Piapot, Cree/Assiniboine, 1816-1908,
As chief of his band from 1830, he was responsible for
guiding his people through difficult times and for negotiating
the best conditions. Piapot signed Treaty Four in 1875, but in
1883 a year of sickness and starvation on his allotted reserve
convinced him that his people would never survive there. He managed
to get them a far better location in the Qu'Appelle Valley and
moved his band there in 1884. The following year, Piapot ensured
protection for his people by declaring loyalty to the government
during the North-West Rebellion. He is known for his resistance
to assimilation and for upholding Cree customs and beliefs. A
longer biography appears in Native Leaders of Canada.
