Born at Fort Qu'Appelle Indian Hospital in Fort Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan, he was a Cree from the Starblanket Indian Reserve near Balcarres, Saskatchewan, in Treaty 4 territory.
bˈɔːɹn æt fˈɔːɹt kwæpˈɛl ˈɪndiən hˈɑːspɪɾəl ɪn fˈɔːɹt kwæpˈɛl, sˈæskɐtʃˌuːən, hiː wʌzɐ kɹˈiː fɹʌmðə stˈɑːɹblæŋkɪt ˈɪndiən ɹɪzˈɜːv nˌɪɹ bˈælkɑːɹz, sˈæskɐtʃˌuːən, ɪn tɹˈiːɾi fˈoːɹ tˈɛɹɪtˌoːɹi.