As Long As This Land Shall Last: A History of Treaty 8 and Treaty 11, 1870-1939

by Rene Fumoleau, Joanne Barnaby (Epilogue)

As Long As This Land Shall Last is a thorough document of Treaty 8 (1899-1900) and Treaty 11 (1921) between the Canadian Government and the Indigenous Peoples of Northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories. These treaties promised that the Indigenous Peoples who inhabited these places could live and hunt in freedom on their ancestral lands "as long as the sun rises from east to west, as long as the river flows downstream, as long as this land shall last." Historian Réne Fumoleau has delved into church and government sources dating from 1870 to 1939 and compiled interviews with over seventy Dene witnesses to provide a clear picture of treaty negotiations and their aftermath. Originally published in 1975, this new edition contains an afterword by Joanne Barnaby, Former Executive Director of the Dene Cultural Institute, outlining the significant cultural and political developments in the time since the book’s first publication and paying special attention to their lasting implications for the future. As Long As This Land Shall Last is an invaluable resource not only for Treaty scholars, but also a fascinating source document for those who wish to chart the evolution of Indigenous Studies in Canada.

586 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 1973

Reviews

[Loretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up for research, thinking it would be dull as dust but would provide me with historical facts and background and context. It did all that, but was actually quite an interesting, clear, and compelling read. Lots of primary source material and interviews with living witnesses, clearly annotated, appendices with complete documents. A necessary read to beginning (not completing) an understanding of the north, with the constant caveat that while this is a history which is sympathetic to the indigenous peoples of the north and very clear-eyed and critical of the deceptions and betrayals of the government, it is also a history written by a white, former priest. The church comes off pretty well in this document. Hence incomplete. The North is a complicated place, and the relationships between its original people and the government, the church, all the settlers who came later - complicated. Yes, there were priests who were tireless advocates and did good things in the north. And then there were the other priests, and then there is the great institution of the church and its impact and driving mission. So it's important for me to recognize this is a good, clear picture of the history, but it's still only a part of that history. I'll keep reading.

[Jessica DeWitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book isn't going to win any writing awards, but it does accomplish what it sets out to do, which is give access to primary source documents related to the signing of Treaties 8 and 11 that enable the reader to understand the Indigenous position on the treaties. Fumoleau repeatedly states that he does not want to insert his own opinions and wants the reader to read the primary sources in order to develop their own opinion, but it is pretty clear that he thinks the treaties were deceptive trash. It should be noted that Fumoleau was a Catholic Priest who worked in the region, which means that even if sympathetic to Indigenous issues, he still was connected to one of the main forces of colonization in the region. The appendices provide even more documents and a handy timeline.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book I am constantly reaching for. It provides details of the evolution of the Northwest Territories post settler contact.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in NWT history and supplementing it with Indigenous sources as well.