Description
‘No Surrender: The Land Remains Indigenous’ is an analysis of the federal government of Canada’s steadfast wedding to the written texts of Treaties, especially Treaty One to Treaty Seven and their context. Krasowski’s work discusses how the government has reneged on its fiduciary Treaty obligations and done little to reach a common understanding with Treaty First Nations that reflect oral accounts in order to acknowledge the original intent of the Treaty Relationship. In Winona Wheeler’s foreword ancestor’s visions, the integrity of their words, renewing the Treaty Relationship and holding Treaty partners accountable introduces Krasowski’s work on the numbered Treaties. Krasowski has an established record of commitment, education, scholarly acumen, use of Indigenous methodologies and a novel research approach using a Treaty Bundle to review Treaties as sacred undertakings confirmed through ceremonies. He also analyses oral history through his experiential learning and privileged listening to many Elders in their sharing of Treaty oral histories. This book adds to the growing work on the numbered Treaties through engaging with official records, recorded eye-witness accounts original manuscripts and recorded oral accounts. The interpretation of these sources sheds light on the Treaty Commissioners’ soft approach to the surrender clause, a common negotiating strategy on the part of the Crown. By focussing on the benefits for First Nations and downplaying their primary goal, which was to secure land surrenders, their negotiations were duplicitous with little acknowledgement of the depth of the plough. Krasowski’s interpretation of these sources through evidence and analysis casts doubt on the validity of the surrender clause. This also suggests that the First Nation and Crown negotiators understood the nature of the Treaty Relationship but which the federal government undermined in the Consolidated Indian Act of 1876. This is a highly engaging book with substantial research supporting this interpretation of Treaty Relationship. Each chapter introduces and discusses the numbered treaties and concludes with an appreciation of a coherent analysis of all the Treaties and an everlasting grasp of Her [the Queen’s] Hand. The notes, selected bibliography and index provide further details for consultation.