A resident of Cut Knife, Saskatchewan, has generously given numerous Indigenous artifacts to the Chief Poundmaker Museum and Gallery, some of which are believed to date back thousands of years. The donation, consisting of tools like hammers, tomahawks, scrapers, and arrowheads, was officially handed over to the museum in Poundmaker Cree Nation, located approximately 15 kilometers northwest of Cut Knife in western Saskatchewan, on a recent Saturday.
Floyd Favel, the curator of the museum, expressed that these artifacts will enhance the museum’s mission of serving as a link between the past, present, and future. He emphasized the importance of educating both their community and the general public to establish a comprehensive cultural heritage for the Indigenous people and all Canadians.
According to Favel, all items in the museum are contributions from donors, and the process of collecting artifacts remains ongoing. He mentioned that researchers have indicated the existence of numerous other items belonging to Poundmaker or associated with Chief Poundmaker and other Cree tribal groups in various collections worldwide.
Chief Poundmaker, also known as Pitikwahanapiwiyin in Cree, was a Plains Cree leader who was wrongly imprisoned for treason-felony following the Northwest Resistance in 1885, despite not participating in the conflict. He was exonerated in 2019 by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Notably, during the Battle of Cut Knife in 1885, Chief Poundmaker prevented his warriors from pursuing retreating Canadian forces, averting a potential massacre.
The artifacts donated by Andy Whiteman, a non-Indigenous individual who collected them over decades around Cut Knife, were acquired with guidance from local elders. Whiteman, who worked as a school teacher in Cut Knife for 35 years, shared that his family felt a deep connection with the Poundmaker Cree Nation community and decided to return the items to their rightful place.
Milton Tootoosis, the chief economic reconciliation officer for the Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority and a member of Poundmaker Cree Nation, commended Whiteman’s commitment to preserving his community’s heritage. Tootoosis highlighted Whiteman’s refusal to hand over the artifacts to museums or collectors, emphasizing that they belong with the Indigenous peoples and should be returned to their original land.
Favel and Tootoosis, both former students of Whiteman, initiated the process of repatriating the artifacts. Tootoosis praised Whiteman as a valued friend of the community and a beloved high school teacher. Whiteman expressed his eagerness to share the stories behind the artifacts with visitors and hoped to raise awareness about the history of Poundmaker.