Whereabouts Census 1881-1893
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For an extended view of the map click here
For an extended view of the map click here
This interactive map shows the locations of Indigenous people living off the reserve system between 1881 and 1893 based on the Department of Indian Affair's records and colonial maps.
The Geo_Spec column in the Whereabouts data indicates the geographic specificity of the location provided in the original record. The more transparent the circle the less certain the location. Be wary that overlapping points can occasionally make a point appear more precise than it actually is.
Please view the User Guide located in the download section for more information on the primary sources used to create this map, our methodology, and the limitations associated with these files. The downloadable version of this data set contains additional information on the ratio of people present vs absent.
The Geo_Spec column in the Whereabouts data indicates the geographic specificity of the location provided in the original record. The more transparent the circle the less certain the location. Be wary that overlapping points can occasionally make a point appear more precise than it actually is.
- Specific: The original record contains sufficient information to allow for the population to be mapped with high confidence. Populations located at specific locations (eg. Fort Saskatchewan) or small bodies of water (eg. Saddle Lake) carry this designation
- Regional: The original record references a region rather than an exact location (eg. Cypress Hills).
- Vague: The original record referenced a large region rather than an exact location (eg. Rocky Mountains)
- Unknown: The original record contained insufficient information to map these people properly. This includes reference to what people were doing or who they were with (eg. “Industrial school,” “Jail,” “Sarcee Camp”) without clarity as to their actual location. Lat-long coordinates have been assigned to these people so that the scale of unknown people can be compared visually with those with more specific locations to determine patterns of government surveillance over time.
Please view the User Guide located in the download section for more information on the primary sources used to create this map, our methodology, and the limitations associated with these files. The downloadable version of this data set contains additional information on the ratio of people present vs absent.
