Year: 1979
Abstract:
My Tribe The Crees by Joseph F. Dion (1888-1960) begins this history of his people at the time of contact with Europeans. He explains the cultural life of the Cree of the Plains in chapters devoted to social customs, warfare, hunting and religion. His narrative then moves on to the impact of European contact and the devastating effects of disease, loss of the buffalo, treaties, and the reserve system. Joseph Dion is a direct descendent of Big Bear, and he writes with authority based on oral tradition. His family told him stories about the events surrounding the Riel Rebellion including the tragedies at Frog Lake and Frenchman's Butte. His family endured through the difficult years following the rebellion. Joseph Dion was a school teacher and political leader. His efforts helped in the formation of the Metis Association and Indian Association of Alberta. His Christian beliefs are evident but the richness of the oral traditions of his family are recorded in this history of the Canadian west from a First Nation's perspective. His historical narrative spans the years of first contact up to the 1950s. The importance of his family's recollections of the turbulent years of the Riel Rebellion and the numbered treaties makes this an important contribution to Canadian history from a Cree point of view. My Tribe The Crees is an authorized student support resource for Alberta Education 10, 20, and 30 high school courses.
