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Rolling River First Nation:
Rolling River First Nations, an Ojibway, (Anishinabe), community located at the foot hills of the Riding Mountain Nation Park, in Manitoba Canada has lost it's most viable resource in terms of economic development and more so, it's ability to sustain it's own future based upon contemporary attitudes. The central significance is found within the Anishinabe's inherent obligation and duty to sustain a future for their children's children. Inasmuch, the Anishinabe people have endured a legacy of abuse, economic disparity and forcible confinement through government legislation. Therefore, this change has realized a number of socio-economic issues that can not be addressed through continued government policies, which only serves to promote the dilemma, but most be addressed by the Anishinabe people, through their own solutions, in particular by returning to their traditional integrity and their traditional land base.
Historically, the land base of this particular tribe of Ojibway, (Anishinabe), people, known as Shawenequanpe's, (SouthQuill's), people included an area that covered all or most of what is now known as Southwestern Manitoba, (insert to map). An area that covered approximately 27,000 square miles, and included the Riding Mountain Park region. Which was shared with other Ojibway tribes, who all lived in harmony with the earth through traditional comprehension and stewardship practices. This provided the Ojibway peoples with an abundance that realized freedom from want.
In the 1880's Chief Shawenequanape, (South Quill), stated:
"We have always asked for this place as our reserve, long before the settlers came in."
He claimed an area equal to 40 townships, traditional territory that began at the mouth of the Rolling River, in what is now known as Riding Mountain National Park, extending south to Brandon, to the east past Neepawa and to the west Cardale, this is the area Shawenequanape claimed as a reserve for his people. Consequently, this is the area that maintained his people throughout his own life. Which afforded him and his people with abundance and freedom from want. Economically, this placed his tribe in a good position to survive. |
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