The letter was written by a deputy superintendent of the Department of Indian Affairs, which is known today as Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada.

"You should suppress any dances which cause waste of time, interfere with the occupations of the Indians, unsettle them for serious work, injure their health or encourage them in sloth and idleness," the letter says.

The letter also instructed the Indian agent to prevent people from leaving the reserve if possible, and to control social gatherings within the reserve.

"The rooms, halls or other places in which Indians congregate should be under constant inspection," the letter reads. "They should be scrubbed, fumigated, cleansed or disinfected to prevent the dissemination of disease."