The Opaskwayak Cree Nation (; OCN,
Cree
The Cree ( cr, néhinaw, script=Latn, , etc.; french: link=no, Cri) are a Indigenous peoples of the Americas, North American Indigenous people. They live primarily in Canada, where they form one of the country's largest First Nations in Canada ...
: ᐅᐸᐢᑿᔭᐠ , ''opâskwêyâhk'', meaning: at the wooded narrows) is a
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 ...
s
band government
In Canada, an Indian band or band (french: bande indienne, link=no), sometimes referred to as a First Nation band (french: bande de la Première Nation, link=no) or simply a First Nation, is the basic unit of government for those peoples subjec ...
in
Manitoba
Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...
, Canada. Most of the on-reserve population lives near
The Pas
The Pas ( ; french: Le Pas) is a town in Manitoba, Canada, located at the confluence of the Pasquia River and the Saskatchewan River and surrounded by the unorganized Northern Region of the province. It is approximately northwest of the provinc ...
on the OCN 21E reserve, but the band also has many other reserves stretching from Goose Lake in the north to
Mountain Cabin, Saskatchewan in the south.
The First Nation hosts the Opaskwayak Indian Days annually each August. OCN is accessible by rail, road, water, and air travel.
History
The current townsite of Opaskwayak, reserve parcel 21E, was a historical gathering place where people travelled for spiritual healing. The area Cree would meet here every summer to fish, harvest, and cultivate the land. Also during this time it was an opportunity for creating social ties and practising the ceremonial way of life known as the or Grand Medicine Society.
The language of the Opaskwayak people is from the
Swampy Cree ''n''-dialect. There was a number of local bands who shared the same defined territory which in turn, composed of a number of interrelated families who came together periodically through the year for various social, cultural activities and ceremonies.
When the Opaskwayak people signed
Treaty 5
''Treaty Five'' is a treaty that was first established in September, 1875, between Queen Victoria and Saulteaux and Swampy Cree non-treaty band governments and peoples around Lake Winnipeg in the District of Keewatin.
A written text is includ ...
on in 1876, the federal government agreed to give the band Timber Rights. In 1904, the band opened a
sawmill
A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimensi ...
on Mission Island in the Saskatchewan River. Soon after, the band surrendered their land on the south side of the river, and in 1908, they moved their sawmill to the north side. The sawmill operated intermittently until 1930, and provided wood for most of the homes built in the first few decades of the 20th century.
The nation has made many developments, including the Joe. A. Ross, Oscar Lathlin Collegiate, and a Community Hall known as the 'Veteran's Hall' for the events such as bingos, socials and community events, etc. The local hotel, known as Kikiwak Inn, was built and completed in July 1996. The Otineka Shopping Mall was built in the early 1970s and opened in the 1975 which has various retail outlets. The McGillivary Care Home was constructed in 1982 for community elders. The community of Opaskwayak Cree Nation has two churches on the reserve. The Church of Redeemer is situated in Big Eddy, and the Church of Messiah is situated in the townsite area. Both of these churches have been recently constructed to replace the old churches.
According to oral traditions Cree people have occupied the landscape of north-central Manitoba since a time before memory; archaeology supports this. The earliest archeological evidence of the people occupying the area has been carbon dated 2,600–4,000 years ago.
Government
The Band is governed by the Chief and eight Councillors, who are elected according to its own election code which was adopted by its members in 2012, for a three-year term. The reserve consists of 24 parcels of land varying in size from 10 to 5200 acres and totaling about 45,000 acres. The most populated settlements are located in and around
The Pas
The Pas ( ; french: Le Pas) is a town in Manitoba, Canada, located at the confluence of the Pasquia River and the Saskatchewan River and surrounded by the unorganized Northern Region of the province. It is approximately northwest of the provinc ...
. Most of the reserve's borders are with the
Rural Municipality of Kelsey
Kelsey is a Manitoban rural municipality embedded within the province's Northern Region. It consists of several disjoint parts. The largest part is Carrot Valley, located around and southwest of The Pas along the Carrot River, but the communiti ...
and The Pas. The balance is with the unorganized portion of Census
Division No. 21.
Notable people
*
Wilfred Buck, educator
*
Amanda Lathlin, politician
*
Oscar Lathlin
Oscar Lathlin (May 20, 1947 – November 1, 2008) was a politician in Manitoba, Canada, and was a cabinet minister in the New Democratic Party government of Gary Doer.
Biography
Life and career
Lathlin was born and raised at the Opaskwa ...
, politician
*
Greg Younging, writer
See also
*
OCN Storm
The OCN Storm (short for Opaskwayak Cree Nation Storm) are a Canadian junior B ice hockey team based in Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Manitoba. They are members of the Keystone Junior Hockey League and play out of the Gordon Lathlin Memorial Centre.
...
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Swampy Cree Tribal Council
Cree governments
First Nations governments in Manitoba