Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation
Encyclopedia
The Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (formerly the Nelson House First Nation) is a Cree-speaking
community of about 4,200 Cree
centered in Nelson House, Manitoba
, Canada
. Nelson House is located about 80 km west of Thompson
and is accessible via the mixed paved and gravel Provincial Road 391
. Nisichawayasihk means where three rivers meet in Cree and describes Nelson House which is located at the convergence of the Burntwood River
, Footprint and Rat Rivers. About 2,500 members of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN) live in Nelson House and the remaining 1,700 off the reserve lands.
NCN is governed by an elected Chief and Council. Elections are held pursuant to NCN's own democratic Election Code. The last election was held in 2006.
Until 2005, the community of South Indian Lake on the shores of Southern Indian Lake was also part of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation. In December 2005, this community of about 1,100 persons separated from the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation to form the O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation
.
The people of Nisichawayasihk are largely ancestral descendants of indigenous Cree
peoples who have populated the Canadian Shield
region of northern and central Canada since the retreat of the Glaciers about 10,000 years ago.
Largely left alone by the Government of Canada
during initial colonization and settlement of Western Canada, by the late 19th century a move was made by the government to isolate and relocate members of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation to a single, pre-defined location which no European Settlers had expressed an interest in. This area was defined by the government in the agreement known as Treaty 5
, a document which established that Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation members and their descendants were guaranteed certain rights and benefits.
centered on the Churchill
and Nelson
rivers. The project included the Churchill River Diversion, which directly affected Nisichawayasihk members living at Nelson House and at South Indian Lake. Consequently, large areas of traditional hunting
, fishing
and trapping
lands were flooded. The people of South Indian Lake were forcibly relocated
to their current location.
The Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN) is a signatory to the Northern Flood Agreement(NFA) between Canada (the federal government), Manitoba Hydro
, the Province of Manitoba and several First Nations Communities
. In 1996, NCN signed an NFA Implementation Agreement. Using settlement proceeds paid pursuant to this implementation agreement, NCN purchased the Mystery Lake Motor Hotel in the nearby city of Thompson, Manitoba. In 2006, the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation signed a Project Development Agreement with Manitoba Hydro regarding the Wuskwatim hydroelectric project on the Burntwood River, about 30 km from Nelson House. When it is completed in about 2012, Wuskwatim will generate about 200 MW of electricity. The Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation is involved in the construction of the project and, if it chooses to be a partner in the project, will receive a share of the future revenues. This arrangement is the first of its kind in Manitoba.
In 2006, the Atoskiwin Training and Employment Centre (ATEC) opened its doors in Nelson House. ATEC is also a Manitoba first. It will train NCN members and other aboriginals for northern hydro projects and other job opportunities.
and sewage
services to all residents. Nelson House consists of 8 areas, which are known to the residents as Hillside, Dogpoint, R.C. Point, Little R.C. Point, New Area, Hart's Point, Michelle Point, Bay Road A.K.A Bronx.
announced its approval to the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation to convert a parcel of NCN-owned property within Thompson to Treaty Land. This was possible due to shortages in land area controlled by Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation under the Treaty Land Entitlement agreement in the mid-1990s. This event will mark one of the few transitions from privately owned land, purchased by a First Nations
community, to being declared an Urban Reserve.
This plan has been quietly discussed between city and band administration since the narrowly lost plebiscite held in Thompson on September 18, 2001. With a 45% voter turnout for the plebiscite, and amid allegations of inappropriate voter disqualifications, the "no" side won by a margin of 250 votes. During the three years following the plebiscite, the majority of Thompson City Councillors have publicly stated that the results of the vote were not binding upon city council, as the council has been elected to act in the best interests of the citizens of Thompson.
Cree language
Cree is an Algonquian language spoken by approximately 117,000 people across Canada, from the Northwest Territories and Alberta to Labrador, making it the aboriginal language with the highest number of speakers in Canada. It is also spoken in the U.S. state of Montana...
community of about 4,200 Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
centered in Nelson House, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Nelson House is located about 80 km west of Thompson
Thompson, Manitoba
Thompson is a city in northern Manitoba. As the "Hub of the North" it serves as the regional trade and service centre of northern Manitoba. Thompson is located north of the Canada – United States border, north of the provincial capital of Winnipeg, and is northeast of Flin Flon...
and is accessible via the mixed paved and gravel Provincial Road 391
Manitoba Provincial Road 391
Provincial Road 391 is an all-weather gravel road connecting Thompson and Lynn Lake House, in the Canadian province of Manitoba. PR 391 is located in the Wapisu Range.PR 391 passes through Leaf Rapids a community situated northwest of Thompson...
. Nisichawayasihk means where three rivers meet in Cree and describes Nelson House which is located at the convergence of the Burntwood River
Burntwood River
The Burntwood River is a river in northeast Manitoba, Canada between the Churchill River and the Nelson River. Outsiders may know it as the river that passes through Thompson, Manitoba. It is over 200 miles long and flows mostly east to join the Nelson River at Split Lake, Manitoba. Near its...
, Footprint and Rat Rivers. About 2,500 members of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN) live in Nelson House and the remaining 1,700 off the reserve lands.
NCN is governed by an elected Chief and Council. Elections are held pursuant to NCN's own democratic Election Code. The last election was held in 2006.
Until 2005, the community of South Indian Lake on the shores of Southern Indian Lake was also part of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation. In December 2005, this community of about 1,100 persons separated from the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation to form the O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation
O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation
The O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation is a community of about 1,100 Cree centered in the Southern Indian Lake community of Manitoba, Canada. It is located on the shores of Southern Indian Lake, about 130 km north of the city of Thompson....
.
History
The last Elections in Nelson House was in July of 2010.The people of Nisichawayasihk are largely ancestral descendants of indigenous Cree
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
peoples who have populated the Canadian Shield
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield, also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien , is a vast geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton. It is an area mostly composed of igneous rock which relates to its long volcanic history...
region of northern and central Canada since the retreat of the Glaciers about 10,000 years ago.
Largely left alone by the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...
during initial colonization and settlement of Western Canada, by the late 19th century a move was made by the government to isolate and relocate members of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation to a single, pre-defined location which no European Settlers had expressed an interest in. This area was defined by the government in the agreement known as 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...
, a document which established that Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation members and their descendants were guaranteed certain rights and benefits.
Hydroelectric Development and Impacts
During the 1960s and 1970s, the Government of Manitoba and Manitoba Hydro began the Nelson River Hydroelectric ProjectNelson River Hydroelectric Project
The Nelson River Hydroelectric Project refers to the construction of a series of dams and hydroelectric power plants on the Nelson River in Northern Manitoba, Canada...
centered on the Churchill
Churchill River (Hudson Bay)
The Churchill River is a major river in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada. From the head of the Churchill Lake it is 1,609 km long. It was named after John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough and governor of the Hudson's Bay Company from 1685 to 1691...
and Nelson
Nelson River
The Nelson River is a river of north-central North America, in the Canadian province of Manitoba. Its full length is , it has mean discharge of , and has a drainage basin of , of which is in the United States...
rivers. The project included the Churchill River Diversion, which directly affected Nisichawayasihk members living at Nelson House and at South Indian Lake. Consequently, large areas of traditional hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and trapping
Trapping (Animal)
Animal trapping, or simply trapping, is the use of a device to remotely catch an animal. Animals may be trapped for a variety of purposes, including food, wildlife management, hunting, and pest control...
lands were flooded. The people of South Indian Lake were forcibly relocated
Population transfer
Population transfer is the movement of a large group of people from one region to another by state policy or international authority, most frequently on the basis of ethnicity or religion...
to their current location.
The Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN) is a signatory to the Northern Flood Agreement(NFA) between Canada (the federal government), Manitoba Hydro
Manitoba Hydro
Manitoba Hydro is the electric power and natural gas utility in the province of Manitoba, Canada. Founded in 1961, it is a provincial Crown Corporation, governed by the Manitoba Hydro-Electric Board and the Manitoba Hydro Act. Today the company operates 15 interconnected generating stations. It has...
, the Province of Manitoba and several First Nations Communities
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
. In 1996, NCN signed an NFA Implementation Agreement. Using settlement proceeds paid pursuant to this implementation agreement, NCN purchased the Mystery Lake Motor Hotel in the nearby city of Thompson, Manitoba. In 2006, the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation signed a Project Development Agreement with Manitoba Hydro regarding the Wuskwatim hydroelectric project on the Burntwood River, about 30 km from Nelson House. When it is completed in about 2012, Wuskwatim will generate about 200 MW of electricity. The Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation is involved in the construction of the project and, if it chooses to be a partner in the project, will receive a share of the future revenues. This arrangement is the first of its kind in Manitoba.
In 2006, the Atoskiwin Training and Employment Centre (ATEC) opened its doors in Nelson House. ATEC is also a Manitoba first. It will train NCN members and other aboriginals for northern hydro projects and other job opportunities.
Community
With a population of approximately 4,200, the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation is a large and widespread community. Many of its residents are still living in third-world conditions. The local infrastructure does not support full waterWater quality
Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water. It is a measure of the condition of water relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species and or to any human need or purpose. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which...
and sewage
Sewage treatment
Sewage treatment, or domestic wastewater treatment, is the process of removing contaminants from wastewater and household sewage, both runoff and domestic. It includes physical, chemical, and biological processes to remove physical, chemical and biological contaminants...
services to all residents. Nelson House consists of 8 areas, which are known to the residents as Hillside, Dogpoint, R.C. Point, Little R.C. Point, New Area, Hart's Point, Michelle Point, Bay Road A.K.A Bronx.
Urban Reserve
In early February, 2004, the nearby City of Thompson, ManitobaThompson, Manitoba
Thompson is a city in northern Manitoba. As the "Hub of the North" it serves as the regional trade and service centre of northern Manitoba. Thompson is located north of the Canada – United States border, north of the provincial capital of Winnipeg, and is northeast of Flin Flon...
announced its approval to the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation to convert a parcel of NCN-owned property within Thompson to Treaty Land. This was possible due to shortages in land area controlled by Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation under the Treaty Land Entitlement agreement in the mid-1990s. This event will mark one of the few transitions from privately owned land, purchased by a First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
community, to being declared an Urban Reserve.
This plan has been quietly discussed between city and band administration since the narrowly lost plebiscite held in Thompson on September 18, 2001. With a 45% voter turnout for the plebiscite, and amid allegations of inappropriate voter disqualifications, the "no" side won by a margin of 250 votes. During the three years following the plebiscite, the majority of Thompson City Councillors have publicly stated that the results of the vote were not binding upon city council, as the council has been elected to act in the best interests of the citizens of Thompson.