Cree, Saulteaux, Anishinaabe, Dene, Nakoda

Treaty 6 covers a huge swath of central Alberta and Saskatchewan. It was first signed in 1876 in Saskatchewan between the federal government and the Cree, Saulteaux, Chipewyan (Denesųłiné) and Stoney (Nakoda Sioux) nations. Further signatories were added in Saskatchewan and Alberta in from 1877 through to 1950. 

• The Cold Lake First Nations (Denesųłiné) is the governing body for their descended people in Treaty 6, but when the Cold Lake Air Weapons Range was created in 1952, they lost much of their traditional territory. 

• The Cree make up the largest Indigenous people in the Treaty and include the Four Nations of Maskwacis: Louis Bull Tribe, Ermineskin Nation, Montana Nation and Samson Nation. 

• The Nakota Sioux (also called Nakoda, Stoney and Assiniboine), part of the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation in Treaty 6, also share the Paul First Nation along with the Cree. 

Saulteaux, near Rocky Mountain House, are found in the O’Chiese First Nation. Comprising both Cree and Saulteaux people at O’Chiese, the Saulteaux language is primarily spoken and is the official language of Chief and Council business. The Plains Ojibwa, also known as Anishinaabe, acquired the name Saulteaux from the French when they moved west from central Canada. 

Indigenous nations were assured they were agreeing to share the land and its resources, whereas the government intended for the nations to surrender all land except those parcels allocated for reserves. Indigenous nations were promised farm equipment and animals, annuities, schools, healthcare, rations and rights to hunt and fish on their traditional territories.