Wunnumin Lake First Nation (

Oji-Cree language The Severn Ojibwa or the Oji-Cree language (ᐊᓂᐦᔑᓂᓃᒧᐏᐣ, ''Anishininiimowin''; Unpointed: ᐊᓂᔑᓂᓂᒧᐏᐣ) is the indigenous name for a dialect of the Ojibwe language spoken in a series of Oji-Cree communities in norther ...

: ᐊᐧᓇᒪᐣ ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᓃᕽ (''Wanaman-zaaga'iganiing'', "At Wunnumin Lake"); unpointed: ᐊᐧᓇᒪᐣ ᓴᑲᐃᑲᓂᐠ) is an

Oji-Cree The Oji-Cree are a First Nation in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba, residing in a narrow band extending from the Missinaibi River region in Northeastern Ontario at the east to Lake Winnipeg at the west. The Oji-Cree people are des ...

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 ...

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 ...

who inhabit territory on Wunnummin Lake northeast of

Sioux Lookout Sioux Lookout is a town in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Located approximately northwest of Thunder Bay, it has a population of 5,272 people (up 4.7% since 2011), an elevation of , and its boundaries cover an area of , of which is lake and wetl ...

in northwestern

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. It consists of two reserves: the main reserve Wunnumin 1 and the nearby Wunnumin 2. Its registered population was 565.

Transportation

Wunnumin Lake First Nation can be accessed primarily through air transportation to Wunnumin Lake Airport; however, during the winter season, one can also travel to this community using the winter roads, The White Highway.

Policing

Wunnumin Lake is

police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...

d by the

Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service The Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service (NAPS), also occasionally known as the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service (without a hyphen) is the police agency for Nishnawbe-Aski Nation (NAN). As of July 2020, NAPS has 34 detachments in NAN communities across the ...

, an Aboriginal-based service.

History

Wunnumin Lake is called ''Wanaman-zaaga'igan'' meaning "Vermillion Lake", in reference to the vermillion-coloured clay about the lake. Legend says that '' Wiisagejaak'' (the " Crane ''manidoo''") used to hunt for food, found "Big Beaver" that lived on the Pipestone River and chased "Big Beaver" and its baby beaver to this area. When ''Wiisagejaak'' caught up with "Big Beaver" and its baby beaver, he killed the baby beaver and put it aside in this particular area with foliage; as the baby beaver laid there in this foliage, it bled from its wound. The blood from the baby beaver's wound seeped into the ground, staining the clay to this colour. Residents of Wunnumin Lake originated from Big Beaver House, Ontario. After a large forest fire, the community at Big Beaver House relocated to two separate location, of which one was Wunnumin Lake. During 1929–1930 the leaders of Wunnumin Lake First Nation were summoned to

Big Trout Lake Big Trout Lake is a large lake in Northern Ontario. The Fawn River flows into it from the west and drains it from the east. The reserve of the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation, also known as Big Trout Lake, is located on Post Island on ...

to participate in the signing of the adhesion to

Treaty 9 ''Treaty No. 9'' (also known as ''The James Bay Treaty'') is a numbered treaty first signed in 1905-1906 between Anishinaabe (Algonquin and Ojibway) and Omushkegowuk Cree communities and the Canadian Crown, which includes both the governm ...

. Its current government obtained their Reserve status on March 2, 1976.

Government

The current Chief is Sam Mamakwa, and the Deputy Chief is Dean Cromarty. Lawrence Gliddy, Clarence Anderson, Sheila Angees and Simon Winnepetonga are serving as Band Councillors. The next General Election for Chief and Council is in September 2020. Wunnumin Lake First Nation is affiliated with

Shibogama First Nations Council Shibogama First Nations Council (Oji-Cree: ᔑᑄᑲᒫ ᓂᐢᑕᒼ ᐊᓇᐦᔑᓈᐯᐠ ᐅᓇᐦᔕᐌᓂᓂᐗᐠ (''Zhibwagamaa Nistam-Anashinaabeg Onashaweniniwag''), unpointed: ᔑᐧᐸᑲᒪ ᓂᐢᑕᒼ ᐊᓇᔑᓇᐯᐠ ᐅᓇᔕᐧᐁ� ...

. Wunnumin Lake First Nation has two reserves: a Wunnumin 1 Reserve and a Wunnumin 2 Reserve. The departments and programs offered by Wunnumin Lake First Nation are: *Administration *Crisis Prevention *Economic Development *Education Authority *Health Authority *Lands & Resources *Public Works *Social Workers *Welfare

External links

*
other secondary website
* ttp://pse5-esd5.ainc-inac.gc.ca/fnp/Main/Search/FNMain.aspx?BAND_NUMBER=217&lang=eng AANDC profile {{Coord, 52, 51, 07, N, 89, 17, 10, W, region:CA-ON_type:city_dim:10km, display=title Communities in Kenora District Nishnawbe Aski Nation Road-inaccessible communities of Ontario