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Crooked Lakes Ojibway Reserve


Location of this Ojibway Reserve is southeast Saskatchewan. Below is a map of Crooked Lakes Ojibway Reserve, links to google earth photos of Cowessesss and Demographics of their Reserve. Within Crooked Lakes Ojibway Reserve are four Districts: Cowessess, Kahkewistahaw, Ochapowace and Sakimay. It used to include Chakachas, O'Soup and Ouchaness. This Ojibway Reserve in Saskatchewan was originally much larger. Original name of the Ojibway Reserve that Crooked Lakes Ojibway Reserve was within, was Qu'Appelle Reserve. It included these follwing Districts:



Carry The Kettle: Including Long Lodge and Poorman
Muscowpetung: Including Pasqua, Piapot and Standing Buffalo
Okanese: Including Little Black Bear, Peepeekisis and Star Blanket
Cowessess: Including Chakachas, O'Soup, Kahkewistahaw, Ochapowace, Ouchaness and Sakimay
Keeseekoose: Including Key, Pheasant Rump, Red Ears, Waywayseecappo and White Bear
Yellow Quill: Including Day Star, Gordon, Muscowequan and Poor Man

They named the Reserves first agency Qu'Appelle. That be after Fort Qu'Appelle which was within this Reserve. Supposedly all Ojibway's from old Qu'Appelle Reserve were signatories to Treaty 4. A very large Reserve was set aside for them in southeast Saskatchewan and a smaller area located in extreme southwest Manitoba. It had an incredible number of lakes. After white settlers invaded, they took notice of all the lakes and the land surrounding the lakes. They started behaving hostile to their leaders demanding the Reserve be eradicated, so they could get the land. Though no evidence exists of any Ojibway Soldiers from Qu'Appelle Reserve participating in 1885's Northwest Rebellion, there is evidence of chief Yellow Quill sending many Ojibway's further north to where Fishing Lake, Kinistin and Yellow Quill are located. Many were sent even further north to where Lac La Ronge, Montreal Lake and Peter Ballantyne are located. If there was no such evidence of chief Yellow Quill sending many of his Ojibway Subjects further north, I would consider Qu'Appelle Reserve yet a genuine Ojibway Reserve. However, evidence indicates Ojibway's from Qu'Appelle Reserve participated in 1885's Northwest Rebellion. Chief Yellow Quills Ojibway Subjects were a part of Touchwood Hills Ojibway's which include Day Star, Gordon, Muscowequan and Poor Man. Not all fled north. Thus, why many are clinging to their Ojibway Identity at Touchwood Hills Reserve. On May 11, 1877 an agent for Qu'Appelle Reserve was appointed. First incumbent agent was appointed in 1880. He was Edwin Allen. There was possibly an agent for Qu'Appelle Reserve as early as 1874. After 1885's Northwest Rebellion, Qu'Appelle Reserve was broken up into several much smaller Reserves. Reserves originally a part of Qu'Appelle Reserve are Muscowpetung Reserve (aka Qu'Appelle Lakes Reserve), Carry The Kettle Reserve, File Hills Reserve, Crooked Lakes Reserve and Birtle or Birdtail Reserve. Touchwood Hills Reserve which includes Day Star, Gordon, Muscowequan and Poor Man (aka Kawacatoose) also includes Yellow Quill, Fishing Lake and Kinistin, was also within Qu'Appelle Reserve. We have no choice but to include them as being within Touchwood Hills Ojibway Reserve. They were originally known as Nut Lake which is what chief Yellow Quills Ojibway's were named. Chief Yellow Quill may have tried to become amalgamated with Lake Manitoba Reserve. We will likely include Yellow Quill Reserve as being within Lake Manitoba Reserve. White Bear Reserve is another.



Montana Ojibway refugees settled throughout Crooked Lakes Reserve. Land additions to Ochapawace and Sakimay were for Montana Ojibway refugees living in the Cypress Hills. Crooked Lakes Reserve has only two Districts. Ochapawace and Sakimay. Montana Ojibway refugees were led by chiefs Cowesses and Kahkewistahaw. Land area of Crooked Lakes Reserve is 289.1 sq. mi. or 748.7 sq. km.. If there is evidence Ojibway's came from the Cypress Hills, it indicates they were refugees who fled to Canada during Montana's 1876-1877 War. As mentioned, there are only two Districts that make up Crooked Lakes Reserve. The other two Districts are land additions.



Today, there is much confusion and fuss as a result of Canada dealing with citizens of this Ojibway Reserve in an inappropriate way. Forcing Ojibway children to attend white controlled boarding schools where they were forced to stop speaking Ojibway and violating Crooked Lakes Reserve's history. An example is population of Sakimay. Around 1890 or 1900, the population of Sakimay was 212. According to 2016's census, the population of Sakimay is 147. In 1900, they reported that Sakimay was Ojibway. They reported O-chap-a-wace (it's another way of pronouncing Chippeways) had a population of 106 in 1890 or 1900. According to 2016's census, the population of Ochapawace is 426. And Cowesses and Kahkewistahaw have also increased in population similar to that of Ochapawace. Cowesses and Ochapawace had populations of 157 and 113 in 1890 or 1900. According to 2016's census, their populations are 540 and 502. We need to investigate this Reserve to determine if it has been violated. Read Treaty 4 text. Were genuine Ojibway leaders right in trying to stop certain people from signing Treaty 4? Yes! All land surrenders between 1897 and 1911, were for chief Rocky Boy's landless Ojibway Subjects. In 1907, Cowesses District had to allow many of chief Rocky Boy's landless Ojibway Subjects to live there.





Cowessess From Road

Cowessess From Road

Cowessess From Road

Cowessess From Road

Cowessess From Road

Cowessess From Road

Cowessess From Road



Demographics of Crooked Lakes Reserve

Land Area: 289.1 sq. mi. or 748.7 sq. km.

Population: 1,615

Language: Corrupted Ojibway



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