From left to right: Bryan Tootoosis, David Pelletier, Tammy Conley, Ames Leslie and Eric Tootoosis.

By Kenneth Cheung

NOV. 27, 1885

‘We never forget our people’: First Nations commemorate eight men lost in Canada’s largest mass hanging

Nov 28, 2024 | 9:26 AM

Wandering Spirit, Round The Sky, Bad Arrow, Miserable Man, Iron Body, Little Bear, Crooked Leg and Man Without Blood.

These eight names represent the Indigenous men who lost their lives in Canada’s largest mass hanging in Battleford on Nov. 27, 1885. 139 years later, community members from First Nations gathered for a heartfelt feast on Wednesday to commemorate these fallen souls at Fort Battleford National Historic Site, a place where they were buried.

“The eight that got hung are relatives to many, many people. In our culture, there’s a saying that ‘Try not to forget the people who died years ago,” said Bryan Tootoosis, Elder of Poundmaker Cree Nation.

As they were found guilty of murder in the Frog Lake Massacre and the Looting of Battleford during the North-West Rebellion, some might argue they were murderers and rioters; however, Tootoosis believes they were just Indigenous men who wanted to survive under the oppression of a colonial government.

Bryan Tootoosis (Kenneth Cheung/battlefordsNOW staff)

NOV. 27, 1885

'We never forget our people': First Nations commemorate eight men lost in Canada's largest mass hanging

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“At that time, yes, people will think that way if they’re greedy. Yes, if they think that they can take over the land and use it for agriculture or economic gain for themselves, yes, they’ll think that way,” he noted. “But for people who didn’t have any food, their livelihood was gone. The buffalo herds were gone. What other choice did they have?”

Eric Tootoosis, Elder of Poundmaker, believes that their depiction as murderers in history is because ‘Canada had to try to look good.’

“We visited Ottawa, we visited the museums and shared the old stories, and it was the newspaper here that wrote the stories and wrote the wrong information that got to Ottawa that day, and so Canada had to pretend to punish for this wrongdoing from their perspective,” said Eric.

He was referring to The Saskatchewan Herald, which reported the mass hanging in its Dec. 14, 1885 issue. The court trials were presided over by magistrate Charles Rouleau, who suffered losses during the looting of Battleford.

Eric Tootoosis (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)

As most believe the eight men were dead at the scene, Eric shared a tale saying that Wandering Spirit was, in fact, not killed; instead, his relative stepped in to take his place.

“His relatives had no relations left, no loved ones left. They perished from the epidemics and the Jesus of that day. So he was alone and said [to Wandering Spirit], ‘I’ll replace you,’” he explained.

Eric went on to share that after the mass hanging, Wandering Spirit travelled around North America and spent his final days in Zurich, Montana, U.S.

Understanding that it could just be a legacy, he believes it is a survival story for generations to pass on so the dark past will be remembered.

“These stories were not readily told, and because it’s a part of our tradition not to speak of a bad incident too often, we tell of it as a survival story, surviving war, surviving an assault, and protecting what belongs to the unborn.”

The feast held by the Kanaweyimik Child and Family Service took place at Fort Battleford National Historic Site on Wednesday. (Kenneth Cheung/ battlefordsNOW staff)

As time erodes many memories, Eric believes sharing stories at gatherings like this feast is crucial for the Indigenous community. He believes It helps them heal from the past and empowers them to embrace the future as a united whole.

“We give thanks through prayer and commemorating those who made this reality for us to be here today.”

Looking ahead, both agree society is progressing toward reconciliation; to further that journey, Tootoosis hopes to strengthen the partnership between Indigenous leadership and the Town of Battleford to preserve Fort Battleford and promote it through local tourism, ensuring that the history remains unforgettable.

He also noted that the school curriculum needs to be changed to ensure that the next generation can learn from the past, and institutions should have more Indigenous teachers to teach their history.

“Education is the one to make that happen, education from Kindergarten,” Bryan noted.

“There’s so much to teach and learn, and people are not going to learn just in one year. It took from 1885 until now to even have a special event like this. That only goes to show Canadians that we don’t forget our people. We never forget our people.” Bryan stated.

“Our culture says, ‘Don’t forget the people that people forgot about’.”

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Kenneth.Cheung@pattisonmedia.com