cikâstêpayihcikêwin - Allen Sapp otâcimowin

Born in Saskatchewan in 1928 on the Red Pheasant Reserve, Allen was raised by his grandparents, Albert and Maggie Soonias. His mother suffered from tuberculosis and spent long periods of time in the sanitorium where she eventually died when Allen was a teenager.

He's raised by his grandparents, that's what I know. But we knew him right along that he was raised, because the mother was sick, I think that women, mother was in the saw or something.

Both Allen and his siblings grew up with only brief memories of their mother. Their father entrusted them to the care of their grandparents so he could find work to help support them. The ravages of illness took its toll with Allen's younger brothers and sister also. Eventually five of Allen's siblings passed away, including his favourite brother, John. The Soonias' farm on the Red Pheasant Reserve became home for Allen where he would spend almost thirty years, living and working day to day with his grandparents. In those thirty years, Allen was steeped in the richness of his "grandparents ways", the "old ways". The old ways meant that Allen would grow up in an environment rich with love and encouragement. He spoke only Cree and lived with grandparents. His life was simple but demanding. Although he was sickly as a child, he was nurtured and strengthened with Cree medicines prepared by his grandmother.