big+bear

big bear

big bear was born in january 17 1825. big bear was raised in northwest canada in saskatchewan big bear was a cree head men that was raised by plain cree band that wintered close to northen saskatchewan big bear was born near jackfish river in saskatchewan big bears true name is mistahimaskwa big bear became a cree leader in the late 1850 and the early 1860 later he becomes the cheif leader of the Prairie River People and by 1874 headed a camp of 65 lodges. his leader ship grew better in the following years before his death in january,1888.

Big Bear (Mistahimaskwa) was the son of the chief of a small, mixed band of Cree and Ojibwa. By 1874, he was the head of sixty-five lodges and a man of considerable influence. When the Canadian government presented Treaty, Big Bear refused to sign. He believed that his people would lose their lifestyle and that they would be put to a life of poverty.

From 1878 to 1880, Big Bear travelled throughout western Canada and the United States in an attempt to establish a negotiation with the government. This was nearly impossible so he turned his attention to uniting just the Cree people. The government still refused to negotiate however and, facing starvation and destitution, Big Bear was forced to give in. He signed an adhesion to the original treaty in 1882 and By 1884, Big Bear had begun to lose influence with his band and he was unable to keep his warriors from joining the North-West Rebellion. When members from his band killed nine white people at Frog Lake, Alberta in 1885, Big Bear was held responsible, even though he had continuously counseled peace. He surrendered at Fort Carlton on 2 July 1885 and was sentenced to three years in prison for treason. He was released early March 1887 due to failing health and died on Poundmaker Reserve ten months later. That last month was the death of big bear january 1888.

__ Bibliography __ http://www.famouscanadians.net/name/b/bigbear.php http://library.usask.ca/northwest/background/bear.htm http://www.indigenouspeople.net/bigbear.htm