Bunibonibee Cree Nation, formerly known as Oxford House First Nation and as Oxford House Band of Indians, is a First Nation located along the eastern shoreline of Oxford Lake at the mouth of the Hayes River and is approximately 950 kilometres (590.3 mi) northeast of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The residents are predominantly Woodland Cree and, more specifically Rocky Cree (Asinīskāwiyiniwak). As of March, 2011, the First Nation registered a total population of 2,734 people, of which 2,257 resided on their own Indian Reserve

Indian reserve

In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...

. The First Nation is a signatory to the 1909 Treaty 5

Treaty 5

Treaty 5 is a treaty that was first established in September, 1875, between Queen Victoria and Saulteaux and Swampy Cree non-treaty tribes and peoples around Lake Winnipeg in the District of Keewatin. Much of what is today central and northern Manitoba was covered by the treaty, as were a few small...

 Adhesion.

Governance

The First Nation's governing council are elected under the Act Electoral System, consisting of a Chief and six Councillors for a two-year term. The current administration whose term expires December 2, 2011, are Chief Irvin Sinclair, and Councillors Peter Bradburn, Alpheus Hart, Richard Hart, Louise Munroe, Forbes Weenusk and Paul Weenusk.

The council, in turn, is a member of Keewatin Tribal Council, a regional political council.

Indian Reserves

The First Nation have reserved for themselves 13 separate tracts, of which Oxford House 24 IR serves as their main reserve, containing the Settlement of Oxford House, Manitoba

Oxford House, Manitoba

Oxford House is a First Nations Cree community in Northern Manitoba, located on the Oxford House 24 Indian Reserve. According to the web site of the Bunibonibee Cree Nation, "Oxford House was originally one of the trading posts set up by the Hudson's Bay Company, en route to Norway House...

.

• High Hill Lake IR—422 hectares (1,042.8 acre)
• Kisipikamak IR—1879 hectares (4,643.1 acre)
• Munro Lake IR—1491 hectares (3,684.3 acre)
• Notin Sakahekun IR—2822.4 hectares (6,974.3 acre)
• Opischikonayak Nation IR—254.8 hectares (629.6 acre)
• Oxford House 24 IR—4876.2 hectares (12,049.3 acre)
• Oxford House 24A IR—146 hectares (360.8 acre)
• Oxford House 24B IR—1737.6 hectares (4,293.7 acre)
• Oxford House 24C IR—402 hectares (993.4 acre)
• Oxford House 24D IR—4.5 hectares (11.1 acre)
• Oxford Lake North Shore IR—1385 hectares (3,422.4 acre)
• Wapisew Lake IR—71 hectares (175.4 acre)
• Whitemud Lake IR—2068 hectares (5,110.1 acre)