Changes In Agriculture on the Six Nations Reserve

Abstract

<p>The Grand River and its tributaries drain an area of over 2,000 square miles, in south-western Ontario between Lakes Huron, Erie, and Ontario. The area includes the present-day counties of Brant and Waterloo, and the adjoining parts of Wellington, Oxford, Wentworth, Haldimand, and Halton. It is one of the most fertile regions in Ontario, with a variety of soil types, mostly clay loams and a relatively mild climate. In Brant county, about 11 miles south of the town of Brantford, lies the township of Tuscarora, the Reserve of the Six Nations Indians, and all that remains of their original land grant, which extended almost the whole length of the Grand River. The type of agriculture and land use in Tuscarora presents a striking contrast to the conditions in the surrounding townships, which have been settled by non-Indian people. Large areas of the Reserve lie unused and are under either rough grass, scrub, or woodland, and little land is being used for agriculture. This study is an enquiry into the poverty of the Reserve, as reflected in the land use. The enquiry has three aims. First, the history of settlement and land use on the Reserve since the end of the eighteenth century is considered, to discover whether the present day poverty has its roots in the past. Secondly, a comparison is made between the trends in agricultural development in Tuscarora and those in the neighbouring townships of Oneida, to see whether these conditions have persisted since the Reserve was first established. Thirdly, an investigation is made of soil conditions as a contributing factor to the present day poverty of the Reserve.</p>