This past week, a gathering took place on a farm near Bladworth, a community between Davidson and Kenaston. The gathering saw the launch of the Treaty Land Sharing Network, a grassroots organization of agricultural producers who share the land as the treaties intended. This includes welcoming Indigenous people onto the land to practice their way of life.  

More than 80 people came out to take part in the launch. This included a pope ceremony, talking circles, and a lunch. Then, members of the network took home signs to post on their land to welcome Indigenous land users.  

Mary Smillie is a part of the network’s coordinating committee. She explained the land is being shared for the inherent treaty rights included in Treaty 4 and Treaty 6.  

“Gathering medicine, picking berries, hunting, holding ceremonies, gathering rocks for sweat lodges,” Smillie said as she listed some of them off. 

The Treaty Land Sharing Network is a welcome and much-needed alliance with farmers and ranchers who want to share their land and the medicines that are on it,” said Joely BigEagle Kequahtooway with Buffalo People Arts Institute. 

"This is a small but important step that we can take as farmers toward upholding our responsibilities as Treaty people,” Smillie added. “It’s something concrete that we can do to begin to build a more just future for the prairies.”