Keeshkeemaquah statue on Long Plain First Nation On August 3, 1871 the Canadian Government on behalf of the British Crown entered into Treaty No. 1 with the Ojibway and Cree. The first post-confederation treaty, Treaty No.1, was concluded in August 3, 1871 and covers Manitoba as it existed then. Keeshkeemaquah (Short Bear) was the heir to the leadership at this time and was the last hereditary Chief of Long Plain First Nation. Keeshkeemaquah was only 12 years old at the time of the treaty signing and was considered too young to become Chief. So he travelled West, and returned in 1876 to fulfill his obligations of Chief to what is now known as Long Plains First Nation. Keeshkeemaquah served as Chief of Long Plain from 1876 until his passing in 1915, the longest serving chief of Long Plain. I have drove by this statue (not to exaggerate) a million time probably on my way home and have never taken the time to learn the meaning behind this statue. I figured it was placed there as a decorative aspect for the Keeshkeemaquah Conference and Gaming Centre to be brutally honest.