Government of Canada Commemorates the National Historic Significance of Cypress Hills Massacre
News release
The tragic attack on Nakoda people became an important test of law enforcement in Western Canada
May 31, 2018 Merryflat, Saskatchewan Parks Canada Agency
On June 1st, 1873, a group of American wolf hunters attacked a Nakoda First Nations camp resulting in the massacre of Elders, warriors, women and children at a place known as Cypress Hills.
Today, Dr. Jim Miller, Saskatchewan Member of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC), commemorated the national historic significance of the Cypress Hills Massacre on behalf of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Catherine McKenna.
A HSMBC plaque unveiling ceremony, organized in collaboration with members of the Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation, was held today at the site.
The Cypress Hill Massacre remains a pivotal event in Nakoda history and its lands continue to be held sacred by the Nakoda people. The commemoration of this tragic event as a place of national significance will ensure that the Nakoda victims are remembered.
The massacre was also one of the first major tests of law enforcement in Western Canada as the federal government dispatched the North-West Mounted Police to investigate the tragedy. The determination of the North-West Mounted Police to prosecute crimes against Indigenous peoples was important in establishing peaceful relations between the Indigenous peoples of the Prairies and the federal government.
The Government of Canada is committed to connecting Canadians to the significant people, places, and events that shaped our country’s history. The Government has recently announced funding for Parks Canada to incorporate Indigenous views, history and heritage into national parks and historic sites. This is part of the Government’s commitment to implement the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
Parks Canada is committed to working in partnership with Indigenous peoples to recognize, commemorate and share Indigenous histories. Working together with more than 300 Indigenous communities across Canada, Parks Canada and Indigenous peoples are partners in conserving, restoring, and presenting Canada’s natural and cultural heritage.
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Quotes
“The Government of Canada is committed to a renewed relationship with Indigenous peoples, based on a recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership. On behalf of the Government of Canada, we remember the tragedy of the Cypress Hills Massacre and we commemorate its national historic significance. National historic designations commemorate positive and negative aspects of Canada's history and prompt us to contemplate the complex and challenging moments that helped define Canada today. By sharing these stories with Canadians, we hope to foster better understanding of Canada’s history.”
The Honourable Catherine McKenna,
Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada
Quick facts
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In the spring of 1873 to escape starvation further north, the Nakoda journeyed nearly 500 kilometres through snowy plains and growing hunger to get to Cypress Hills. It became a temporary home to about 40 Nakoda lodges.
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While camped there, the Nakoda encountered a group of American-based wolf hunters who were bent on punishing someone for the suspected theft of their horses. Accusations led to conflict, and events escalated catastrophically out of control, leading to the loss of Nakoda Elders, warriors, women, and children. The massacre remains a pivotal event in Nakoda history.
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Parks Canada and Indigenous peoples work together to develop interpretive materials and activities at national parks and historic sites. This collaborative approach can be found at the Fort Walsh National Historic Site Visitor Centre where new exhibits, featuring the Indigenous history associated with the Cypress Hills area, were developed with Carry The Kettle Nakoda Nation.
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Created in 1919, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada advises the Minister of Environment and Climate Change regarding the national historic significance of places, people and events that have marked Canada’s history.
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Contacts
Scott Whiting
External Relations Manager
Saskatchewan South Field Unit
Parks Canada
306-975-5814
scott.whiting@pc.gc.ca
Media Relations
Parks Canada Agency
855-862-1812
pc.media@pc.gc.ca