Almighty Voice (also known as Kitchi-Manito Waya, meaning “Voice of the Great Spirit”, or Jean Baptiste) was a member of the One Arrow Willow Cree and a fugitive. He is best known for evading the North-West Mounted Police for over nineteen months, his standoff against them, and his eventual death from the fight in 1897.
Early life
Almighty Voice was born in 1874, near Duck Lake in Sasketchewan in the One Arrow Willow Cree Reserve. His parents were Sinookeeesick (Sounding Sky) and Natchookoneck (Spotted Calf). His grandfather was Kapeyakwaskonam (One Arrow), chief of the Willow Cree. He 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 in 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.
North-West Mounted Police pursuit
On October 22, 1895, North-West Mounted Police Sergeant Colin C. Colebrook arrested and imprisoned Almighty Voice for slaughtering a government steer that Almighty Voice contended belonged to his father. 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 Sergeant Colebrook
On October 29, 1895, Sgt. Colin C. Colebrook and a Metis tracker caught up to Almighty Voice near Kinistino, Saskatchewan. When Colebrook attempted to take the fugitive into custody, Almighty Voice warned that he would shoot. Despite the warning, Colebrook went ahead with his attempt, and Almighty Voice opened fire. Sgt. Colebrook was killed, and Almighty Voice fled.
Pursuit and bounty
As this was now a murder investigation, North-West Mounted Police took Sounding Sky, Almighty Voice’s father, into custody to prevent him from assisting his fugitive son. Almighty Voice evaded capture for another nineteen months.
Meanwhile, the North-West Mounted Police became increasingly anxious about more Indigenous revolts. They had a strong suspicion that Almighty Voice’s evasion was due to help from surrounding Indigenous groups. As a result, they placed a bounty on his head. On April 20, 1896, Secretary of State Sir Charles Tupper issued a proclamation stating that anyone who came forward with information leading to the arrest of Almighty Voice would be entitled to $500 compensation. In this proclamation, Almighty Voice was described to be about 5’10”, in his early twenties and feminine, with a scar on the left side of his face. Most of his time eluding police, Almighty Voice spent on his own reserve.