Abolish the Indian Act

By Craig Blacksmith, Dakota Oyate Knowledge Keeper

The following letter was the federal government’s response to the Mayor and Council of Portage la Prairie’s motion to have the “Indians” (Dakota) moved from their present location within Portage la Prairie.

Our Dakota Oyate were the first to purchase their own property in 1890.

As the letter states, this was our own private property, but the land had to be purchased by non “Indians.” An Indian could not own land, according to a letter written by King George in 1763, known as the Royal Proclamation.

The bottom line is our Dakota people were never dependent on handouts.

Our people were hired to help all the non natives start their farms and build the towns. This was in addition to other income raised.

This is our Dakota history that will never make it into the provincial education system until we advocate for it.

Tell our Takojas this truth.

We need to respect ourselves before we will receive respect from the outside.