Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg is an

Algonquin Algonquin or Algonquian—and the variation Algonki(a)n—may refer to: Languages and peoples *Algonquian languages, a large subfamily of Native American languages in a wide swath of eastern North America from Canada to Virginia **Algonquin la ...

First Nation Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

, Canada. It is based in the

Outaouais Outaouais (, ; also commonly called The Outaouais) is a region of western Quebec, Canada. It includes the city of Gatineau, the municipality of Val-des-Monts and the Papineau region. Geographically, it is located on the north side of the Ottaw ...

region and owns one

Indian reserve In Canada, an Indian reserve (french: réserve indienne) 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." In ...

named Kitigan Zibi, located on the shores of the

Gatineau River The Gatineau River (french: Rivière Gatineau, ) is a river in western Quebec, Canada, which rises in lakes north of the Baskatong Reservoir and flows south to join the Ottawa River at the city of Gatineau, Quebec. The river is long and drain ...

near Maniwaki. In 2018, it has a total registered population of 3,286 members.

Politics

The Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg are governed by a band council elected according to an election system based on Section 11 of the Indian Act. For 2020-2022 tenure, the chief of this council is Dylan Whiteduck. Kitigan Zibi FN 2

Languages

According to Statistics Canada's 2011 Census, on a total population of 1,395, 36.2% knew an indigenous language. More precisely, 25.4% had an indigenous language still spoken and understood as

first language A first language, native tongue, native language, mother tongue or L1 is the first language or dialect that a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' or ''mother tongu ...

and 21.1% spoke an indigenous language at home. Regarding Canada's two

official language An official language is a language given supreme status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically the term "official language" does not refer to the language used by a people or country, but by its government (e.g. judiciary, ...

s, 43% knew both

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

and French, 54.8% knew only English and 2.1% knew only French. Concerned about the disinterest of its youth in their own language, the community has decided to reintroduce the teaching of the Algonquin language in school. As of the 2016 census of those living on the Kitigan Zibi reserve: * 20.7% learned their indigenous language as their first language. * 17.4% spoke an indigenous language at home. * 31% had knowledge of an indigenous language. * 59.5% spoke only English out of the official languages. * 2.4% spoke only French out of the official languages. * 37.6% spoke both English and French.

List of chiefs

The chiefs have been: * Chief Antoine Pakinawatik - 1854-1874 * Chief Peter Tenasco - 1874-1884, 1890–1896 * Chief Simon Odjick - 1884-1890 * Chief Louizon Commanda - 1896-1899 * Chief John Tenasco - 1899-1911 * Chief Michael Commanda - 1911-1917 * Chief John Cayer - 1917-1920 * Chief John B. Chabot - 1920-1924, 1939–1951 * Chief Vincent Odjick - 1927-1933 * Chief Patrick Brascoupe - 1933-1936 * Chief Abraham McDougall - 1936-1939 * Chief William Commanda - 1951-1970 * Chief Ernest McGregor - 1970-1976 * Chief Jean Guy Whiteduck - 1976-2006 * Chief Stephen McGregor - 2006-2008 * Chief Gilbert Whiteduck - 2008-2015 * Chief Jean-Guy Whiteduck - 2015–2020 * Chief Dylan Whiteduck - 2020-Present

Culture and tourism

The Kitigan Zibi Pow wow is held annually on the first weekend of June. The Kitigan Zibi Cultural Centre has a number of exhibits, cultural artifacts, paintings, and photographs relating to the Algonquin culture and history. A living museum, Mawandoseg Kitigan Zibi, is dedicated to traditional Anishinaabeg way of life.

References

External links

Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg community home page

First Nation Detail by Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
{{Authority control Algonquin Anishinaabe groups First Nations governments in Quebec