Split Lake, or Tataskwayak ( cr, ᑕᑕᐢᑿᔭᕽ), is a community 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 ...
on the northern short of
Split Lake along the
Nelson River
The Nelson River is a river of north-central North America, in the Canadian province of Manitoba. The river drains Lake Winnipeg and runs before it ends in Hudson Bay. Its full length (including the Saskatchewan River and Bow River) is , it ...
, about west southwest of the river's mouth at Hudson Bay, and is within the
Tataskweyak Cree Nation
The Tataskweyak Cree Nation ( cr, ᑕᑕᐢᑿᔭᕽ, tataskwayak) (Formerly known as ''Split Lake Cree First Nation'' in English) is a First Nations band government whose primary community is located at Split Lake, Manitoba, on the Nelson River ...
reserve, Split Lake 171. The community is located northeast of
Thompson
Thompson may refer to:
People
* Thompson (surname)
* Thompson M. Scoon (1888–1953), New York politician
Places Australia
*Thompson Beach, South Australia, a locality
Bulgaria
* Thompson, Bulgaria, a village in Sofia Province
Canada
* ...
, roughly the halfway point of
PR 280 in Northern Manitoba, and west of
Gillam.
History
In 1908, Tataskweyak Cree Nation (Split Lake Band) representatives signed an adhesion to
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 ...
.
Tataskweyak Cree Nation is well known for being one of the most wealthiest First Nation in Northern Manitoba despite the fact that they do have a very-low Employment Rate as per 2020; the Community is also known to have a blooming economy according to charts on First Nations provided by the Manitoba Government. Tataskweyak provides a variety of jobs to its community members as per 2016; they had a population well over 3500+ And in 2021 there is an estimated 5000+ members (no accurate data available) though believed to have bloomed in population, the community has their best efforts coming out of multiple programs providing many benefits for its entire population. Although Tataskweyak Cree Nation leaders have spent millions of dollars to better help their community, many community members feel abandoned or ignored by local leadership
Split Lake has had a high number of youth suicides in the year of 2021.
Geography
Split Lake is on the
Hudson Bay Railway line that ends at the
Port of Churchill
The Port of Churchill is a privately-owned port on Hudson Bay in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Routes from the port connect to the North Atlantic through the Hudson Strait. , the port had four deep-sea berths capable of handling Panamax-size vesse ...
.
Grey Goose Bus Lines and other companies such as Arctic Beverages and
Old Dutch Foods
Old Dutch Foods Inc. is a manufacturer of potato chips and other snack foods in the Midwestern United States, New England and Canada. Their product line includes brands such as Old Dutch Potato Chips, Dutch Crunch, Ripples, Cheese Pleesers and Re ...
provides the community with freight and goods on a daily basis.
The community of Split Lake is located on a peninsula on the northern shore of Split Lake. The
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 long and flows mostly east to join the Nelson Ri ...
and the Nelson River flows into the west end of Split Lake. The
Grass River (Manitoba)
The Grass River is a historically important waterway in the Hudson Bay drainage basin in the Northern Region of Manitoba, Canada. It begins at the Cranberry Lakes approximately east of Cranberry Portage and runs northeast to its mouth on the N ...
joins the Nelson just before it enters the lake. The Nelson flows east out from the east end of the lake.
Culture
The community also has an annual ice fishing derby, where the first prize is usually a vehicle, as sometimes it has cash prizes, as well as a sporting event every year which is called "indian days".
Tataskweyak is Famously known for their
New year celebrations
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
where the community gathers as one and welcomes people from all over the
Manitoba Province to celebrate the New Years with events and entertainment from multiple acts and all sorts of talents from
Square dancing
A square dance is a dance for four couples, or eight dancers in total, arranged in a square, with one couple on each side, facing the middle of the square. Square dances contain elements from numerous traditional dances and were first documente ...
to
Music competition
A music competition is a public event designed to identify and award outstanding musical ensembles, soloists, composers, conductors and musicologists. Pop music competitions are music competitions which are held to find pop starlets.
Exampl ...
it is a very special night long-awaited every year from its community members. In the month of August every year, Tataskweyak Annual Treaty and Indian Days are special one week events of competitive competition open to all its members, from toddlers to teens, adults to seniors, Indian days is truly a well celebrated week that has multiple cash prizes, many merchandise prizes, giveaways, sports events, water events, tournaments, traditional
Leisure activities
Leisure has often been defined as a quality of experience or as free time. Free time is time spent away from business, work, job hunting, domestic chores, and education, as well as necessary activities such as eating and sleeping. Leisure ...
.
Also, not only in August do they celebrate they also provide the same community fun where they host the annual Winterfest usually in the months of March–April, where family winter fun is celebrated from Winter Games, Snowshoe activities, ice fishing activities, traditional outdoor teachings, every year crowning their King and Queen Trapper.
Demographics
In the
2021 Census of Population conducted by
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada (StatCan; french: Statistique Canada), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and cultur ...
, Split Lake had a population of 2,232 living in 410 of its 421 total private dwellings, a change of +9.2% from its 2016 population of 2,044. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021.
References
External links
Tataskweyak Cree Nation Official WebsiteTataskweyak Cree Nation profile
{{MBDivision23
Hudson's Bay Company trading posts
Localities in Manitoba
Unincorporated communities in Manitoba