Treaty 6 150th anniversary and Indigenous legacy

Indigenous leaders and government delegates are marking the 150th anniversary of Treaty 6 through commemorations and reflections on historical legacies.

Discussions have highlighted the historical impact of the Indian Act, which leaders described as a tool for “Crown domination” rather than an equal partnership. While acknowledging past policies as genocidal attempts to eliminate First Nations ways of life, there is optimism regarding the treaty’s original intent to share land and the future of Indigenous autonomy.

To commemorate the anniversary, the original Treaty 6 manuscript has returned to its traditional territory for the first time in approximately 150 years. Previously held at Library and Archives Canada, the document is traveling to several Treaty sites, including Fort Carlton, Beardy’s Campsite, Fort Pitt / Onion Lake, and Enoch Cree Nation. A gathering at Fort Carlton Provincial Historical Park focused on the “spirit and intent” of the treaty, providing descendants with an emotional connection to their history through the sight of ancestral names on the original document.