Almighty Voice

Almighty Voice (also known as Kitchi-Manito Waya, meaning "Voice of the Great Spirit", or Jean Baptiste His parents were Sinookeeesick (Sounding Sky) and Natchookoneck (Spotted Calf). His grandfather was Kapeyakwaskonam (One Arrow), chief of the Willow Cree. One Arrow took part in the North-West Resistance in 1885, which was a great disruption to Almighty Voice’s childhood. For his part in the resistance, One Arrow was convicted of treason and imprisoned in Stoney Mountain Prison, Manitoba. The chief died just after his release in 1886.

As further punishment for the resistance, the Canadian government tightened restrictions on the Willow Cree, severely cutting off their Willow Cree’s rations. The government also attempted to force the Willow Cree onto the Beardy and Okemasis reserve. While he was in prison, one of the guards jokingly mentioned that the punishment for his crime would be a public hanging. Taking the guard at his word, Almighty Voice escaped the jail the same night. He crossed the South Saskatchewan River, and trekked the twenty miles back to his mother’s lodge. He took shelter there for a few days while the North-West Mounted Police started their search. It was only a few days after he left the Willow Cree Reserve that the police picked up his trail.

Death of Almighty Voice On May 27, 1897, Almighty Voice, his cousin Little Saulteaux, and his brother-in-law Topean The police force had been inundated with false reports, but upon receiving this one, verified it as accurate. They immediately set out to apprehend them. The NWMP tracked Almighty Voice and his companions into the Minichinas Hills.

In total, six were killed in the gunfire: Almighty Voice, his two companions, one Métis civilian, and two policemen. Almighty Voice left behind four wives and one child,

Legacy Almighty Voice is widely considered to be a hero among many Indigenous groups. His story inspired works of Indigenous art and fiction.

Daniel David Moses' 1991 play Almighty Voice and His Wife is an alternative history perspective on Almighty Voice's story. It prominently features his wife, who was never named in official government records, and emphasizes an imagined relationship between the two of them. Through this marital relationship, as well as their relationship to their identities, their Indigeneity, and the whiteness of the society imposed on them, the play explores themes like self-hatred and self love, and colonialism and resistance.