8

Some First Nations of the area were: Assiniboine (Nakota), Snake Indian Nation, Saulteaux, Cree, Sioux, and Blackfoot.

9

Wood Mountain Area Roman Catholic
1946
Wood Mountain Reserve, Saskatchewan

10

Reserve Church in Wood Mountain area

A little Mission Chapel was built in 1871 by Fr. P. Lestanc, Oblate Missionary, four miles from where Wood Mountain now stands.

The congregation was made up of 100 Métis families who were encamped in this area while they hunted and trapped for furs.

11

Wood Mountain Reserve cross
1946
Wood Mountain Reserve, Saskatchewan

12

Reserve Cemetery at Wood Mountain

The Cross was constructed with local trees and painted.

13

Willow Bunch Valley
24 October 2005
Willow Bunch Area, Saskatchewan

14

Métis

Before the year 1870, several Métis of Scottish, English and French ancestry left the shores of the Red River. Their relationship with the Government of Canada was strained; immigration from the east was threatening to squeeze them out. Further more, the buffalo were becoming scarce which their economy was based upon in the Red River area.

A certain number of families moved to South Central Saskatchewan to settle in Coulee Chapelle. (Coulee Chapelle was situated in the present St. Victor parish a few miles from Willow Bunch. [A coulee is a land depression made by water erosion - an ancient river bed close to Montague Lake]).

Father Decorby arrived in the area in 1868 from France. Several years later Father Lestanc succeeded the former priest. He was from Quimper, France and was fluent in French, English, Cree and Ojibwa.

15

Rev. J. Decorby
1865
Southern Saskatchewan

16

Father Decorby arrived in the area in 1868 from France.

17

Rev. J. Lestanc
1868
Southern Saskatchewan

18

Several years later Father Lestanc succeeded the former priest. He was from Quimper, France and was fluent in French, English, Cree and Ojibwa.

19

St. Victor Area Coulee Chapelle
1889
St Victor (area), Saskatchewan

20

In 1870 under Father Lestanc's direction a chapel was built, known as Coulee Chapelle. No lumber nor proper tools were available to build a church. Aspen poles carved with an axe, drilled by hand brace, together with hay and local clay made for a fairly good structure. The roof was made of hay and/or long slough grass. Scraped hides made for opaque window coverings and a buffalo hide for the door. The altar was made of boards from a Red River Cart and there was no seating. The photo of this home would be an example of such a structure.

21

Bonneauville.
1884
Willow Bunch Area, Saskatchewan