within the territory will be provided protection from famine and pestilence, among other things.

Treaty 6 territory starts in Red Deer (north of the river), runs north to Jasper National Park, and stretches all the way east to Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan. It also includes Saskatoon and Humboldt.

Treaty 6 also contains the promise that it will be in effect for, “as long as the sun shines, the grass grows and the river flows.”