Bigstone Cree Nation
Band No. 458
ᐅᐸᓯᑯᓂᐍᐤ
opasikoniwew
PeopleWoodland Cree
TreatyTreaty 8
HeadquartersWabasca
ProvinceAlberta
Land[1]
Reserve(s)
Land area210.67 km2
Population (2019)[2]
On reserve3524
Off reserve4712
Total population8236
Government[3]
ChiefAndy Alook
Website
bigstone.ca

The Bigstone Cree Nation (Cree: ᐅᐸᓯᑯᓂᐍᐤ, opasikoniwew) is a First Nations band government in Alberta, Canada. As Woodland Cree, they are a western branch of the larger Cree nation, and are a party to Treaty 8 with Canada. The Bigstone Cree Nation was divided into two bands in 2010, with one group continuing under the former name, and the other becoming the Peerless Trout First Nation.

History

Flag of the Bigstone Cree Nation.

The forerunners of the Bigstone Cree signed onto Treaty 8 in 1899 and were provided with reserved lands based on a population survey. The Bigstone claimed that the lands they were assigned were not large enough based on the 1913 and 1937 population surveys. Band members settled into five communities all named after nearby lakes: Calling Lake, Chipewyan Lake, Peerless Lake, Trout Lake and Wabasca. The band has six reserves totalling 21,066.6 hectares (52,057 acres). These included 166 A, 166 B, 166 C, 166 D, all in the vicinity of the Hamlet of Wabasca (also known as Wabasca-Desmarais),[4] 166 south of the Hamlet of Sandy Lake,[5] and Jean Baptiste Gambler Reserve 183 surrounded by the Hamlet of Calling Lake.[6] All of these reserves are surrounded by the Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17. In 2007, there were 6,781 registered Bigstone Cree,[7] of which 2,397 were living on reserve.[8]

The people living at Chipewyan Lake, Peerless Lake, and Trout Lake and lived off-reserve on Crown land and did not have access to the same services available to those at Wabasca. The Canadian government accepted the claim in 1998 and negotiations began which resulted in a settlement in 2010, the largest land settlement in Alberta's history. The agreement ended with the separation of the Peerless Trout First Nation from the Bigstone Cree, and new reserve lands for both bands. The Calling Lake reserve was slightly enlarged and a new reserve was created at Chipewyan Lake.[9][10]

Annual events

The Bigstone Cree First Nation host the annual Treaty Days Festivities in August of each year, celebrating their culture, language and achievements.

Reserves

Indian Reserves under the administration of Bigstone Cree Nation are:

See also

References

  1. ↑ "First Nation Detail". Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
  2. ↑ "First Nation Detail". Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
  3. ↑ "First Nation Detail". Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Government of Canada. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
  4. ↑ Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17 (October 8, 2008). "Bylaw 2008-10 To establish the hamlet boundaries for Wabasca, Alberta". Archived from the original on July 23, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17 (October 8, 2008). "Bylaw 2008-8 To establish the hamlet boundaries for Sandy Lake, Alberta". Archived from the original on July 23, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ↑ Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17 (October 8, 2008). "Bylaw 2008-7 To establish the hamlet boundaries for Calling Lake, Alberta". Archived from the original on July 23, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ↑ Bigstone Cree Archived August 12, 2015, at the Wayback Machine - Population table
  8. ↑ Alberta Municipal Affairs Archived October 5, 2006, at the Wayback Machine - 2005 Official Population list - Indian Registered Population. December 2005.
  9. ↑ "Bigstone Cree Overwhelmingly Ratify Major Treaty Settlement". March 19, 2010.
  10. ↑ Aboriginal Peoples of Alberta: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow (PDF). Alberta Aboriginal Relations. November 2013. ISBN 978-1-4601-13073. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 3, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
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