Moose-Deer Island House People : A history of the native people of Fort Resolution (Chipewyan, Denesuline, Dene, Metis, Northwest Territories)

214 Pages·1982·99.834 MB·English

by  David Merrill Smith

National Museum of Man Musée national de l'Homme
National Museums of Canada Musées nationaux de Canada
Board of Trustee s Conseil d'Administration
Dr. Sean B. Murphy Chairman
Juge René J. Marin Vice-président
M. Roger B.Hamel Membre
Mr. Michael C. D. Hobbs Member
M. Paul H. Leman Membre
Mr. Richard M. H. Alway Member
Mr. Robert G. MacLeod Member
Ms. Jane Thompson Edwards Member
Dr. Bohdan Bociurkiw Member
Mme Michelle Nolin-Raynauld Membre
Dr. Larkin Kerwi n Member (Ex officio)
Mr. T. Porteous Member (Ex officio)
Mr. Ian C. Clark
Secretary General Secrétaire général
Dr. William E. Taylor, Jr .
Director Directeur
National Museum of Man Musée national de l'Homme
A. McFadyen Clark
Chief Chef
Canadian Ethnology Service Service canadien d'Ethnologie
Crown Copyright Reserved © Droits réservé s au nom de la Couronne
NATIONAL M U S E UM MUSÉE NATIONAL
OF M AN DE L'HOMME
M E R C U RY S E R I ES C O L L E C T I ON M E R C U RE
ISSN 0316-1854
CANADIAN ETHNOLOGY SERVICE LE SERVICE CANADIEN D'ETHNOLOGIE
PAPER N0.8I DOSSIER N0.8I
ISSN 0316-1862
M O O S E - D E ER I S L A ND H O U SE P E O P L E: A History of t he
Native P e o p le of Fort R e s o l u t i on
DAVID M. SMITH
NATIONAL MUSEUMS OF CANADA MUSÉES NATIONAUX DU CANADA
OTTAWA 1982
O B J E CT OF T HE MERCURY S E R I ES
The M e r c u ry S e r i es is a p u b l i c a t i on of t he N a t i o n al M u s e um
of Man, N a t i o n al M u s e u ms of C a n a d a, d e s i g n ed to p e r m it t he r a p id
d i s s e m i n a t i on of i n f o r m a t i on p e r t a i n i ng to t h o se d i s c i p l i n es f or
w h i ch t he N a t i o n al M u s e um of M an is r e s p o n s i b l e.
In t he i n t e r e s ts of m a k i ng i n f o r m a t i on a v a i l a b le q u i c k l y,
n o r m al p r o d u c t i on p r o c e d u r es h a ve b e en a b b r e v i a t e d. As a r e­
s u l t, e d i t o r i al e r r o rs m ay o c c u r. S h o u ld t h at be t he c a s e,
y o ur i n d u l g e n ce is r e q u e s t e d, b e a r i ng in m i nd t he o b j e ct of
t he S e r i e s.
BUT DE LA C O L L E C T I ON MERCURE
La c o l l e c t i on M e r c u r e, publiée p ar le Musée n a t i o n al de
l'Homme, Musées n a t i o n a ux du C a n a d a, a p o ur b ut de d i f f u s er
r a p i d e m e nt le résultat de t r a v a ux q ui o nt r a p p o rt a ux d i s c i p l i n es
p o ur l e s q u e l l es le Musée n a t i o n al de l'Homme e st r e s p o n s a b l e.
P o ur a s s u r er la p r o m p te d i s t r i b u t i on d es e x e m p l a i r es imprimés,
on a abrégé l es étapes de l'édition. En conséquence, c e r t a i n es
e r r e u rs de rédaction p e u v e nt s u b s i s t er d a ns l es e x e m p l a i r es
imprimés. Si c e la se présentait d a ns l es p a g es q ui s u i v e n t, l es
éditeurs réclament v o t re i n d u l g e n ce étant donné l es o b j e c t i fs de
la c o l l e c t i o n.
ii
A B S T R A CT
T h is w o rk is a h i s t o ry of t he n a t i ve p e o p le of F o rt R e s o l u t i o n,
NWT, C a n a d a, b e t w e en t he b e g i n n i ng of t he f ur t r a de on G r e at S l a ve
L a ke in 1786 a nd 1972. A b o r i g i n al c u l t u re is c o n s i d e r ed to p r o v i de
a b a se l i ne f or t he h i s t o r ic c h a n g es d i s c u s s e d. T he i n i t i al p e r i od
of t he f ur t r a de a nd m i s s i o n a ry a c t i v i ty -- t he y e a rs b e t w e en 1786
a nd a b o ut 1890 -- is c h a r a c t e r i z ed by e c o n o m ic s y m b i o s is a nd
e g a l i t a r i a n i sm in t he r e l a t i o ns of n a t i ve p e o p le a nd W h i te i n s t i
t u t i o n s. T he y e a rs b e t w e en c a. 1890 a nd c a. 1950 s aw e v e r - g r o w i ng
d e p e n d e n cy on t he g o o ds a nd s e r v i c es of E u r o c a n a d i an i n s t i t u t i o n s,
to t he p o i nt w h e re t h ey w e r e, or w e re p e r c e i v ed to b e, n e c e s s a ry to
s u r v i v a l, a nd e g a l i t a r i a n i sm g a ve w ay to s u b o r d i n a t e - s u p e r o r d a te
r o l e s. S i n ce 1950 e v er g r o w i ng d i f f i c u l ty in l i v i ng o ff t he l a nd
a nd e v er g r o w i ng d e p e n d e n ce u p on g o v e r n m e nt a g e n c i e s, r e s u l t ed in
t he d i s a p p e a r a n ce of v i r t u a l ly a ll s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i on f r om t he l i v es
of n a t i ve p e o p l e.
RESUME
C e t te o u v r a ge c o n t i e nt l ' h i s t o i re d es g e ns de F o rt R e s o l u t i on
(T.N.O.), de 1786, début du c o m m e r ce d es f o u r r u r es d a ns la région
du G r a nd L ac d es E s c l a v e s, à 1972. La c u l t u re i n d i e n ne c o n s t i t ue
la b a se de référence p o ur étudier l ' h i s t o i re de c e t te évolution.
La p r e m i e re e p o q u e, c e l le du c o m m e r ce d es f o u r r u r es et de l'activité
m i s s i o n n a i r e, s o it d es années 1786 à 1890, e st définie p ar u ne
s y m b i o se économique a i n si q ue p ar un égalitarisme d a ns l es r a p p o r ts
e n t re l es p e u p l es indigènes et l es i n s t i t u t i o ns d es " B l a n c ". L es
années 1890 à 1950, e l l e s, témoignent d ' u ne dépendance c r o i s s a n te
d es b i e ns et d es s e r v i c es d es i n s t i t u t i o ns e u r o - c a n a d i e n n e s, a un
p o i nt t el q ue c e u x - ci d e v i e n n e nt nécessaire, ou t o ut au m o i ns le
c r o i t - o n, à ea s u r v ie d es p e u p l es a u t o c h t o n e s; 11égalitorisme f a it
a l o rs p l a ce à u ne s i t u a t i on de d o m i n a n c e. A p a r t ir de 1950, v i v re
entièrement de la t e r re d e v i e nt de m o i ns en m o i ns p o s s i b l e, et la
dépendance s'accroît e n v e rs l es o r g a n i s m es g o u v e r n e m e n t a u x; c e ci
p r o v o q ue la d i s p a r i t i on à p eu prés c o m p l e te de t o u te a u t o
détermination d a ns la v ie d es a u t o c h t o n e s.
L es p e r s o n n es désireuses de r e c e v o ir en français de p l us
a m p l es r e n s e i g n e m e n ts s ur c e t te p u b l i c a t i on s o nt priées d ' a d r e s s er
l e u rs d e m a n d es à:
S e r v i ce c a n a d i en d ' E t h n o l o g ie
Musée n a t i o n al de l'Homme
Musées n a t i o n a ux du C a n a da
O t t a w a, O n t a r io K lA 0M8
COVER I L L U S T R A T I O N: " M i s s i on S a i n t - J o s e ph et F o rt R e s o l u t i o n" by
E. P e t i t ot [ P e t i t ot 1891:47]. C o u r t e sy of t he
S m i t h s o n i an I n s t i t u t i on L i b r a r y, W a s h i n g t o n,
D.C.
i ii
CONTENTS
C H A P T ER I INTRODUCTION 1
II CHIPEWYAN C U L T U R E: T HE A B O R I G I N AL B A S E L I NE 4
D I S T R I B U T I ON AND P H Y S I C AL ENVIRONMENT 4
A S P E C TS OF M A T E R I AL C U L T U RE AND ECONOMY 7
S O C I O T E R R I T O R I AL ORGANIZATION 19
K I N S H IP S T R U C T U RE AND B E H A V I OR 20
C O U R T S H IP AND MARRIAGE 25
OTHER A S P E C TS OF T HE CHIPEWYAN L I F E - C Y C LE 30
L E A D E R S H IP 33
T R A D I T I O N AL MAGIC AND R E L I G I ON 37
C u r i n g, D i v i n i ng a nd S o c i al C o n t r ol 39
A g g r e s s i ve I n k o n ze 43
I n k o n z e, S u b s i s t a n ce G r o up A c t i v i t i e s,
and L e a d e r s h ip 51
I II T HE E A R LY C O N T A C T - T R A D I T I O N AL P H A S E: 1786-1890 . . .. 55
INTRODUCTION 55
THE FOUNDING OF FORT R E S O L U T I ON 55
THE E A R LY CHIPEWYAN TRADING AT FORT R E S O L U T I ON . . .. 56
THE NATURE OF CHIPEWYAN INVOLVEMENT IN T HE FUR TRADE . 59
THE EMERGENCE OF TRADING C H I E FS 64
D I S E A SE AND FUR TRADE C O M P E T I T I ON AS T H EY A F F E C T ED
CHIPEWYAN A D A P T A T I O NS 66
THE M E T IS ADAPTATION 68
M I S S I O N I Z A T I ON AND T HE CHIPEWYAN A D A P T A T I ON 71
THE S T A T US OF FORT R E S O L U T I ON AS A TRADING P O ST . . .. 73
V
C H A P T ER
I II T HE END OF T HE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY MONOPOLY AND T HE END
OF T HE E A R LY CONTACT T R A D I T I O N AL P H A SE 74
IV T HE L A TE C O N T A C T - T R A D I T I O N AL P H A S E: 1890-1950 . . .. 77
INTRODUCTION 77
A L L - N A T I VE HAMLETS 77
THE S O C I AL S T R U C T U RE OF A L L - N A T I VE HAMLETS 81
THE S E A S O N AL ROUND OF A L L - N A T I VE HAMLETS 85
L i t t le B u f f a lo R i v er P e o p le 85
R o c h er R i v er P e o p le 97
E N T ER T HE DOMINION GOVERNMENT: T R E A TY NO. 8 110
N A T I VE I N - G A T H E R I N GS AND OTHER CHANGES R E L A T ED TO
THE F UR TRADE E X P A N S I ON 116
T r a d i ng 119
T r e a ty T i me 121
C h r i s t m as a nd New Y e a rs 127
E a s t er 129
W H I TE T R A P P E RS 130
CONTAGIOUS AND CHRONIC D I S E A SE 133
THE M E T IS ADAPTATION 134
THE END OF T HE L A TE C O N T A C T - T R A D I T I O N AL P H A SE 140
V N A T I VE L I FE IN T HE MICRO-URBAN Y E A RS 145
ECONOMIC, E C O L O G I C AL AND S O C I O - P O L I T I C AL
P R O B L E MS FOR ADAPTING TO MODERN L I FE 145
T r a p p i ng 146
H u n t i ng 151
F i s h i ng 157
S o c i o - p o l i t i c al a nd O t h er A d a p t i ve P r o b l e ms 159
C H A P T ER
V P r o b l e ms R e l a t i ng to M e t i s - I n d i an I n t e r r e l a t i o ns . . 162
P r o b l e ms R e l a t i ng to N a t i v e - W h i te R e l a t i o ns 164
CONCLUSION 169
E a r ly C o n t a c t - T r a d i t i o n al P h a se 169
L a te C o n t a c t - T r a d i t i o n al P h a se 170
M i c r o - U r b an P h a se 171
A P P E N D IX 174
R E F E R E N C ES C I T ED 179
MERCURY S E R I ES P U B L I C A T I O N S / P U B L I C A T I O NS DE LA C O L L E C T I ON
MERCURE 1 86
MAPS
MAP
1- 1 F o rt R e s o l u t i on A r ea 2
2- 1 D i s t r i b u t i on of t he A b o r i g i n al C h i p e w y an . . .. 6
3- 1 T e r r i t o r i al R a n g e, I n d i a ns T r a d i ng at F o rt
R e s o l u t i o n, 1825 58
4- 1 S i t es of F o rt R e s o l u t i on A l l - N a t i ve V i l l a g es . . 79
4-2 T e r r i t o r i al R a n ge of L i t t le B u f f a lo R i v er
P e o p l e, 1920 86
4-3 T e r r i t o r i al R a n ge of R o c h er R i v er P e o p l e, 1923 . 87
4-4 T e r r i t o r i al R a n ge of N a t i ve G r o u ps T r a d i ng at
F o rt R e s o l u t i o n, 1901 107
4-5 T e r r i t o r i al R a n ge of N a t i ve G r o u ps T r a d i ng at
F o rt R e s o l u t i o n, 1925 108
4- 6 T e r r i t o r i al R a n ge of N a t i ve G r o u ps T r a d i ng at
F o rt R e s o l u t i o n, 1940 109
5- 1 F o r e st F i r es W i t h in t he C a r i b ou R a n g e, R o c h er
R i v er T e r r i t o r y, 1970-73 155
T A B L ES
T A B LE
2-1 C h i p e w y an K in T e r ms a nd R e f e r e n t s, G r e at S l a ve
L a ke R e g i on 22-23
F I G U R ES
F I G U RE
4-1 S o c i al S t r u c t u re of L i t t le B u f f a lo R i v e r, 1925 . 82
4-2 S o c i al S t r u c t u re of J e an R i v e r, 1925 83
S o c i al S t r u c t u re of S t o n ey I s l a n d, 1925 . . .. 83
v ii
P R E F A CE
T h is m o n o g r a ph is a r e v i s ed v e r s i on of my d o c t o r al
d i s s e r t a t i o n. T he r e v i s i o ns f or t he m o st p a rt a m o u nt to o m i t t i ng
t he u s u al t e d i o us l i t e r a t u re r e v i ew a nd to e l i m i n a t i on of a ll
e l a b o r a te t h e o r e t i c al a nd m e t h o d o l o g i c al d i s c u s s i o n s. T h o se
i n t e r e s t ed in t h e se m a t t e rs a re i n v i t ed to c o n s u lt t he o r i g i n al
s t u dy (D.M. S m i th 1975). T he r e m a i n i ng h i s t o r i c al a nd
e t h n o g r a p h ic a c c o u nt w i l l, I h o p e, be u s e f ul to a v a r i e ty of
r e a d e r s.
The p a g es w h i ch f o l l ow d e s c r i be a nd a n a l y ze t he m a j or a d a p t i ve
c h a n g es w h i ch o c c u r r ed in t he l i v es of t he C h i p e w y an a nd M e t is
p e o p le t r a d i ng i n t o, or l i v i ng i n, t he s e t t l e m e nt of F o rt
R e s o l u t i o n, N o r t h w e st T e r r i t o r i e s, C a n a d a, b e t w e en t he y e a rs 1876
and 1972. T h e se c h a n g es w e re l a r g e ly in r e s p o n se to t he p o l i c i es
and a c t i o ns of E u r o p e an a nd E u r o - C a n a d i an p e r s o n n el a nd
i n s t i t u t i o n s. T he y e ar 1972 is t he d a te I l a st d id f i e ld w o rk in
t he s e t t l e m e nt of F o rt R e s o l u t i o n. S i n ce t h is t i me my r e s e a r ch
i n t e r e s ts h a ve l ed me in n ew d i r e c t i o n s; a c c o r d i n g l y, I h a ve n ot
t r i ed to b r i ng t h is s t u dy up to d a te a nd in o n ly a c o u p le of
i n s t a n c es do I r e f er to s t u d i es p u b l i s h ed a f t er 1975.
I am i n d e b t ed to a g r e at m a ny p e o p le f or m a k i ng t h is s t u dy
p o s s i b l e. My g r e a t e st d e bt is of c o u r se to t he p e o p le of F o rt
R e s o l u t i o n. So m a ny p e o p le w e nt o ut of t h e ir w ay to m a ke me f e el
at home, p a t i e n t ly a n s w e r i ng my n ot a l w a ys a pt q u e s t i o n s, t h at I
w i ll n ot m e n t i on i n d i v i d u a ls f or f e ar of l e a v i ng o ut s o me w h o se
a s s i s t a n ce w as e q u a l ly v a l u a b l e. I w as e s p e c i a l ly h e l p ed by a
n u m b er of e l d e r ly p e o p le w h o se k n o w l e d ge of t he h i s t o ry a nd
c u s t o ms of t h e ir f o r e b e a r e rs w as t r u ly a s t o n i s h i n g. N e a r ly a ll
of t h e se p e o p le h a ve s i n ce d i ed a nd I d e d i c a te t h is w o rk to t h e ir
m e m o r y.
I a l so owe s p e c i al t h a n ks to t he n a t i ve p e o p le of o t h er
n o r t h e rn c o m m u n i t i e s. F or i n s t a n c e, J im B o u r q u e, f o r m e r ly g a me
w a r d en in F o rt R e s o l u t i on a nd c u r r e n t ly (1981) P r e s i d e nt of t he
M e t is A s s o c i a t i on of t he N o r t h w e st T e r r i t o r i e s, t o ok me i n to t he
" b u s h" f or t he f i r st t i me a nd g e n e r o u s ly s h a r ed h is p e r c e p t i ve
k n o w l e d ge of n a t i ve l i fe w i th me. So a l so d id F r a nk L a v i o l e t te
of F o rt S m i t h. T he t i r e l e ss e f f o r ts of b o th m en o v er t he y e a rs
on b e h a lf of n a t i ve p e o p le m a k es t h em v e ry s p e c i a l.
Of t he n o n - n a t i ve r e s i d e n ts of t he n o r th who c o n t r i b u t ed to my
w o rk n o ne s t a n ds o ut m o re in my m e m o ry t h an L o u is M e n e z, O.M.I.,
of S t. J o s e p h 's P a r i sh in F o rt R e s o l u t i o n. W i t h o ut h is
m e t i c u l o us s c h o l a r s h ip a nd g u i d a n ce t h is s t u dy w o u ld be f ar l e ss
c o m p l e t e. H is c o n c e rn f or t he r i g h ts of n a t i ve p e o p le a nd h is
s e l f l e ss w o rk w i th c h i l d r en h a ve r i g h t f u l ly e a r n ed h im t he
r e s p e ct a nd a d m i r a t i on of t he D e ne a nd I n u it of n o r t h e rn C a n a d a.
v i ii