DCHP-1 Online

treaty

• 1a n. one of a number of official agreements between the federal government and certain Indian bands whereby the Indians forego their right to certain lands, except for stipulated reserves, and accept treaty money, a supply of rations, and other kinds of government assistance, including protection and supervision.

  See also: Indian treaty (def. 1)  treaty money  

  • 1878  They have not yet come into the treaty, and being industrious and frugal, claim that they are better off and more independent, and less apt to suffer from want, than those bands that have done so.
  • 1959  It's amazing how eagerly the Crees welcome treaty. They see it as an end to starvation, and ask for school teachers, missionaries, and farm instructors to be sent to their reservations. . . .
  • 1965  . . . Indians who have treaties (about half of Canada's total of 207,000) get treaty money of $4 or $5 a year.

• 1b n. take (the) treaty, of Indians: (i) accept the conditions laid down by treaty (def. la).

  • 1880  As a considerable number of half-breeds have taken the treaty the population will not appear to be as numerous as it really is.
  • 1938  Many of the former nomads feel that the time has come for them to consider the benefit of taking treaty and having land set aside for their exclusive use.
  • 1963  Since this was written the Saulteaux bands which I knew have been persuaded to "take treaty."

• 1b n. take (the) treaty, of Indians: (ii) receive treaty money.

  See also: treaty money  

  • 1883  We referred recently to the fact that very few of the inhabitants of the reserve were taking "treaty."
  • 1928  Thanks again to that hypothetical Scotch progenitor--one so remote, as it chanced, that this particular descendant still "took treaty" and was not rated as a 'breed--he was far from being an ordinary Indian.
  • 1939  Today its echoes are still heard, when every year the Indians assemble at various Hudson's Bay posts to "take treaty."
  • 1962  Although the money itself is of little importance, its acceptance, i.e., "taking treaty," has legal and social significance, as marking those who are members of the band, in the terms of White man's law.

• 2 n. the day on which treaty (def. la) was originally taken out by a group of Indians; nowadays, any day on which treaty money is paid.

  See also: Treaty Day  treaty money  

  • 1883  Two days are generally taken up in making the payments, and as the aborigines receive rations of flour and bacon in addition to the money, it is not to be wondered that they should regard the "Treaty" as a most pleasant and remunerative time.
  • 1909  Two days ago, at the treaty at Lesser Slave, when a smiling couple drew five dollars for a baby one day old, a Cree bystander dubbed the baby "dat little meal-ticket!

• 3 n. the annual cash payment (usually $5.00) received by Indians whose names are entered in the Indian Register.

  See also: Indian Register  treaty money  

  • 1896  Every man, woman and child, receives an annual "treaty" of five dollars in cash.
  • 1959  Treaty was paid at Fitzgerald June 22 and at Fort Smith June 23.

• 4 n. an Indian who is in receipt of treaty money or who adheres to a treaty (def. la).

  See also: treaty Indian  treaty money  

  • 1945  . . . a population of some four hundred Chipewyans and one hundred Crees, the latter being mixed treaties and non-treaties.
  • 1949  The Indians of Canada are divided into two categories, treaty and non-treaty.
  • 1956  The reason they [the Metis] are referred to here is that a minority living the life of Indians, often poverty stricken, have been made "Treaty" in order to provide them with even the few amenities given members of native bands.