Mikisew Cree First Nation Explained

Band Name:Mikisew Cree First Nation
Band Number:461
Endonym:ᒥᑭᓯᐤ
mikisiw
People:Woodland Cree
Treaty:Treaty 8
Headquarters:Fort Chipewyan
Province:Alberta
Reserve:
Area:51.161
Pop Year:2019
On Reserve:172
On Other Land:492
Off Reserve:2509
Chief:Billy-Joe Tuccaro
Tribal Council:Athabasca Tribal Council
Website:mikisewcree.ca
Footnotes:[1]

Mikisew Cree First Nation (Cree: ᒥᑭᓯᐤ, mikisiw, meaning: "golden eagle"[2]) is an Indigenous First Nations government of Woodland Cree people in northeastern Alberta and in Northwest Territories, Canada.

Most Mikisew Cree First Nation members live in Fort McMurray, Edmonton, and Fort Chipewyan in Alberta and in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories.

According to former chief Lawrence Courtoreille, starting in 1944 many Dene people were induced by the government of to transfer their registration to the Mikisew band, including Courtoreille's own mother, leading to "a little over fifty percent" of the Mikisew Cree band members having some Dene heritage .[3] Dene people were denied access to hunting, fishing, and gathering within the boundaries of Wood Buffalo National Park unless they switched their registration, and were threatened with eviction from the Birch River settlement. In the end, Cree access to the park was restricted as well.

The Mikisew Cree First Nation is one of the five Athabasca Tribal Council Nations. The group signed a treaty in 1986 with Canada establishing several reserves. The Mikisew Cree won a case in the Supreme Court of Canada in 2005 over title interests to areas of the Wood Buffalo National Park.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: First Nation Detail. September 10, 2019. Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. 14 November 2008 . Government of Canada.
  2. Ogg, Arden (August 19 2015) Cree Names of Cree-speaking Communities across Canada Link
  3. #840 The Taking of Wood Buffalo . Canadaland . . . Jesse . December 12, 2022 . 12:20 . . Brandy.