08 August 2007
"my red children of the forest"
Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above,
Don't fence me in.
Let me ride through the wide open country that I love,
Don't fence me in.
Let me be by myself in the evenin' breeze,
And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees,
Send me off forever but I ask you please,
Don't fence me in.
Don't fence me in.
Let me ride through the wide open country that I love,
Don't fence me in.
Let me be by myself in the evenin' breeze,
And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees,
Send me off forever but I ask you please,
Don't fence me in.
The Queen's Bush/Indian lands shaded yellow on the map were acquired by means of the Manitowaning Treaty negotiated by Sir Francis Bond Head on 9th August 1836. RR is transcribing portions of that treaty for you, gentle reader, and highlighting key phrases/sentences for reflection:
The treaty document begins with the salutation, "My children:--
"Seventy snow seasons have now passed away since we met in Council at the crooked place (Niagara), at which time and place your Great Father, the King, and the Indians of North America tied their hands together by the wampum of friendship.
Just turn me loose, let me straddle my old saddle
Underneath the western skies.
On my Cayuse, let me wander over yonder
Till I see the mountains rise
Underneath the western skies.
On my Cayuse, let me wander over yonder
Till I see the mountains rise
"Since that period various circumstances have occurred to separate from your Great Father many of his red children, and as an unavoidable increase of white population, as well as the progress of cultivation, have had the natural effect of impoverishing your hunting grounds, it has become necessary that new arrangements should be entered into for the purpose of protecting you from the encroachments of the whites.
I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences
And gaze at the moon till I lose my senses
And I can't look at hovels and I can't stand fences
Don't fence me in.
And gaze at the moon till I lose my senses
And I can't look at hovels and I can't stand fences
Don't fence me in.
"In all parts of the world farmers seek for uncultivated land as eagerly as you, my red children, hunt in your forest for game. If you would cultivate your land it would be considered your own property in the same way as your dogs are considered among yourselves to belong to those who have reared them; but uncultivated land is like wild animals, and your Great Father, who has hitherto protected you, has now great difficulty in securing it for you from the whites, who are hunting to cultivate it.
Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies,
Don't fence me in.
Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies,
Don't fence me in.
"Under these circumstances, I have been obliged to consider what is best done for the red children of the forest, and I now tell you my thoughts.
"It appears that these islands on which we are now assembled in Council are, as well as those on the north shore of Lake Huron, alike claimed by the English, the Ottawas, and the Chippewas,
" I consider that from their facilities and from their being surrounded by innumerable fishing islands, they might be a desirable place of residence for many Indians who might wish to be civilized, as well as totally separated from the whites; and I now tell you that your Great Father will withdraw his claim to these islands and allow them to be applied for that purpose.
No. Poppa, don't you fence me in
"Are you ,therefore, the Ottawas and Chippewas, willing to relinquish your respective claims to these Islands and make them the property (under your Great Father's control) for all Indians whom he shall allow to reside on them: if so, affix your marks to this my proposal." ====> signatures and totems follow & monetary payment for all of these lands amounted to "twelve hundred and fifty pounds per annum, as long as grass grows or water runs."
A second treaty with the Saugeen and Newash First Nations was entered into on the same day and same location. Excerpt follows:
"I now propose to you that you should surrender to your Great Father the Sauking (Saugeen) territory you at present occupy, and that you should repair either to this Island or that part of your territory which lies on the North of Owen Sound, upon which proper houses shall be built for you, and proper assistance to enable you to become civilized and to cultivate land, which your Great Father engages forever to protect for you from the encroachment of the whites....."
Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies, Don't fence me in. Let me ride through the wide open country that I love, Don't fence me in.
Shortly thereafter, the Upper Canada Colonial Government advertised 50 acre lots of free land for sale to white, supposedly civilized settlers. And yes, the stage was set for land speculators and elsewhere Robertson's History of the County of Bruce there is an entire chapter devoted to the land scandal.
Let me be by myself in the evenin' breeze
And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees
Send me off forever but I ask you please,
Don't fence me in
And listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees
Send me off forever but I ask you please,
Don't fence me in
Maps L to R: (1) Ontario road map adapted: A indicates the source of the Grand, B indicates the point where A. Jones stopped the survey to the source of Grand River and headed west, C indicated the present location of the Six Nations and New Credit (Mississauga) Reserves, D indicates the mouth of Grand River: the line drawn across map would indicated that approximately 1/3 of the land promised to the Six Nations was never properly surveyed or granted to them. (2) map of Upper Canada map showing in yellow the Queen's Bush and Indian lands covered by the Manitowaning Treaties excerpted in this post. These lands currently are best known as Bruce County and Manitoulin Island.
Primary source: Norman Robertson, The History of the County of Bruce, Bruce County Historical Society 1900; Bing Crosby "Don't fence me in" lyrics at this link: http://www.lyrics007.com/Bing%20Crosby%20Lyrics/Don't%20Fence%20Me%20In%20Lyrics.html
maps in public domain and copied years ago from a library book.
Labels: aboriginal, history
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