Treaty 4 Gathering kicks off week of events in Fort Qu’Appelle

The annual Treaty 4 Gathering in Fort Qu’Appelle, Sask., is back after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year marks 38 years of the annual event which brings nations together for a week of learning, displaying culture and teaching about the history of Treaty 4.

Treaty 4 was agreed to by Queen Victoria and the Cree and Salteaux First Nations band governments in 1874.

The annual gathering takes place on the original site that Treaty 4 was entered into and during the week of the anniversary — Sept. 15, 1874 — that Treaty 4 was signed. The File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council (FHQTC) Chief said the annual gathering a space where people can learn and appreciate the history.

“(It’s) a place that we could come and gather as a treaty for collective,” said FHQTC Chief Jeremy Fourhorns. “The goal of the whole thing, I think, overall is to put on display … that spirit and intent of treaty relationship that we’re supposed to have not just with the Crown, but with our neighbors beside us.”

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This year’s theme is “Coming Back Together: Walking Together in a Good Way” to show the treaty relationship with the Indigenous peoples within Treaty 4, the Crown and non-Indigenous peoples. The gathering kicked off on Sept. 12, 2022 with a community feast and a long list of activities will continue on for the week with a town parade, a fashion show, buffalo hide teachings and an elders’ forum, among others.

There will be close to 2,000 students who will be attending throughout the week. Chief Fourhorns hopes attendees will take away good experiences, memories and knowledge of the history of Treaty 4.

“My hope is for the young people to learn as much as they can, especially about that treaty relationship, because treaty is not one sided,” he said. “Treaty is not about First Nations only. There is another side that involves the people that are not First Nations, that also live here in this province, in this country. And that’s a very important relationship to understand.”

The Treaty 4 Gathering ends with a traditional powwow over the weekend. A list of event details can be found on the Treaty 4 Gathering website.

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