Both sides of a commemorative coin, Chiefs Medal, presented to commemorate Treaty Numbers 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. (courtesy Library and Archives Canada, 1986-79-1638/Wikimedia CC)

By Keaton Brown

Cause for celebration

Red Pheasant Treaty Day celebrations could see return of medal

Jun 21, 2019 | 2:12 PM

Chief Red Pheasant’s Treaty Medal could be on its way home after disappearing over one hundred years ago.

The return of the medal to the Red Pheasant First Nation will bolster their Treaty Day celebrations this year, according to Chief Clint R. Wuttunee.

The highlight of the festivities this year will be the Chief Red Pheasant Medal Repatriation Commencement Ceremony.

Chief Wuttunee and a group of elders are working with the Manitoba Museum to have the Red Pheasant Treaty Medal returned to the First Nation.

“We’re repatriating this Treaty medal that left Red Pheasant as far back as 1887. There is a history there on how it was taken,” Wuttunee said.

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The chief said the medal was taken, sold off, and eventually made its way to the Hudson Bay Company. From there, it ended up in the Manitoba Museum as part of the Hudson Bay collection.

“It was lost to our people and we didn’t know where our Treaty Medal was for over 100 years,” he added.

The medal signifies the Treaty agreement between the Crown and the First Nation.

The Museum of Manitoba will decide today if the First Nation will be starting the repatriation process or whether they are going to release the medal to the Red Pheasant Cree Nation.

Alongside the repatriation will be three days of celebration that will include such festivities as the second-annual Indian Nation Finals Regional Rodeo, Treaty Day annuity distribution, traditional horse parade and the third-annual Red Pheasant Powwow.

It will all take place between July 2 and 4.

Wuttunee said each year, the community tires to make the celebration bigger and better.

“We’re trying to host an event that our community members can feel good about, feel proud to host, and have friends from around the powwow and the rodeo circuits to take part in,” he said.

Wuttunee highlighted how hosting the event every year has a positive impact on the community.

“It does boost the morale of the community, and it’s a real feel-good event to put on,” he added. “You come across a lot of friends and family and it’s just a good gathering to see friends that you haven’t seen in decades, sometimes even a lifetime.”

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keaton.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow