Library and Archives Canada recently shared a tweet marking the 140th anniversary of Chief Sitting Bull and thousands of his Sioux compatriots "seeking asylum" in Canada.
#OnThisDay 1877: #SittingBull & 5,000 Sioux enter Canada seeking asylum #indigenous @GCIndigenous #Canada150… https://t.co/iAOcteWUvD
People are calling out Library and Archives Canada for painting an incomplete picture of what actually happened.
@LibraryArchives @GCIndigenous and you denied them food and shelter!
In 1877, the legendary Lakota leader crossed the border into Canada from the US after the Battle of Little Big Horn, also known as Custer's Last Stand. Sioux warriors decisively beat US troops in the battle, after which Sitting Bull and thousands of others travelled north for safety.
Canada, however, was not very welcoming.
"In coming to Canada, Sitting Bull wanted to live under the justice and protection of Canadian law and be granted Canadian land," writes Historica Canada. "Unfortunately, Sir John A. Macdonald's government refused to provide Sitting Bull with land, food, or support."
This lack of support from the Canadian government meant that Sitting Bull's followers were soon starving, and many started trickling back to the US. Eventually Sitting Bull returned as well, and in 1890 he was killed in a standoff with police.
"Too bad the Canadian government did nothing to welcome Sitting Bull or allow him and most of the refugees to remain in Canada long-term," this person tweeted.
Too bad the Canadian government did nothing to welcome Sitting Bull or allow him and most of the refugees to remain… https://t.co/7nEsySV0oa
"Canada denied them a place to live [and] refused them food."
Canada denied them a place to live & refused them food. The starving refugees returned to US & Sitting Bull surrend… https://t.co/DEeiBk1dhk
This person pointed out that her own ancestors were affected by the way the Sioux were treated.
This is why i am here in canada today. My ancestors were forced to come here to manitoulin island. https://t.co/GOktcamIsm
People are not letting Canada 150 celebrations whitewash the country's history.
Oh #Canada150 Remember denying them food and shelter, starving them, forcing #SittingBull and others to return to g… https://t.co/Jnx3Moqaz6
So... no. This did not go over well. 😬
And our government killed them too Canada celebrating 150 years of genocide https://t.co/S5jcn2HKJ2