Chief Mistawsis (Big Child) aka Pierre Belanger

CHIEF MISTAWASIS

Death

Chief Mistawasis died of old age at Snake Plains on the morning of 21 September 1895. .[Library and Archives Canada, reference RG10. Volume/box number: 3950. File number: 131002. Copied container number: C-10166]

Letter Announcing his Death

1895: CARLTON AGENCY - MISTAWASIS RESERVE - LETTER ANNOUNCING THE DEATH OF CHIEF MISTAWASIS.[Library and Archives Canada, reference RG10. Volume/box number: 3950. File number: 131002. Copied container number: C-10166]

1. http://data2.archives.ca/e/e312/e007786407.jpg
2. http://data2.archives.ca/e/e312/e007786408.jpg

Profile Photograph

Gentleman Joe McKay and Cree Chief Mistawasis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cree chiefs and an interpreter in 1886, with Mistawasis seated at the bottom right. His ally, Ahtahkakoop, is seated at the bottom left.
Mistawasis (Cree: ᒥᐢᑕᐘᓯᐢ, meaning "Big Child"; born Pierre Belanger) was a Chief of the Sak-kaw-wen-o-wak Plains Cree,[1] notable for his role as the leader of his people during the signing of Treaty 6 in 1876, to which he was the first signatory. Due to the dwindling buffalo population caused by excessive hunting, he was forced to look for new strategies to ensure the survival of his people and their culture. He believed the only way to save his people was to negotiate with the Canadian Government.[2] As a result of his strong influence over the Cree people, he and his close ally Ahtahkakoop were able to argue successfully for the adoption of Treaty 6 by his fellow Cree.[3] After the treaty was signed he remained an ally of the Canadian government until his death.

Early life
The exact date of Mistawasis’ birth is disputed. It is estimated that he may have been born sometime between 1796 and 1813.[3] He was born to a French father by the name of Bernard Belanger and a Nakoda woman, Kakakewachin.[4] His birth name was Pierre Belanger, though in his adulthood he generally went by his Cree name, Mistawasis.[4] He had five siblings, one of whom went by the same name as their father, Bernard Belanger.[4] Mistawasis married Iskwesis Sitipinatowe and had at least two children. He later married Ann Awasis Mashe Nah Sho Wishk and had five children.[4]

The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) would utilize his prowess as a provider, commonly trading for buffalo meat in exchange for other goods.[3] He also worked as a freighter for the HBC. He was known to some as Piwapiskomostos, a name meaning "Iron Buffalo". He received this name after a hunting accident where he was tossed from horseback onto the horns of one of the buffalo he was hunting, but escaped uninjured.[1] The famous Cree chief Pitokwahanapiwiyin (Poundmaker) is his maternal nephew.[5]

alias Chiymistiwasis (Métis)