Ranchers and The First Peoples

In 1877, Treaty No. 7 assigned reserves to the Indians of the Blackfoot confederacy, restricting their mobility across the prairies they had always called home. The near disappearance of the buffalo, the life source of the Plains Natives, had increased their plight, and, in 1879, two government-owned ranches were established in order to feed the near-starving Native population. It was hoped that they would be induced to adopt the agricultural methods of their white neighbors, but the plan was only partially successful.

The emerging cattle industry benefited from this arrangement, and by 1882, the Cochrane Ranch was filling government contracts to supply large quantities of beef to the Indians. Natives were sometimes employed by ranchers to help with branding or other seasonal duties. In the foothills region, Native families regularly carried out brush cutting and land clearing contracts for ranchers and started their own small operations. Their brands started with the letters ID which stood for "Indian Department".

But sudden dependence on the ranches was not welcomed by the Blood and Blackfoot tribes who had formerly lived free on the plains. Some ranchers complained incessantly that the Native people were killing their cattle, and, although far rarer than claimed, incidents of the kind sometimes did occur. Unlike the situation south of the border, however, the ranchers and the Indians in the province enjoyed a relatively peaceful relationship largely due to the presence of the North West Mounted Police. Even the Riel Rebellion in 1885 was not enough to cause serious problems between ranchers and Natives in southern Alberta.

For more information on Alberta's Native peoples, click here!

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