Anishnabe homeland history, traditional land and resource use of Riding Mountain, Manitoba

Abstract

Parks Canada made a commitment to a Task Force convened jointly by the Canadian Museums Association and the Assembly of First Nations in 1990-92 to improve and extend the current application and presentation of Aboriginal history and traditional knowledge at the parks and sites under its management. Motivated by this commitment, Riding Mountain National Park administration and the two First Nations expressed an interest in developing a new relationship and effecting partnership activities for the future. As a first means to communicate the historic relationship of the Anishnabe to the area, research was undertaken to compile the oral history related to the traditional land and resource use of Riding Mountain. Data were gathered for the "Pre-Settlement", "Pre-Riding Mountain National Park", and "Post-Riding Mountain National Park" time periods during videotaped interviews. Map biographies were compiled on 1:50,000 mylar-overlain base maps and were generated from the oral histories shared by the First Nation community Elders. A set of four computer generated maps illustrate the traditional land and resource use before and after Riding Mountain National Park was established; ecological and cultural knowledge; and toponyms (place names). (Abstract shortened by UMI.)