CANADA, Saskatchewan (BNc) – Chief Peter Wuttunee (1886-1973) of the Red Pheasant Cree Nation Reserve in Saskatchewan, was an active member of the church of Christ.

When Alvin Jennings was preaching for the church of Christ in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, he received letters from the Red Pheasant Reserve in 1952 in response to his radio broadcasts on station CFQC. He conducted Bible studies in several homes on the Reserve and took used clothing for distribution. As many as 25 were present for some studies.

In one home, the elderly Chief Peter Wuttunee would watch from the back of the group.

J.C. Bailey also preached on the reservation. After he preached on one occasion, he asked the elderly Chief: “Well, what did you think of my sermon, Chief Wuttunee?” He replied, “Hump. That may be good enough for a white man, but that is not good enough for an Indian!” J.C. looked him in the eye and said, “That is good enough even for an Indian! With God there are no white men and Indians. That is the message from God’s Word.” That changed his attitude toward J.C. and after that he always came to hear him when he preached. J.C. wrote in his autobiography: “One of the noblest men I ever met is Brother Peter Wuttunee of the Red Pheasant Reserve.”

Peter Wuttunee’s son, Lennox Wuttunee and his wife were baptized first. Peter and his wife were also baptized later.

The congregation moved two buildings to a location on the Reserve, which they planned to use as a meeting place, but the buildings were destroyed by fire.

In the summer of 1961, I visited Red Pheasant with Jim Williams who worked with the brethren there for many years. At the time, there was an active church of Christ on the Reserve.

Jim and I visited the home of Chief Lennox Wuttunee. In the yard there was a pole with ropes attached. He explained that as Chief, it was his duty to perform certain customs in connection with the traditional religion that was still practiced by some. He said that originally, men would dance around the pole with ropes tied to hooks that were fastened through the skin of their chests. Eventually, in a frenzy, they would rip themselves loose from the pole! He explained that he did not allow them to use hooks anymore, but they used ribbons that they broke.

He also said that for one ritual they were supposed to come to the Chief’s door and mourn for seven days until he gave them permission to conduct a festival. When they came, they mourned for about an hour, but then all started laughing. He came out and told them, “If you can’t mourn for more than one hour, just go ahead and have your festival!”

There is a Church of Christ Cemetery on Red Pheasant. It was established in 1970 when Annie Lafond Wuttunee, the wife of Chief Peter Wuttunee, was buried on land set aside for the Red Pheasant Church of Christ. Chief Peter Wuttunee (1886-1973) was buried there in 1973. Peter’s son, Chief Lennox Wuttunee was buried there in 2009.

Link for more information about the Wuttunee family: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/214058634/peter-wuttunee

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