August 23, 2019
The Treaty 6 flag was raised on the City’s Community Flagpole this morning as Chiefs from the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations, Mayor Don Iveson and other government officials gathered to mark Treaty No. 6 Recognition Day in Edmonton.
“The experience of coming together every year on this day, as partners, is humbling,” said Mayor Don Iveson. “It is important that governments, First Nations, civic partners and Edmontonians, all continue to keep our shared commitment to work positively together in a relationship founded on honour and respect.”
Treaty No. 6 Recognition Day acknowledges the signing of Treaty No. 6 between the Plains and Wood Cree people and the Crown on August 23, 1876 and also commemorates the signing of adhesion to Treaty No. 6 by Cree, Saulteaux and Nakota Sioux Chiefs at Edmonton, on August 21, 1877.
The City of Edmonton and the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations signed a Memorandum of Cooperation and Dialogue in 2012. Since 2013, the City’s Indigenous Relations Office has organized the day to help recognize and bring awareness to Edmonton’s Treaty relationship with the First peoples of this land.
A formal program was held inside City Hall after the flag raising, which included dancing and drumming provided by the River Cree Drum Group and a ceremonial gift exchange between the City of Edmonton and the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations.
The art pieces exchanged were the winning entries from the annual Treaty No. 6 Recognition Day Art Contest. Alonzo Paul of Paul First Nation was the winner in the youth category for “Where the Sun Shines, Grass Grows, River Flows”. Svetlana Ocovacki of Edmonton was the winner in the adult category for “Roots of Life”.
