Chief Pat Bone aka: Okanase

~This history is according to our Indigenous 'Oral Tradition'~ and the Wasagaming Guide 32nd Year, July 24, 1964, No. 5

After the death of Chief Pat Bone aka Chief Pat Okanase of 61A, in 1935 the burning the village, school, barns and homes of the Okanase in the Riding Mountain, Manitoba Canada. Chief Pat Bone's Son's at least two are said to have taken script, and no longer were Treaty entitled.

WASAGAMING Guide To Riding Mountain National Park; Published Weekly by McCorran Agencies to Welcome and Assist Visitors. 32nd Year, FRIDAY, JULY 24, 1964, No. 5

Point of interest, the Okanase Native's had been burned out in 1935, living and hunting in the Riding Mountain was now illegal for the Okanase of 61A

Okanases Cemetery, an historical Point on Walker Tour The Okanase Indian cemetery at the western end of Clear Lake, Has been a source of interest to visitors during the last few years; and is now included in one of the Walker conducted tours.

It is one of the few Indian burial grounds well marked in the Canadian West; and the following story that appeared in the Guide a couple of years ago is reprinted by request, due to the number of inquiries at the Information Office.

For years the cemetery was in a very neglected condition with only one headstone indicating its existence in a forest of young poplars and a few spruce trees. The cemetery is now neatly fenced; with a single headstone, but over 40 other marked graves of natives. (point of interest; the Okanase cemetery was restored by Maurice E. Bone and the writer, Mr. McMorran)

By an 1896 Ottawa Order-in-Council, (which years later was deemed illegal) the fishing reserve, No. 61A, was established. Some land was cleared and several houses were built in a clearing that gave a full view of the western end of the lake.

The name of the band was Keeseekoowenin (means Sky Man) in Ojibway. From records in Ottawa it would appear that Pat Bone was the old Chief of the 61A reserve and that most of the members were his descendants. They lived a life very much aloof from whit settlers, for in the summer of 1919 when this writer with his family, drove a Model T Ford over the 20 mile trail through bush and small clearings form Erickson, and foolishly crossed a pole bridge over the creek to the reserve buildings, all the young members of the reserve disappeared into the bush, leaving the old chief, who was said to be 104 years of age and blind, lying on a cot in one of the buildings. In the lake a few handred yards avay the Indian women could be seen apparently washing their clothes in the shallow stretches of the lake. insert; When Riding Mountain National Park was set up in 1934 it included all of the Indian fishing reserve, 61A and 320 acres the Bone families owned privately, the 1896 Order-in-Counsil that was protecting them and their assets was found to have been passed illegally. As a result all of Chief Pat Bone's village residents were forced to leave by physical strikes, the burning of all their homes, and barns containing horses. The people of the village were escorted on foot 10 miles to the south, to the 61 Keeseekoowenin Reserve where they had to remain.

This land claim against the Crown was settled with Keeseekoowenin First Nation in the 1990's, for 12.8 Million dollars and the return of a small part of the original 61A including the Okanase Cemetery, on the west side of Clear Lake, Manitoba