Chief Crowfoot 1830-1890
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Crowfoot was a First Nations Blackfoot.
In 1865, he became chief of a small tribe. He was wise and known as a peacekeeper. Crowfoot tried to keep friendly relations with white fur-traders and missionaries and peace with the CREE. Late in 1866 he stopped a number of Blackfoot warriors from stealing from Hudson’s Bay Company wagons and killing their Métis drivers. Crowfoot also rescued missionary Albert LACOMBE from the CREE.
During the 1870s American traders traveled to the Canadian west to sell whisky and rifles to 1st Nations people. As a result, hundreds of them were dying from liquor and warfare between tribes. In 1874 the North-West Mounted Police were created and sent west to keep the peace. Crowfoot welcomed the police as a way to solve the problem. He said,
“If left to ourselves we are gone. The whiskey brought among us by the Traders is fast killing us off and we are powerless before the evil. . . . Our horses, Buffalo robes and other articles…[are traded]… for whiskey, a large number of our people have killed one another … and now that we hear of our Great Mother sending her soldiers into our country for our good we are glad.”
He was recognized as a friend and was given an important role in Treaty No 7 negotiations between the Canadian Government and the 1st Nations. To honour him, the city of Calgary named Crowfoot Trail after Chief Crowfoot. Calgary has also named a police building-The Chief Crowfoot Learning Centre—after the famous chief.
In 1865, he became chief of a small tribe. He was wise and known as a peacekeeper. Crowfoot tried to keep friendly relations with white fur-traders and missionaries and peace with the CREE. Late in 1866 he stopped a number of Blackfoot warriors from stealing from Hudson’s Bay Company wagons and killing their Métis drivers. Crowfoot also rescued missionary Albert LACOMBE from the CREE.
During the 1870s American traders traveled to the Canadian west to sell whisky and rifles to 1st Nations people. As a result, hundreds of them were dying from liquor and warfare between tribes. In 1874 the North-West Mounted Police were created and sent west to keep the peace. Crowfoot welcomed the police as a way to solve the problem. He said,
“If left to ourselves we are gone. The whiskey brought among us by the Traders is fast killing us off and we are powerless before the evil. . . . Our horses, Buffalo robes and other articles…[are traded]… for whiskey, a large number of our people have killed one another … and now that we hear of our Great Mother sending her soldiers into our country for our good we are glad.”
He was recognized as a friend and was given an important role in Treaty No 7 negotiations between the Canadian Government and the 1st Nations. To honour him, the city of Calgary named Crowfoot Trail after Chief Crowfoot. Calgary has also named a police building-The Chief Crowfoot Learning Centre—after the famous chief.