DECLARATION
Of the
MEDICINE CHEST GATHERING
FOR
Thunderchild Cree Nation- treaty No. 6
Treaty Right to Health
We the people of Treaty No.6 territory, recalling and agreeing with the Chiefs of Canada in
1981 regarding the Declaration of First Nations hereby declare;
“We the original people of the land know the Creator put is here”
“The laws of the Creator gave us laws that govern all our relationships to live in harmony.”
“The laws of the Creator define our rights and responsibilities”
“The Creator gave us our spiritual beliefs, our languages, and culture and a place on mother
earth which provided us with all our needs”
“We have maintained our freedom, languages and traditions from time immemorial.”
“We shall continue to exercise the rights and fulfill the responsibilities and obligations given
to us by the Creator for the land upon which we were placed.”
“The Creator has given us the right to govern ourselves and the right to self-determination.”
“The right and responsibilities given to us by the Creator cannot be altered or abrogated by
any other Nation.”
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 initiated and adopted by the British Government recognized
Nations and Tribes of Indians. The proclamation recognizes our regional title of all lands
traditionally occupied and used by our ancestors. The status of our Indian Nations was
confirmed and entrenched by our entering into Treaties with the British Crown.
Recognizing that in 1982, at the peak of our Nations struggle to securely entrench our Treaty
and Inherent Rights in the Constitution Act; Justice Lord Denning supported the solemnity,
integrity and durability of our Treaties with the British Crown. On January 29, 1982, Lord
Denning in the High Court of the United Kingdom proclaimed his judgment, “There is
nothing, so far as I can see to warrant any distrust by the Indians of the Government of
Canada”. But, in case there should be, the discussion in this case will strengthen their hand so
as to enable them to withstand any onslaught. They will be able to say that their rights and
freedoms have been guaranteed to them by the Crown originally by the Crown in respect of
the United Kingdom, now by the Crown in respect of Canada, but, in any case, by the Crown.
No Parliament shall do anything to lessen the worth of these guarantees. They should be
honored by the Crown in respect of Canada “as long as the sun rises and the river flows”. The
promise never is broken.
Further on July 5, 1973 Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth 11 affirmed the Treaties in an
address to the Chiefs of Alberta, stating “You may be assured that my Government of Canada
recognizes the importance of full compliance with the spirit and intent of your Treaties”.
The Treaty which became known as Treaty No 6 contains a “Medicine Chest” clause which
was agreed to due existing circumstances at the time.
Also recognizing the Treaty No, 6, Treaty No. 7, and Treaty No. 8 Treaty Right to Health
Declaration ratified on March 16, 2005 at the Assembly of Treaty Chiefs meeting (Alberta).
Emphasizing that section 25 and 35(1) of the 1982 Constitution Act of Canada recognizes and
affirms Treaty rights.
Also recognizing that unity is recognized amongst the Cree, Dene, Chipweyan, Nakota Sioux,
Lakota Sioux, Dakota Sioux, Assiniboine, Salteaux, Deh Cho, Ojibway and within their
traditional territories have always considered ourselves integrally related, possessing from
time immemorial, all the attributes of Nationhood and all it entails under international law.
Acknowledging that International Law recognizes the Nationhood of the Cree, Dene,
Chipweyan, Nakota Sioux, Lakota Sioux, Dakota Sioux, Assiniboine, Saulteaux, Deh Cho,
Ojibway, and the declaration on the Health and Survival of Indigenous Peoples (23 – 26
November 1999 ) Part 1 includes “a call on Governments where Treaties, Agreements and
other constructive arrangements exist, that the original spirit and intent of these International
Agreements be honored, respected and implemented’, and
Also Acknowledging the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
ratified by the UN General Assembly on September 13, 2007.
We now therefore declare, on this twenty – fourth day of July 2008, the Chiefs, Elders and
Descendents of the Great Turtle Island gathering at the Treaty Six Medicine Chest Gathering
“Exercising our Nation hood in Sovereignty” hosted by Thunderchild First Nation,
Saskatchewan Canada and;
Big Island Cree Nation
Onion Lake Cree Nation
Confederacy of Treaty 6 First Nations of Alberta
To revive and retain the Spirit and Intent of the “Medicine Chest” along with the teachings of
the places of the medicines and all that is required to maintain holistic health (Miyo
Mahcihowin); and
To reaffirm our Nations ‘values and principles’ relating to the provision of health; and
To collaborate the efforts in developing mechanisms to enhance the quality of health of
Treaty peoples; and
To protect and promote the medicines gathered and utilized to heal our peoples from
diseases; and
To provide for a “Task Force” compromised of Treaty No. 6 Nations to provide support in
the form of a unified voice on Treaty peoples Right to Health, whose initial signatories, shall
be three (3) Chiefs of Nations within Treaty No.6
That will compliment the contemporary health systems provided to the Treaty peoples
through the provisions of the “Medicine Chest” Clause within Treaty No.6 “As long as the
sun shines, rivers flow and grass grows’, these sacred undertakings must never be broken and
we affirm this to be true as a covenant between the Creator and the indigenous people of the
Great Turtle Island.