File Hills Reserve of Saskatchewan

Location of this Ojibway Reserve is south central Saskatchewan. Below is a map of File Hills Ojibway Reserve. Within File Hills Ojibway Reserve are four Districts: Little Black Bear, Okanese, Peepeekisis and Star Blanket. This Ojibway Reserve in Saskatchewan was originally much larger. Original name of the Ojibway Reserve that File Hills 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.

Chief Okanis (his Ojibway name means The Little Bone) is responsible for creation of File Hills Reserve. Chief Okanis was not an authentic Ojibway leader. He had no right signing treaty on behalf of Ojibway Nation. His father was Michel Cardinal or chief Okanis I or he was in fact the first chief Okanis who may have been chief Saint Paul or chief Paul who lived in the Kamloops, British Columbia region. Many of his brothers or sons including chiefs Cowessess, Keeseekoowenin, Louis O'Soup, Red Pheasant and Wuttunee were hired by HBC or Hudson Bay Company, to act as leaders of Ojibway People too scared to fight for their rights. This is another Ojibway Reserve with links to the Cypress Hills and Montana. What is known is many were from the Cypress Hills and after signing treaty, they settled at File Hills Reserve. Canada is trying to fool you into thinking Little Black Bear, Okanese, Peepeekisis and Star Blanket are separate Reserves. They are not separate Reserves. File Hills Reserve is small and located a few miles or kilometers northeast of Muscowpetung Reserve (aka Qu'Appelle Lakes Reserve) in south Saskatchewan. Supposedly chief Okanese fled back to Montana during 1885's Northwest Rebellion. He decided to stay in Montana.

Demographics of File Hills Reserve

Land Area: 134.2 sq. mi. or 347.706 sq. km.

Population: 978

Language: Corrupted Ojibway