Touchwood Hills Reserve of Saskatchewan

Location of this Ojibway Reserve is south central Saskatchewan. Below is a map of Touchwood Hills Ojibway Reserve (aka Touchwood Ojibway Reserve), links to google earth photos of some of their communities and Demographics of their Reserve. Within Touchwood Hills Ojibway Reserve are four Districts: Day Star, Gordon, Kawacatoose, Muskowekwan and Yellow Quill. Though Yellow Quill is located further north, historical evidence proves they were a part of the Touchwood Hills Ojibways and known as Nut Lake. Read on! This Ojibway Reserve in Saskatchewan was originally much larger. Original name of the Ojibway Reserve or Reserves that Touchwood Hills Ojibway Reserve was within, was Qu'Appelle Reserve. It included these follwing Districts or Reserves:

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 or Reserves 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 or Reserves 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 Ojibway Reserve was broken up into several much smaller Reserves or each distinct Qu'Appelle Reserves were reduced in size. 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.

Shortly after 1885's Northwest Rebellion, Touchwood Ojibway Reserve was created. The Reserve includes Day Star, Fishing Lake, Gordon, Kinistino, Muscowequan, Nut Lake 1, Nut Lake 2 and Poorman. On October 19, 1886, Touchwood Ojibway Reserve's first agent was appointed. Touchwood Ojibway Reserve is larger than written of. It possibly extends to Quill Lake and Yellowquill Reserve which might be Nut Lake 2 written of. Nut Lake 2 or Yellowquill, is directly north of Fishing Lake and southeast of Kinistin or Kinistino. Touchwood may refer to this Ojibway Reserve extending to the tree line almost adjacent to Nut Lake 2 or Yellowquill. Before 1885, Yellowquill was located where Lestock, Punnichy and Quinton are. Gordon/Muskowekwan was on their south while Day Star/Kawacatoose on their north. Canada is concealing this Ojibway Reserves correct size. It extends from the south boundary of Gordon/Muskowekwan to Kinistin which is north of Quill Lake. It's northeast boundary is Nut Lake 2 (aka Yellowquill) which is almost adjacent to the tree line. Chief Yellowquill was probably affiliated with the Swan River Reserve Ojibway's located where Swan River, Manitoba (aka Swan River Valley) is. Chief Keeseekoose relocated from Swan River Ojibway Reserve to where Keeseekoose Reserve is at Saskatchewan after a flood in either the 1880's or 1890's. Not all Ojibway's left the Swan River region of Manitoba. Those who stayed were brainwashed into thinking they were Cree. Today, Sapotaweyak and Wuskwi Sipihk are their descendents. Pine Creek Ojibway's live just east of Swan River, Manitoba.

Demographics of Touchwood Hills Ojibway Reserve (aka Touchwood Ojibway Reserve)

Land Area: 600 sq. mi. or 1,554 sq. km. (estimate - it's probably much larger)

Population: 3,772 (includes Fishing Lake, Kinistin and Yellow Quill and Lestock, Punnichy and Quinton)

Language: Ojibway and Corrupted Ojibway