The Mushkegowuk and Anishinaabe peoples lived for centuries on the land of their forefathers, but by the early 1900s they were poor, starving and ill from sickness. It seemed the animals were also scarce and very hard to find. During this time, people heard stories of others to the south that were signing government treaties for money, medicine and relief. The Elders and people began to think of the future of their communities, families and children. What would become of them? So it was to be that the peoples sought to make a treaty with the government.
The First Peoples thought that signing Treaty No. 9 was a method for sharing their land with the newcomers; they did not believe they were surrendering their rights to the land or to self-governance.
Self-governance means having control over your own way of life. This includes making laws, choosing where to spend money, and making decisions in regards to education and healthcare.
The player must successfully complete each game to earn one element of the Self-Governance Wheel. These elements are Education, Culture, Security, Economy, Health, and Self-Government. Collect all six elements to complete the wheel and win the game.
In the Hunting game, the player is the Hunting Boss. He or she must control the use of his or her hunting territory, follow and enforce the hunting system’s protocols, and oversee the sharing of the harvest. This game promotes cooperation and respect. The player is encouraged to seek advice from Elders, share resources, and take only what is needed. He or she will learn that the First Peoples share food, both when game is plentiful but also during food shortages. By sharing, as well as by following the hunting system, the First Peoples were able to face European encroachment and over trapping.
In the Healing Game, the player must discover, collect and administer 10 samples of medicinal plants that grow in the area. This game teaches principled negotiation (win/win) and encourages making offerings without being asked. The player will learn the importance of self-sufficiency by recognizing that every member of the village is taught medicinal plants and healing. The player will discover how European contact brought new diseases, changing some of the First Peoples’ traditional healing practices.
In the Resources game, the player must research and responsibly develop the land’s natural resources while strengthening the Band’s sovereignty. This game promotes responsible stewardship and respect towards others and the environment. The player will encounter people who do not recognize his or her authority over the resources: the Royal Proclamation of 1763 acknowledged the First Peoples’ rights to their lands, but the First Peoples have had to maintain control of their land when facing encroaching settlers and developers.
In the Trapping game, the player must tend the family trap lines, sell pelts, and buy food for the Band to survive the winter. The player learns assertive bargaining skills and how to negotiate from a position of strength. This game encourages reciprocity, keeping promises, and seeking advice from Elders. It emphasizes the idea that successful providers have respect for the animals and a thorough understanding of the land. The game is based on the mutually beneficial relationship the First Peoples had with the Hudson Bay Company.
In the Canoeing game, the player must navigate the waterways in his or her canoe. Emphasizing the principle that there is strength in numbers, the player must unite the Bands before the signing of Treaty No. 9. Promoting respect, this game teaches the player how to canoe, portage, and live off the land, which are essential skills the First Peoples have taught their children for generations. It shows that the First Peoples value an educational system based on hands-on experience and watching and listening to Elders.
In the Negotiating game, the player must re-negotiate Treaty No. 9 with representatives from the Ontario and Canadian governments. This game encourages the player to use the negotiation strategies he or she has learned throughout the other games. The player will learn the importance of the spoken word for the First Peoples: treaty rights are shatamekewina, or promises. He or she will discover the historical importance of the signing of Treaty No. 9. The game emphasizes that the First Nations, including the Mushkegowuk and Anishinaabe peoples, have always had their own cultures and systems of governance. The First Peoples wanted wiichiihiiwewin, or assistance: signing the treaty did not mean signing away their rights to the land or to self-governance.
