One year ago, at the Wild Rice concert held during Culture Days 2014, local historian Gerry Clark sent a clear message to the community: David Collins has not received the recognition he deserved.
Historians believe that 100 years ago, in 1914 or 1915, David Collins, a Métis trapper, showed prospector Tom Creighton the outcroppings of the ore body that led to the development of the first Flin Flon mine and the birth of a community.
Creighton staked the claim and enjoyed the riches and acclaim that followed, having Flin Flon’s neighbouring community in Saskatchewan named in his honour. It is said that all he ever gave Collins was $6.30 worth of flour, lard and bulk tea.
Collins died in 1931; his tombstone at Bakers Narrows the main marker of his legacy, along with Collins Street in Creighton.
Clark, a retired teacher, was certainly not the first person to underscore the need to formally recognize Collins, but this time the statement had the desired impact.
Clark wrote and performed in a skit that brought to life the experiences of Tom Creighton and David Collins.
The skit caught the attention of area residents Greg East and Buz Trevor, who were inspired to follow through on an idea to erect a monument to recognize Collins.
A committee of interested locals formed, including descendants of Collins and Flin Flon mayor Cal Huntley. Together they began the process of making the idea a reality.
Last weekend, on Sunday, Sept. 27, that reality took the shape of a cairn, adorned with a bronze plaque, at the Neighbours of the North Park.
A large crowd gathered in the early afternoon for the unveiling, following the iconic Flin Flon Culture Days activity, Dance Down Main Street.
The cairn was adorned with a star blanket provided by Margaret Head-Steppan, a great-great granddaughter of Collins.
Following a performance by young hoop dancers, Clark addressed the crowd and thanked them for bearing witness to the fact that “the truth is being told, finally.”
“The truth is that David Collins was one of the two discoverers of the Flin Flon ore body,” Clark said. “We can’t rewrite the history of the last 100 years but we can acknowledge in this small way that we believe David Collins showed Tom Creighton the Flin Flon ore body.
“This discovery led to the development of one of the greatest mines in Canada. At today’s prices, it produced metals worth approximately $14 billion, and of equal importance it gave thousands of people a wonderful community in which to live.”
Clark emphasized the importance of the cairn for Collins’ descendants.
“For the first time, the Collins family, the family of Namekus (David Collins’s Cree name), can feel their ancestor has received the unqualified recognition he deserved,” he said.
Head-Steppan, a member of the cairn committee, called together representatives from the six generations of David Collins’ living relatives. Of Collins, Head-Steppan said, “I know he’s overlooking us today and saying, ‘It’s about time.’”
“In the beginning we never did seek any compensation for it, we just wanted our great-grandfather to be recognized for his contribution,” Head-Steppan added.
Head-Steppan’s sister, Cindy O’Nabigon, spoke to the audience as well, and led a group of drummers in a song in honour of Collins.
Kelleen Blouin, great-great-granddaughter of Collins, expressed her gratitude at seeing the community formally recognize Collins’ role in the history of the region. (See her speech on pg. 4).
She spoke about her grandmother, Emilia McNichol, and her father, Ted Mackonka, both advocates who sought formal recognition of Collins’ contribution and gathered research to verify the truth behind his story.
Clark also acknowledged the late MacKonka, who was a guest speaker in his history class many years ago, for inspiring him to bring Collins’ story to light.
Clark expressed his belief that MacKonka’s “spirit is somehow above us, witnessing what he hoped would happen.”
In an interview with The Reminder, Clark explained that a number of local people contributed to the process of creating the cairn to honour Collins, from making personal donations to conducting research to scouting out rocks for the cairn.
He noted that retired geologist Dave Price was a key figure in the committee, calling him “a dynamo in this project.”
Additional speakers at the unveiling included Flin Flon MLA Clarence Pettersen, Creighton town councillor Don Aasen, Mathias Colomb Cree Nation (Pukatawagan) band councillor Richard Dumas and Flin Flon mayor Cal Huntley.
