norwest was born in fort saskatchewan, alberta, sometime in the early 1880s, the métis son of louis northwest or watson and geneviève boucher, themselves both métis. his father lived for a time with the cree band led by kiskaquin (bobtail). he accepted métis scrip in 1885. a former ranch hand and rodeo performer, he served for a short time with the royal northwest mounted police until january 1915 when he joined the canadian army. he initially enlisted as henry louie but was discharged just three months later for misbehaviour, then re-enlisted under the new name of henry norwest.