Cheekuk and Other Early Leaders in the Records
Follow the Chronology of Key Events
Joan Holmes and Associates is dedicated to transparency in our research into the origins and development of the Muscowpetung community and land base. The chronology that follows highlights some of the earliest historical records associated with important events in the Nation’s past, including a range of archival records, extracts from published works, oral history transcripts, maps, etc. Though this data cites only a tiny fraction of the materials reviewed, the information presented here is an important distillation, highlighting documented interactions with key people in the Nation’s history.
We thank you for your patience as we continue to add, update and verify entries, and test links providing direct access to the documents cited - stay tuned!
Many oral histories have been collected and reviewed as part of our work, including:
“[Pat Cappo] July 20, 1971 Muscowpetung Reserve,” interview notes by Blair Stonechild, July 20, 1971. FSIN Files 1280.33 and 1463.2 [Doc. MSN01812].
“Interviewed - Tape Recorder [Pat Cappo, interviewed by Walter Gordon],” circa October 1971. FSIN Files 35.6, 1280.33 and 1463.2 [Doc. MSN00254].
“Statement of Pat Cappo,” November 28, 1971. FSIN Files 35.6, 1280.33 and 1463.2, partial copy also found in Tommy Cappo Collection [Doc. MSN00255].
“Muscowpetung Reserve,” John Cappo, July 23, 1971. FSIN File 1463.2 [Doc. MSN01823].
“Cree Workshop 9: Pius Dustyhorn, John Cappo, Jim Kanipitetew,” circa 1973. Transcribed by Joanne Greenwood, Saskatchewan Indian Cultural College, Tape IH-438 Transcript Disc 63. Indian History Film Project interviews, Canadian Plains Research Center [Doc. MSN00257].
“Saulteaux Workshop 2: Mrs. Crowe, Joe Williams, William Kequateway, John Cappo, Mr. H. Crowe,” October 30, 1973. Transcribed by Joanne Greenwood, Saskatchewan Indian Cultural College, Tape IH-426 Transcript Disc 62. Indian History Film Project interviews published by Canadian Plains Research Center [Doc. MSN00162].
“Knowledge Keepers Notes,” June 26, 2017-April 30, 2018. Tommy Cappo Collection [Doc. MSN02424].
Note: the names of the Chiefs, Headmen and Muscowpetung’s father have been standardized throughout, except within quotes and document references, as follows:
Cheekuk (The Worthy)
Muscowpetung (Sits Steadfast)
Pasung
Muscowcappo (same person as Kay qua tuk ke me skunk or He who tests the firmness of the earth with his feet, later also known as Albert Cappo)
Nikawesit (The Goose’s Foot)
Keesick (The Day or The Heavens, also known as John Moore)
Meshakeepeness (The Thunderbird Striking the Earth, later John Kepeness)
Apiskenew (Little Golden Eagle)
Tapahsung (He who flies low)
A Chronology of Key Events
1838 Fort Pelly hunters
An individual called “Cheekuk” is described as a man with a wife and a son on a Fort Pelly list of hunters. Four “Cree Chiefs” are listed separately. This Cheekuk is not identified as a chief or assigned a band affiliation. (This source also lists “Messakebeness” which may be Meshakeepeness and Weseekechet which may be Nikawesit, whose name was also spelled Wekeewesit on treaty paylists.)
1869 Completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States
Lakota historian Donovin Sprague explained in a 2024 interview, “The buffalo, most of them, would not cross the tracks. It split the herd ... into a great Southern herd and a Northern herd. ... then the railroad had a terrible effect on all this because people hunted from the train and just for sport ...”
Spring/Summer 1870 Métis gather at Qu’Appelle Lakes
In The Company of Adventurers retired HBC trader Isaac Cowie recalled a large gathering in response to events at Red River. According to Cowie, Chief Trader Archibald McDonald sent tobacco to Chiefs Loud Voice (Kakisheway) and Poor Man (Kawacatoose), encouraging them to stand against the Metis by painting their seizure of Nees-tow-wy-ak (La Fourche / The Forks / Fort Garry) without Cree consent as “a usurpation of authority.”