Big Bear
Big Bear, known as Mistahimaskwa, was likely born around 1825 in what is now Saskatchewan, Canada. He was raised among the Plains Cree, with possible connections to the Saulteaux people. Emerging as a prominent leader and warrior by the 1850s, Big Bear became the head of a tribe of approximately 520 people. His leadership coincided with significant changes for First Nations and Métis communities in the Plains, including the decline of bison populations and the establishment of treaties aimed at relocating Indigenous peoples to reservations.
Big Bear is notably recognized for his refusal to sign Treaty Six in 1876, as he sought to preserve his people's traditional lifestyle. Despite his resistance, the pressures of poverty and dwindling influence ultimately compelled him to agree to an additional treaty in 1882. His reputation suffered further during the North-West Rebellion in 1885 when violence erupted in his community, leading to his surrender and imprisonment. Big Bear was released in 1887 due to health issues and passed away on January 17, 1888, at the Poundmaker Reserve. His legacy is intertwined with the struggle for Indigenous rights and the preservation of cultural identity in the face of colonial pressures.
Subject Terms
Big Bear
Plains Cree chief
- Born: ca. 1825
- Birthplace: Saskatchewan
- Died: January 17, 1888
- Place of death: Poundmaker Reserve, Saskatchewan
Contribution: Big Bear was a Cree tribal leader known for his association with the North-West Rebellion of Canada, an uprising of the Métis people against the Canadian government. He is remembered as a warrior and chief who fought for the independence of his tribe and its traditional way of life.
Early Life & Education
Mistahimaskwa, known as Big Bear, was probably born sometime around 1825 in the vicinity of Fort Carlton, Saskatchewan, Canada. Few details are available about his early life or education. It has been speculated that Big Bear’s parents might have belonged to the Saulteaux (or Plains Ojibwa) people. He was raised among the Plain Cree peoples.
Warrior and Leader
From the beginning of perhaps the early 1850s and into the 1860s, Big Bear started to earn a reputation as a leader and a warrior. In 1870, the Battle of Belly River took place between the Blackfoot and Plains Cree tribes, in which Big Bear and his tribe took part. It is thought to have been the last encounter between the two tribes. By 1871, Big Bear had established his own tribe and was the head of about 520 aboriginal Canadians.
At this time in Canadian history, life for the First Nations and Métis people of the Plains region was changing rapidly. Bison were beginning to disappear because of hunting and the influx of settlers into the region. The so-called numbered treaties were also being established. These treaties were an attempt by the authorities to force the local populations to move into reservations and minimize their traditional lifestyles. At the same time, law and order was being established with the introduction of the North West Mounted Police (NWMP) into the region.
In 1874, a trader belonging to the Hudson Bay Company, William McKay, was sent to negotiate with the Plains tribes. McKay tried to offer various gifts, including tobacco and tea. Big Bear reportedly refused to accept anything from McKay, fearing that the gifts were bribes that would be used against him and his people in future negotiations.
Various events during the 1880s led to Big Bear’s waning influence over his tribe. The Plains Cree were unhappy about their dwindling lifestyle, and some reportedly wanted to attack settlements in the area. On April 2, 1885, one of Big Bear’s sons and another warrior chief attacked and killed nine settlers at Frog Lake, Alberta. Although Big Bear was not a participant in the events that took place as part of the so-called North-West Rebellion (initiated by the Métis people), he was considered responsible for the actions of his tribe. Wanted by the authorities, Big Bear surrendered on July, 2 1885, at Fort Carlton, Saskatchewan. He was later tried and quickly sentenced to three years imprisonment at the Stony Mountain Penitentiary in Manitoba. Due to poor health, Big Bear was released from prison in 1887.
The event that Big Bear is probably best known for was his refusal in 1876 to sign Treaty Six of the numbered treaties. He was present during the course of the negotiations that took place but refused to give up his traditional way of life. Despite attempts by the authorities to persuade Big Bear to sign, he would hold out for another six years until December 8, 1882. At this time, with his power dwindling and his people facing poverty and starvation, Big Bear finally agreed to sign an addition to the treaty.
Personal Life
Exact details of Big Bear’s personal life are not known. However, it is thought that he had a number of wives, and it is also possible that he fathered at least four sons. Big Bear died of poor health on January 17, 1888, on the Poundmaker Reserve in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Bibliography
Dempsey, Hugh A. Big Bear: The End of Freedom. Regina: Canadian Plains Research Center, U of Regina, 2006. Print. Canadian Plains reprint series 12.
McLeod, Neal. “Embodied Memory: Universal Citizenship and Indigenous Cree Identity.” Human Welfare, Rights, and Social Activism: Rethinking the Legacy of J. S. Woodsworth. Ed. Jane Pulkingham. Toronto: U of Toronto P, 2010. 244–265. eBook.
Ray, Arthur J. et al. “Treaties at Forts Carlton and Pitt, or Treaty 6.” Bounty and Benevolence: A History of Saskatchewan Treaties. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s UP, 2000. eBook.
St. Germain, Jill. Broken Treaties: United States and Canadian Relations with the Lakotas and Plains Cree, 1868–1885. Lincoln: U of Nebraska P, 2009. Print.
Stonechild, Blair, and W. A. Waiser. Loyal till Death: Indians and the North-West Rebellion. Markham: Fifth House, 2010. Print.
Wastasecoot, James. “Big Bear Mistahimaskwa, a Hero Worth Commemorating.” Canadian Dimension 41.1 (2007): 52–53. Print.
Wiebe, Rudy. “Mistahimaskwa.” Dictionary of Canadian Biography. University of Toronto, 1982–2013. Web. 29 July 2013.