| Nishnawbe Aski Nation | |
| Native Name: | ᓂᔑᓈᐯ ᐊᔅᑭ ᐅᑭᐎᓐ |
| Abbreviation: | NAN |
| Formation: | Nishnawbe Aski Nation (known as Grand Council Treaty No. 9 until 1983) was established in 1973. |
| Headquarters: | Thunder Bay, Ontario |
| Region Served: | Treaty 9, Northern Ontario |
| Language: | English, Cree, Ojibwe, Oji-cree |
| Leader Title: | Grand Chief |
| Leader Name: | Alvin Fiddler |
| Website: | nan.on.ca |
Nishnawbe Aski Nation (ᐊᓂᐦᔑᓈᐯ ᐊᔅᑭ ᐃᔥᑯᓂᑲᓇᓐ ᐅᑭᒫᐎᓐ (Anishinaabe-aski Ishkoniganan Ogimaawin), unpointed: ᐊᓂᔑᓇᐯ ᐊᔅᑭ ᐃᔥᑯᓂᐊᓇᓐ ᐅᑭᒪᐎᓐ; NAN for short) is a political organization representing 51 First Nation communities across Treaty 9 and Treaty 5 areas of Northern Ontario, Canada. Re-organized to its present form in 1981, NAN's original objective was "to represent the social and economic aspirations of our people at all levels of government in Canada and Ontario until such time as real effective action is taken to remedy our problems."[1]
Its member-First Nations are Ojibwa, Oji-Cree and Cree, and thus the languages within NAN include Ojibwe, Oji-cree and Cree. NAN's administrative offices are located in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The current Grand Chief is Alvin Fiddler.[2]
Founded as Grand Council of Treaty 9 in February, 1973, after a large anticipated deficit resulting from the anti-Reed Campaign and the Hart Commission of 1978, members of the Grand Council Treaty 9 re-organized in 1981 to become the Nishnawbe Aski Nation. After the first executive council of NAN was elected in March 1984, Grand Council Treaty No. 9 ceased to exist.
Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler
Deputy Grand Chief Bobby Narcisse
Deputy Grand Chief Victor Linklater
Nishnawbe Aski Nation represents 51 First Nation communities within northern Ontario. The total land-mass under James Bay Treaty No. 9 and Ontario’s portion of Treaty No. 5, which is covered by Nishnawbe Aski Nation, covers 2/3 of the province of Ontario. The land area is around 544,000 square km (210,000 square miles), which is around the same size as Yemen.[3]
The population of membership (on and off reserve) estimated around 45,000 people.[4]
The 51 communities are grouped by Tribal Council according to region. They are Windigo First Nations Council, Wabun Tribal Council, Shibogama First Nations Council, Mushkegowuk Council, Matawa First Nations, Keewaytinook Okimakanak, and Independent First Nations Alliance. Three of the 51 communities are not affiliated with a specific Tribal Council.[5]