On Mar. 31 the Office of the Treaty Commissioner hosted the premiere of Voices of Treaty 4, a documentary created as part of the 150-year commemoration of Treaty 4.

“Our office is so excited to share this important piece of our Treaty history and are so thankful to the citizens of Treaty 4 for their support and cooperation throughout this project. It would not have been possible without them,” said Dr. Kathy Walker, Treaty Commissioner of Saskatchewan.

“When the project began last year, our goal was to support the preservation of our valuable oral history and narratives, which is a crucial step in our truth and reconciliation journey.”

The film features voices from Zagime Anishinabek, Piapot First Nation, Rolling River First Nation, George Gordon First Nation, Kahkewistahaw First Nation, Kawacatoose First Nation, Okanese First Nation, Cote First Nation, and others. For nearly a year a team from the Office of the Treaty Commissioner travelled across the Treaty territory to gather interviews and footage at community events.

“Collecting oral history from Elders and knowledge-holders was not a typical interview process. It was based on deep, respectful relationships and local protocols,” said Benji Noon, the film’s director. “It was truly an honour to speak with all the people in the documentary. I learned so much.”

The documentary will become a resource for Treaty 4 First Nations, preserving and uplifting their voices and knowledge. Voices of Treaty 4 will also be shared with schools, community centres, and other interested institutions, serving as a tool for education and to further the dialogue on truth and reconciliation.

All Treaty people, Saskatchewan residents and Canadians, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, Indigenous will be able to learn more about the shared history and better understand how we can all move forward towards truth and reconciliation. We invite everyone to watch the film.

Watch the film here

The creation of Voices of Treaty 4 was made possible with the support of Heritage Canada.