Treaty walkers stall in Edmonton to elevate treaty relationship with city

A walk to focus on treaties, which was to chart a path from Cochrane, Ont. to the mountains in Hinton, Alta., has stalled in Edmonton.

Iskapowishak (walkers/runners/helpers) of Mushkegowuk set out from Cochrane on May 7 to raise awareness against Liberal attempts to extinguish Treaty Rights through government policies.

They had an engagement scheduled in Edmonton on July 29 at the Creating Hope Society, which led them to reconsider their timeline because of the work that’s needed in Edmonton.

“Once that realization came into focus... we realized at that moment that the elevation of discussion had to be done more about what we were doing, the purpose of our walk,” said leader Patrick Etherington, Sr.

The depth of the work that needed to be undertaken was further underscored after a workshop with the City of Edmonton, which focused on Edmonton’s Indigenous framework. The framework is Edmonton’s attempt to “strengthen relationships with urban Indigenous peoples,” according to the city’s website.

“City as Connector” was the topic at the community engagement session and, says Etherington, “treaty” wasn’t written on the white board until he insisted on it.

“From that time we kind of recognized (that) maybe the hope of the meaning of our walk was elevating (the issue),” he said.

Etherington was surprised to learn that Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson, a witness for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, always acknowledged being on Treaty 6 territory during city events yet city employees didn’t automatically include “treaty” as part of the relationship with Indigenous peoples.

“The truth is … as they say in Indian country, you hear the good intention,” said Etherington.

Since being in Edmonton, Etherington and his small group, which has dropped from six to three and consists of him, his wife Frances Whiskeychan, and Maurice Wesley, have also been involved in “street talks” and a talk at Garneau United Church.

Another talk is scheduled for Aug. 17 at Southminster-Steinhauer United Church, where the trio and their driver have been staying. Steinhauer United is also collecting donations to help the walkers.

The extended stay in Edmonton “was unexpected, because the realization came… we can’t just finish this for the sake of finishing it. We have to build and create the attention that it needs,” said Etherington.

That may mean not continuing to Hinton.

“The mountains pointed us to go there. From our perspective (it) was the value, the integrity and the ethical symbols that were existing in the mountains through ceremony and meaning of the description of those ceremonies,” said Etherington.

Those sacred ceremonies represent family, education, governance, and nation-to-nation relationships, he says.

“When (treaty) is mentioned it describes the land as the base, not just because it’s there. It’s how we are within the land and how we have a relationship from the land and those symbols and what the land offers and creates for us to be,” said Etherington.

He wants treaty to be “visited seriously” in Edmonton, and an indication of that could come through city officials and non-Indigenous Edmontonians participating or seeing his small group off when they are ready to leave the city.

“Most of the answers are connected to a deep sense of oneness,” said Etherington, who added that although they may not make it to Hinton, they also won’t stay in Edmonton indefinitely as they have commitments back home.

The three walkers have travelled nearly 3,000 km carrying an Eagle Staff, a flag of Treaty 9, a Sixties Scoop Eagle Staff, and a Staff symbolic of the woman. 

Along the way they have participated in events and ceremonies and received help from a variety of groups and communities. United Church congregations became their prime source of support and accommodation since Yorkton. Sask.