Spy Hill in Saskatchewan Photo: villageofspyhill.ca
Old Indian legends have three different versions as to how Spy Hill got its name:
- That it was so named because the Indians used the Hill to “spy out” the surrounding country to watch for buffalo or enemy tribes.
- Spy Hill is the setting of a famous Indian legend. A revengeful wife, who had deserted her tribe, succeeded in her determination to massacre them. Then, discovering that her former husband, the Chief – the Wolverine – alone had escaped, sought him out on the hill and there she stabbed him to death.
- Years ago, a band of Cree Indians made camp at the Hill. A Sioux Indian was sent to steal some of their ponies. The Sioux was discovered by one of the Crees, who, picking up a stone, killed the would – be thief. The Cree exclaimed “Kapakamaou” which means “ I have killed a spy” and ever after the Hill was called “Spy Hill”
The map shows the Hólar Settlement east of Tantallon, Spy Hill and at the top Vallar Settlement, often referred to as Gerald Settlement.
Settlement: Icelandic immigrants to Canada were among the first to explore the Spy Hill region in search of settlement site. These were the so-called Olson brothers, namely Ólafur and Einar, sons of Einar Ólafsson and Guðbjörg Ólafsdóttir from Borgarfjarðarsýsla. They emigrated west to Winnipeg along with their parents in 1887 and from there the family travelled by train to Langenburg in the Northwest Territories (now Saskatchewan). They continued on from there to the Thingvalla Settlement on horse wagons. Already settled there were Ólafur Guðmundsson and his wife, Sigþrúður, who was closely related to Guðbjörg. After spending some time with them, Einar and Guðbjörg headed back to Manitoba and settled in Russell. There Einar passed away in 1900 so Guðbjörg returned to the Thingvalla Settlement to her sons, Ólafur and Einar. She went to Spy Hill in 1903. Both her sons claimed land and lived there with their families. Ólafur was involved in community affairs. He, for instance, was on the School Board for many years. Another Icelandic family settled in the Spy Hill region in 1903. This was Ólafur Árnason Austmann from N. Múlasýsla, his wife Geirlaug Jónsdóttir and their two sons, Filippus and Olgeir. Both sons homesteaded and lived on their land with their families for many years. By 1910, the settlement had grown considerably. The Rural Municipality of Spy Hill was incorporated on December 11, 1911, and the Spy Hill village was incorporated in 1913. The school for the area was in the village.
The Indian Legend of Spy Hill
By Dr. Frank O. Gilbart
Kakapenace sat in his teepee
Dreaming of the days gone by.
For I’d asked him for the legend
Of the killing of the spy.
Long the old man hesitated,
Slowly then his answer came;
I will tell the native story
Of that Hill, and why it came.
Men in those days fought each other,
For our tribes would not agree;
Cree would fight the fierce Dacotah,
Saulteaux sometimes fought with Cree.
Once some Crees upon their travels
Pitched their camp close by that Hill;
There they loosed their tired ponies
Free to wander at their will.
Sunrise saw a young Cree hunter,
Climb the Hill to view around.
There he saw a Sioux marauder
Fast asleep upon the ground.
English version by Thor group.