The Battle of Seven Oaks was a battle between Robert Semple, of Selkrik (Hudson’s Bay Company) and Cuthbert Grant who lead the Metis (NWC) in to battle.

The HBC was expanding in to NWC territory which forced the Metis to move. Selkirk, invited colonists to settle between Metis and NWC, to provide food. Selkirk couldn’t grow enough food, so they couldn’t provide to Metis. Selkirk colonists depended on pemmican trade with Metis, but governor of the New Selkirk colony, Miles Mcdonnell passed a Pemmican Proclamation, which declared that no pemmican could be taken out of the colony to provide to the NWC, and banned buffalo running, which was a hunting strategy where you drive a buffalo herd of a cliff. The Metis fought back by threatening colonists, burning crops and houses, and stealing livestock and agricultural tools. In early 1816, NWC had captured HBC’s pemmican boats, stolen the pemmican and taken over the fort. They were hoping to starve the Selkirk settlers by blocking their pemmican supply. When Grant was taking the pemmican back to their own fort, Semple rode out to stop what he believed was a small group of NWC men, he was mistaken. No one knows who fired the first shot, but what is known is that all 21 of Semple’s men, including Semple himself were slaughtered, by about 60 of Grants men, only one of Grant’s men died. The battle only lasted 15 minutes. As a result of this battle, the colonists left. Selkirk responded by arresting men and capturing NWC forts. Metis now feel threatened by the British, because they believe they might change their way of life. The conclusion derived from these events were that buffalo hunting and permanent agriculture cannot co-exist.

I think this painting is showing the Metis’ perspective because on the painting, the Metis are shown as powerful superior people than the Slekirk. The selkirk are portrayed as weaker “warriors”, or “soldiers”, because most of them are on the ground in pain, or standing still not showing any motion. Also, the painter painted them with lighter, more washed out colors that the Metis, which may imply weakness.

“Battle of Seven Oaks.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 06 May 2016. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Seven_Oaks>.