Kikino Metis Settlement
Geography
Kikino Metis Settlement is a Metis settlement in central Alberta, Canada within Smoky Lake County. It is located along Highway 36, approximately west of Cold Lake. Kikino is one of eight Metis settlements. The eight Metis settlements comprise 512,121 hectares of land in total, and Kikino comprises about 44,000 hectares Resources such as gas and oil, fishing, trapping, and hunting can be found from the land of the settlement. Kikino, along with the other Metis Settlements of Alberta function as their own individual town or city and have their own schools, post office and other buildings.Demographics
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Kikino had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2021.The population of the Kikino Metis Settlement according to its 2018 municipal census is 928, an increase from its 2015 municipal census population count of 918.
As a designated place in the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, by combining parts "A" and "B", the Kikino Metis Settlement had a population of 934 living in 283 of its 319 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2011 population of 964. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2016.
History
In their early years, Kikino was a part of a greater settlement which was just the Metis First Peoples and they were not their own settlement. Their early life takes place in the Great Lakes region, but as European settlements expanded, they moved upwards to where they are now. Prior to the 8 communities established, it was only a separation of two Metis groups. It was the French Metis and Anglo Metis. Eventually those distinctions developed into twelve different communities then fell down to 8.The first major act that affected Kikino, which at the time was known as Goodfish Lake, was the Dominion Lands Act of 1872. This act made land available at a very low price to settlers moving West. However, this excluded the Metis up until the late 1870s.
The Metis Settlement was created from the Métis Population Betterment Act of 1938. This act was passed by the Alberta government, due to the poorly structured living conditions that the Metis people were living in. The Metis people were already living on this land, they just did not have their own governance of this land. The act made it so the Metis Settlement was able to form their one government and this was said to eventually lead to an improvement of living conditions for the Metis First Peoples. The struggles that the Kikino people faced was that they were struggling to live up to the standards of the West's living standards. This act also allowed for the preservations of culture and a way to allow traditions to live on. The Betterment Act did not give complete control over the Metis land, but it gave them a little bit more than what they previously had.
The Metis Population Betterment Act established 12 colonies within the Metis Settlement. Kikino was previously known as Goodfish Lake, but later adopted Kikino which means "our home". The settlement was said to have chosen Kikino as a means to demonstrated what the Betterment Act meant to the community as a whole, since the First Peoples struggled with self identity. The land that was granted to them was theirs and they did not have very much built in the area, therefore they were able to have a clean slate.
The Act was later revisited because the Metis Settlement did not solve all of the problems that the Metis settlements were concerned about, it only allowed them to exist as their own settlement. Eventually in 1952 after the Betterment Act was revisited, they were allowed to elect board members and they gained control of their businesses. By 1960, out of the 12 original communities, only 8 of them continued to be a part of the Metis Settlement. Kikino remained one of the 8.
Events
Silver Birch Rodeo & Celebration Days
Silver Birch Rodeo is a yearly event during the community's Celebration Days, usually hosted in August. There are usually anywhere from 2–3 days to celebrate this event and they host activities such as bull riding, cow riding, wild horse racing and other rodeo events. In several news outlets, it is said that the event is becoming extremely popular that it will eventually have to move to a bigger area to host the event. Other events that Kikino are involved in or host are the Slo-Pitch Tourney and the Metis Triathlon.Culture
Kikino culture is a mixture of First Nation's traditions but also European culture from the time that they were going through assimilation. The reason this settlement, along with the rest of the Metis settlements, fought for their own land and right of governance was because of the struggles they were facing when adapting to Western life. There is no real timeline of when the Metis settlements shifted from French Metis to Anglo Metis. Even in the Metis right declaration, they acknowledge that they are forever tied with Canadian history and lineage.As of August 2024, Kikino is the home to Alberta's Largest Red River Cart. The cart was constructed from welded metal and wood beams and stands at over 30 feet tall, 24 feet wide and 58 feet in length. The cart is open to the public and is located on Township road 632 west at the entrance to the townsite of Kikino.