(Clockwise from bottom left) Chief Lorie Whitecalf with Prince Albert-Northcote MLA Alana Ross and Mayors David Gillan (North Battleford), and Ames Leslie (Battleford) during the festivities; the cake-cutting ceremony; the grand entry; and some jingle dancers taking part. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Angela Brown

Honouring tradition

Sweetgrass First Nation gathers for Treaty Day festivities

Aug 3, 2022 | 2:31 PM

It was a grand coming together for Sweetgrass First Nation on Wednesday as the community celebrated Treaty Day.

As part of the traditional ceremony band members each received a $5 treaty annuity payment from Indigenous Services Canada.

Janice Kennedy, Sweetgrass Treaty Day planner, said due to the COVID situation, the band has not celebrated Treaty Day for three years. It was a particularly special occasion.

“It’s $5 a year. The significance of that is that Sweetgrass signed Treaty 6 and the government made that part of the treaty, that we would get compensation every year,” Kennedy said. “Five dollars at the time I’m sure was a lot of money. Today $5 might seem small for some people. But to me that holds the government [to their commitment to honour treaty] – that’s their promise. I can hold the $5 and say, yes, the government is honouring the treaties. So it has a lot of significance.”

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Treaty Day was also a day for the First Nation to take part in family activities, and get together with neighbours. A hot lunch was also provided by Sweetgrass.

Band members line up to receive their annual treaty annuity payment at Sweetgrass First Nation. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW staff)

The event included an official swearing-in ceremony for chief and council elected last year, which was previously delayed due to Covid protocols.

Chief Lorie Whitecalf said in her Treaty Day speech it means a lot to her to have the community get back together.

“It’s really good to see everybody out today,” she said. “It’s good to see our dancers and singers.”

Chief Lorie Whitecalf (front centre) and band council shown after the swearing-in ceremony. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW staff)

Whitecalf said she chose to wear orange to remember residential school survivors and residential school students who didn’t return home.

“The government wasn’t able to do what they intended to do with their policies,” Whitecalf said. “You can see that today. You can see our dancers. Our culture lives on. Our ceremonies live on.”

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Angela.Brown@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW