Loyal till Death: Indians and the North-West Rebellion (Paperback)

by Bill Waiser (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Nominee, Governor General's Literary Award for Non-Fiction

This startling retelling of the North-West Rebellion explodes the myth of a grand Indian-Métis alliance and delves into the reasons why Indians have been branded as traitors and rebels in both the public imagination and official records.

After the rebellion, twenty-eight reserves were officially identified as disloyal, and more than fifty Indians - including Poundmaker and Big Bear - were convicted of rebellion-related crimes. The most damning event was the mass execution of eight Indian warriors at Fort Battleford in November 1885.

But Indian elders have long told stories about how First Nations remained faithful to their treaty promises during the conflict. Having their own peaceful strategies for dealing with an insensitive federal government, they were not interested in Riel's activities, and any Indian involvement was isolated, sporadic, and minimal. But Ottawa deliberately portrayed the Indians as outlaws to justify increasingly restrictive and repressive measures, an injustice that has left a lasting legacy with First Nations people.

Loyal till Death is the first comprehensive look at the Indian version of the North-West Rebellion. It brings to life many personalities - particularly those of the Indian leaders, whose voices have seldom been heard in conventional histories of the Canadian West. Combining oral history and exhaustive research, and illustrated with more than one hundred archival photographs, the book sheds new light on a greatly misunderstood aspect of our past.

About the Author
Bill Waiser is the author, co-author or co-editor of eight books, including Park Prisoners: The Untold Story of Western Canada's National Parks and Loyal Till Death: Indians and the North-West Rebellion, a finalist for the Governor General's non-fiction literary award. His recent book, All Hell Can't Stop Us: The On-to-Ottawa Trek and Regina Riot, won the 2003 Saskatchewan Book Non-Fiction Award. He has served on the Canadian Historical Association and Canada's National History Society.

Product Details

• Paperback: 308 pages
• Publisher: Fifth House Books; 1 edition (December 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1895618886
• ISBN-13: 978-1895618884
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #569,362 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Native Indian involvemement in the Northwest Rebellion, May 27, 1999

By A Customer

A complelling account of the Indian participation (or lack of it) in the Northwest Rebellion led by the Metis leader, Louis Riel.

The account demonstrates how the Indians entered into treaties with the crown (Queen Victoria) only to have the promises broken by regional Indian Agents and administrators with the full support of the government of the day in Ottawa.

It goes on to show that Indian involvement in the uprising was exaggerated. Much of the participation was under duress from the agents of Riel. After the rebellion was quashed, the Metis participants either fled to escape prosecution, or for the most part, received relatively light sentences.

The Indian leaders who were alleged to have participated were treated harshly, sometimes by officials in a direct conflict of interest due to their own involvement.

In retrospect, it give a better appreciation of the issues present aboriginal Canadians are still wrestling with. A good read, but I could have read on.