Conclusion Note

NOTE: Ekala's diary ends off abruptly, with ripped and torn off pages. It is not clear as to what happens to Ekala. Some say she died and some say her diary had gotten stolen. There are many theories as to what happened to Ekala, but no one knows which one is right. 
(By: Chinthuri Selvarajah)

Nanjiba's References

TEXTBOOKS

 Canada Revisited

WEBSITES

http://www.ontarioplaques.com/Plaques_STU/Plaque_ThunderBay27.html

http://www.google.ca/search?q=robinson+superior+treaty&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=nDl&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=s&prmd=ivns&tbs=tl:1&tbo=u&ei=o3lkTe7bNMSBlAes26mVBg&oi=timeline_result&ct=title&resnum=11&ved=0CGEQ5wIwCg

http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/al/ldc/spc/nws/m-faq-eng.asp

IMAGES
http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/news/docs/treaty1full.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/news/legation.html&usg=__tSB5XuxqYLst8-02PdqXjzH0QTM=&h=3021&w=2374&sz=1267&hl=en&start=0&sig2=LHxTyyl7RYEdSzCZM7QTCg&zoom=1&tbnid=hUYmb22LCyTEhM:&tbnh=105&tbnw=83&ei=xLJlTfSIEsH58Abzz_iSBw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtreaty%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1920%26bih%3D882%26gbv%3D2%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=518&vpy=315&dur=2197&hovh=253&hovw=199&tx=106&ty=157&oei=xLJlTfSIEsH58Abzz_iSBw&page=1&ndsp=87&ved=1t:429,r:36,s:0

http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/pla/ont/img/23500.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/pla/ont/ont19.htm&usg=__Prl3YerLjriLmwc1Eqs9WcUD968=&h=341&w=300&sz=51&hl=en&start=0&sig2=80CIET_-3K5krecLTuGw6A&zoom=1&tbnid=XiIcvbR4byyYyM:&tbnh=128&tbnw=113&ei=MPxqTZT0PML88AbD_pGZCw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dwomen%2Bmaking%2Bpemmican%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26gbv%3D2%26biw%3D1920%26bih%3D882%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=1607&vpy=180&dur=1171&hovh=239&hovw=211&tx=148&ty=191&oei=MPxqTZT0PML88AbD_pGZCw&page=1&ndsp=73&ved=1t:429,r:21,s:0

Diary #7

Dear Diary, 

I am still very upset about the treaty and I really don’t want to depart from this place. However I have no choice. I wish……...............

Ekala (Nanjiba Kabir)

Diary #6

A Written Treaty

Dear Diary,

I woke up to the sounds of whispers at the night. I had put on a light shawl to keep my body warm from the chilly weather. I got out of the teepee and stood around the corner to get a clear hearing of the conversation. I normally don’t eavesdrop, but I was so intrigued with this treaty thing. I just had to know what was going on. I knew that this discussion might have not been about this topic and I knew if Mother found me here, she would have been extremely disappointed. Although I took a risk.

As I listened in the dark, I realized it was about the treaty after all. I later gathered many shocking news. Most of it was so hard to take it all in. A treaty was an agreement taken between two people. It was something both of the parties promised each other, I inferred from it. The discovery of many valuable resources on the shore of Lake Huron and Lake Superior had led the government to take title of our land. The lands in the Lake Superior watershed had also interest them. There were actually two treaties signed by Chief Louis Riel and the Crown. I had already knew the Métis, would give up their land, but I didn’t know it was exchange for reserves. We were also promised to be given the right to hunt and fish on this land, after it was being taken away from us. 

I had finally, gained a full understanding of the treaty and the situation that we were being put through, which I wish I hadn’t. I was so much more worried now, than I was before. I just couldn’t figure out why Chief Louis Riel would give away this land. Many people had spent their childhood and practically their life here. The annual hunt, the camp fire and the many other memorable events were all held in this place. This land was treasure itself without the valuable minerals to some of us. I had gone back to the tepee and lay down on the bed fur until I drifted to sleep.

 Ekala (Nanjiba Kabir)

Dairy #5

Mother working to supply fur trade companies with pemmicans

Dear Diary,

I had woken up early to help my mother supply the fur trade companies with pemmican. My mother would later teach me how to weave. There was a long day ahead of me. As I was getting ready, I wore my favourite cotton dress. It was decorated with beadwork and a brightly woven sash on the waist. My grandmother had weaved it for me. While I was putting on my brand new moccasin and headband, I heard my mother yell out my name. 

I went directly to her, but was tremendously shock to see my father. I was about to approach him, but a word from my father’s mouth slipped. “Treaty”. This caused me to restrain from going any further. It had been a while now, that I’ve thought about it. All of a sudden I had a worried expression on my face and I could feel all sorts of shivers in my body. Worrying is a habit of mine that is hard to stop. The more I taught of this, the more complex it got. 

When my parents finally noticed I was standing around the corner, my father came in to hug me. After that, my mother wanted me to help her with the pemmican. As I was helping her, I was deep into my thoughts. What was treaty anyway? Why was it such a huge deal? At last, I had gotten the courage to ask my mother. But she ignored my question and told me to go take a break. I got up and went to my grandmother’s teepee. 

She was pleased to see me and told me to take a seat next to her. She then began to tell one of her famous stories. I would usually be excited, but today I wasn’t. I guess she become aware of it, because her next sentence was “Are you okay Ekala?” I immediately had asked her what a treaty was. She didn’t give me an answer either. 

Ekala (Nanjiba Kabir)

Udari's References

Book(s):
Canada Revisited

Website(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Riel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A9tis_people_(Canada)

Image(s)
http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.kumeyaay.info/california_indian_artists/Authentic_Aboriginal_Art.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.kumeyaay.info/shumupkohup/&usg=__svAN1xATAKWhzoKqpVD1WdgIKxA=&h=355&w=438&sz=49&hl=en&start=28&sig2=I_8DdFR-RZPfgg6Bdkv9Mg&zoom=1&tbnid=3U95Mea2yuyJJM:&tbnh=146&tbnw=182&ei=DatlTcWOGZLe4gbPhPnGCA&prev=/images%3Fq%3DAboriginal%2Bpottery%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1003%26bih%3D621%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=141&oei=AKtlTfTFDIa0lQfQ44mqBg&page=3&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:28&tx=167&ty=41
http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=http://www.delphinium.co.nz/FamilyPics/quiltpics/aboriginal%2520wallhanging.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.delphinium.co.nz/QuiltGallery1.html&usg=__PALTKYF6Tu4Oo-dBletrylRNihA=&h=367&w=300&sz=61&hl=en&start=0&sig2=kY3376z5sCQM6OMMkTEraw&zoom=1&tbnid=MB7g3JIYcG8ztM:&tbnh=142&tbnw=133&ei=8atlTb6aJoK8lQe1_YSFBg&prev=/images%3Fq%3DAboriginal%2Bquilts%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D712%26bih%3D604%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=719&oei=8atlTb6aJoK8lQe1_YSFBg&page=1&ndsp=10&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0&tx=55&ty=87

Diary #4

Dear Diary,

I hoped that today would be even better then yesterday although it’d be very hard considering the new moccasins and headband Mother sewed for me the night before, but it definitely was.

   My day started of with playing games with my brother, sister and other Métis children like horse racing, boxing and even wrestling .  We later decided to go into the woods to do some archery where I oddly had perfect aim but the fun had to be cut short as it started to rain.  While we remained inside we played various card games, competitive chess, checkers and dominoes to pass the snail-paced time.  Although the fear of the rain continuing we tried shifting our attention to making pottery to keep us occupied.

   Thankfully the rained stopped just in time surprisingly not only were the families in our cabin there but the entire Métis tribe along with our chief Louis Riel who looked as if he had enjoyed the camp fire as much as everyone else.  We ate shared pemmican with each other as well as potatoes, onions and turnips from the homemade garden behind our teepee. 

   As the night went on the chanting of hymns began along with the traditional Red River jig where it would challenge dancers to keep up with the beat of the fiddler but also have separate contests for the musicians as well which range from the young all the way to the elders.  Later was when my favourite part of the entire night began; Grandmother was the first to tell a story which I’ve heard before but one that I’ll never get tired of hearing.

-Ekala (Udari Premachandra)

Aboriginals Dancing

Aboriginal Arts and Crafts