Attawapiskat First Nation facts for kids

The Attawapiskat First Nation is a First Nation community located in northern Ontario, Canada. It sits right where the Attawapiskat River meets James Bay. This community is quite isolated, meaning it's far from big cities.

The land that the Attawapiskat First Nation traditionally uses stretches far beyond their main community. It goes up the coast towards Hudson Bay and hundreds of kilometers inland along rivers. During winter, a special ice road is built every December. This road connects Attawapiskat to other towns along James Bay, like Kashechewan First Nation, Fort Albany, and Moosonee. The Attawapiskat, Fort Albany, and Kashechewan communities work together to manage this winter road.

What Does "Attawapiskat" Mean?

The name Attawapiskat comes from the Swampy Cree language. It means "people of the parting of the rocks." This name describes the unique limestone islands that the Attawapiskat River has carved out less than 100 kilometers from its mouth. These rock formations are special to this area.

A Look at History

Attawapiskat is home to the Mushkego, also known as Omushkego James Bay Cree people. For many centuries, the town site was a gathering place for local Native people. They used a much larger area for their seasonal camps and hunting trips.

Originally, Attawapiskat was a seasonal camp. People would visit in the spring and summer to fish in the river. In winter, families would move to different spots along the coast or on Akimiski Island to trap animals, hunt, and gather food.

The Attawapiskat First Nation officially joined a treaty with Canada, called Treaty 9, in 1930. Most members of the First Nation moved to the main community later, around the mid-1960s. Many elders in the community still live a traditional life on the land, only coming into the main community for special times like Christmas. Many families still rely on the land for their way of life and economy. Most community members take part in the annual goose hunts in the fall and spring.

Since the 1950s, Attawapiskat has grown from a place of temporary homes like tents and teepees to a community with permanent buildings. These were built in the late 1960s and early 1970s. People from Attawapiskat First Nation still regularly hunt caribou and geese, and fish along the Attawapiskat River. These activities are not just for food; they are a very important part of their culture and identity.

The Hudson's Bay Company started fur trading in the late 1600s by setting up a trading post in Fort Albany. A trading post in Attawapiskat itself was set up later, towards the end of the 1800s.

Learning and Schools

The new elementary school's construction ground

Elders in Attawapiskat remember that in the 1930s and 1940s, children had to go to a residential school in Fort Albany because there was no school in Attawapiskat. The first school in Attawapiskat was built by missionaries. It first operated only in July and August so it wouldn't get in the way of traditional life. The Attawapiskat School, designed by one of Canada's first women architects, Lennox Grafton, opened in 1953.

Later, primary school students went to J.R. Nakogee School, which opened in 1976. However, this school had to close on May 11, 2000. This was because of a large diesel fuel leak that happened in 1979, which made the site unsafe. Since then, students and staff have been using temporary classrooms, called portables.

For high school, students attend Vezina Secondary School. This school was started in the early 1990s by John B. Nakogee. It was named after Father Rodigue Vezina, a local Catholic priest. Before this high school opened in 1991, students had to leave their community and go to cities like Timmins or Ottawa for their studies.

Because the elementary school closed, students were taught in portable classrooms. These temporary facilities were very basic and lacked many resources that schools in other parts of the province had. The community kept asking for a new school, saying they just wanted a safe place for their children to learn.

In 2007, a local teenager named Shannen Koostachin started a campaign called "Education Is a Human Right." She wanted to bring attention to the lack of good schools for First Nations youth. Sadly, Shannen died in a car accident in 2010. Her campaign was then renamed Shannen's Dream to honor her memory, and it continues to this day. This campaign was even featured in a documentary film called Hi-Ho Mistahey!

A new elementary school, called Kattawapiskak Elementary School, officially opened on September 8, 2014. This was a big moment for the community.

Where is Attawapiskat?

Fiber optics were installed in July 2009, providing high-speed Internet service and improved cable service to Attawapiskat

Attawapiskat is a community on the coast in the western Hudson Bay Lowland. This is a huge wetland area between the Canadian Shield and James Bay and Hudson Bay. The town is located along the Attawapiskat River, about 5 kilometers inland from James Bay. It's in the far north of Ontario. The closest big city, Timmins, is about 500 kilometers south.

The plants and animals here are typical for a subarctic region. There are mostly evergreen trees like black spruce and tamarack in the muskeg (a type of wetland). You can find wildlife such as geese, ducks, caribou, moose, beaver, bears, wolves, and more.

As mentioned, special winter roads are built each December. These roads connect Attawapiskat First Nation with other communities like Fort Albany, Kashechewan, Moosonee, and Moose Factory to the south.

The soil in Attawapiskat is fertile, but it's on top of clay and silt. The Attawapiskat River usually rises 1 to 2 meters during the spring thaw. Sometimes, the community has to deal with flooding.

Diamonds and Mining

The Attawapiskat area has a special geological feature called the Attawapiskat kimberlite field. This is a group of kimberlite pipes, which are rock formations that can contain diamonds. Scientists believe they formed about 180 million years ago.

One of these pipes, called the Victor pipe, was developed into the Victor Diamond Mine. This mine was Ontario's first diamond mine, officially opening on July 26, 2008. It's an open-pit mine located about 90 kilometers west of Attawapiskat, on the traditional land of the Attawapiskat First Nation. The mine was expected to produce a lot of diamonds each year.

The community leaders were concerned about how the mine might affect the environment and their traditional way of life. They signed an agreement with the mining company, De Beers, in 2005. This agreement, called an Impact-Benefit Agreement (IBA), was supposed to make sure the community benefited from the mine, for example, through jobs and training.

However, some community members later protested, saying that the benefits from the mine were not reaching the community. While the mine is on Attawapiskat's traditional land, the money from the diamonds (royalties) goes to the Province of Ontario, not directly to the Attawapiskat First Nation. De Beers did employ about 100 people from Attawapiskat at the mine and also hired them for building the winter road.

The Victor Mine was expected to operate for about 12 years. Even though the mine might close, the company believes there's a good chance to find more diamonds in the area.

People and Culture

Language

Most Aboriginal people in Attawapiskat speak the Swampy Cree language as their first language. Many elders speak very little English and mostly use Cree or other Aboriginal languages.

Religion

St. Ignatius Catholic Church, built in 1935, has been a central place of worship in Attawapiskat for many years. There are also two Pentecostal churches in the community.

Land Use

The ancestors of today's Attawapiskat people used a large area of land for hunting, fishing, and gathering. This traditional territory stretched from the Kapiskau River in the south to Hudson Bay in the north, and from Akimiski Island in the east to Lake Mississa in the west.

Studies have shown that people in the Mushkegowuk region still use a very large area for hunting and fishing. While the First Nations only control a small amount of land as reserves, they continue to use large parts of their traditional territory. Elders from Attawapiskat have described in detail how they continue to harvest, fish, and hunt for food, clothing, and crafts, which helps them alongside items bought from stores.

Community Challenges

Water and Housing Issues

Before the 1970s, people in Attawapiskat got clean water from the Attawapiskat River using buckets. There was no running water in homes.

Later, when a new water supply from an inland lake was suggested, community members who had traditional knowledge of the land warned that the water might have too many natural materials in it. They were right. The water treatment systems built since then have struggled to clean the water properly without using too many chemicals. This has caused health problems. For example, when chlorine is added to the water, it can create harmful chemicals.

Because of these issues, Health Canada sometimes warns residents to limit their use of tap water. This means many residents have to rely on bottled water for drinking.

Attawapiskat has also faced serious housing problems. Homes are mostly pre-made wooden structures, with some newer trailer units. On October 28, 2011, the Attawapiskat First Nation leaders declared a state of emergency because of cold temperatures and unsafe housing. Many people were living in tents, trailers, or temporary shelters. Many homes and public buildings didn't have running water or electricity. Some children, elders, and sick people were sleeping near a raw sewage spill that hadn't been cleaned up properly.

The only elementary school building had to close in 2000 due to toxic fumes from a diesel spill that happened back in 1979.

The Canadian government has provided money for Attawapiskat, including for housing and a new school. However, the community has continued to face challenges with housing and infrastructure. For example, in 2013, trailers used for temporary housing were in disrepair, and the community still needed many new homes and renovations.

These challenges have been highlighted in documentaries like The People of the Kattawapiskak River and After the Last River, which brought national attention to the issues.

Important Dates

• 1979 – A large diesel fuel leak happened under the J.R. Nakogee School.
• May 11, 2000 – J.R. Nakogee Elementary School closed due to health problems from the diesel spill. Students began using portable classrooms.
• November 4, 2005 – The Attawapiskat First Nation and De Beers Canada Inc. signed an agreement for the Victor Diamond Mine to be built on their traditional land.
• October 28, 2011 – Attawapiskat First Nation Chief Theresa Spence declared a state of emergency due to the housing crisis.
• September 8, 2014 – The new Kattawapiskak Elementary School officially opened.

How the Community is Governed

Attawapiskat was officially recognized by the Government of Canada under Treaty 9. The community is led by an elected government, which includes a chief, a deputy chief, and twelve councillors. They serve for three years. The current chief (as of 2022) is David Nakogee.

The Attawapiskat First Nation is part of the regional Mushkegowuk Council, which represents the James Bay Mushkego or Omushkego Cree people. This council and the community are also part of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN), which represents 50 First Nations in Northern Ontario.

Jobs and Businesses

Job opportunities in Attawapiskat are mostly within the community itself, often in services or for the local band council. There are a few businesses in town:

• De Beers Victor Mine (though it's closing)
• Kataquapit's Inn (a hotel)
• Northern Store (a retail store with a KFC/Pizza Hut Express)
• Attawapiskat Band Council
• Attawapiskat Airport
• April's Coffee Shop
• M. Koostachin & Sons (another retail store)
• The local hospital and health center
• Schools
• Utilities like Hydro One (power) and Bell Canada (phone)
• Canada Post (postal services)
• Internet services (K-Net Services, Xittel, Xplornet)

From 1927 to 1960, the Catholic Church operated a sawmill. The Hudson's Bay Company had a trading post and store in town starting in 1901, which was later taken over by the Northern Store in the 1980s.

Getting Around

By Air

You can travel to Attawapiskat by air year-round through the Attawapiskat Airport. The airport opened in 1974, but air service started in 1957. The airport has a gravel runway. Airplanes bring mail and goods to the community. Heavier goods are shipped by a seasonal barge from Moosonee.

By Rail

From Moosonee, you can take the Ontario Northland Railway south to Cochrane, and then connect to buses that go further south to Toronto and other parts of Southern Ontario.

By Road

During the winter months, a "Winter Road" is built. This temporary road connects Attawapiskat to other towns along the James Bay coast, like Kashechewan, Fort Albany, Moosonee, and Moose Factory. These winter roads are usually open from January to April.

Residents often use the winter road to buy goods and fresh food from Moosonee. People drive cars, vans, trucks, or use ATVs and snowmobiles in winter. When the road is good, a trip to Kashechewan can take about five hours one way. Some community members offer taxi services between the communities during this time. The winter road can close during bad weather like blizzards.

Roads within Attawapiskat are not paved; they are dirt or gravel. Beyond the winter roads, there are no other gravel roads that connect Attawapiskat to the outside world.

There have been studies about building a permanent all-season road to connect these coastal communities to each other and to the main provincial highway system.

Community Services

Utilities

Five Nations Energy Inc. was created to bring electricity from Hydro One to the community. Before 2000, power came from diesel generators in Fort Albany.

Police and Safety

Attawapiskat is policed by the Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service, which is an Aboriginal-based police service. This service took over from the Ontario Provincial Police in the early 1990s.

Healthcare

Basic health services are provided by nurses at the Attawapiskat Hospital. This hospital has 15 beds for children, medical patients, and those needing long-term care. Like other remote communities on the James Bay coast, there isn't a full-time doctor in Attawapiskat. A doctor from Moose Factory visits regularly each month. Patients with serious injuries or those needing surgery must be flown to larger medical centers in places like Moose Factory, Timmins, or Sudbury.

The Attawapiskat Health Clinic also provides outpatient health care services.

Fire and EMS

The Attawapiskat Fire Rescue department has a fire chief, a lieutenant, and seven firefighters. They have one fire truck.

Emergency medical care (EMS) is provided by Weeneebayko Area Health Authority Paramedic Services. They have one EMS base with two ambulances and eight paramedics who work 24/7.

Canadian Rangers

The Attawapiskat Canadian Ranger Patrol is a unit of the Canadian Rangers, which was formed in 1994. Canadian Rangers are part of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve and provide a military presence in remote and isolated areas.

Community Centers

The Maytawaywin Authority provides fun activities at the Reg Louttit Sportsplex. This community center has:

• An ice rink
• A community hall
• A gym
• Fields for football, soccer, and baseball

There is also a healing lodge, the Jules Mattinas Healing Lodge, located northwest of Attawapiskat. It's a place for healing and cultural activities.

Media

Radio

• FM 89.9 – CKMT, a local First Nations community radio station.
• FM 101.5 – CBCA, a CBC Radio One station.

Television

Local television cable service is provided by the Attawapiskat Development Corporation. You can watch channels like:

There are also many other TV channels available.

Well-Known People

• Theresa Spence was the Chief of Attawapiskat from 2010 to 2015. She became well-known around the world when she declared a state of emergency in 2011 because of the housing crisis in Attawapiskat. She was a strong voice for the community and for other First Nations issues.
• Shannen Koostachin (1996–2010) was a young activist from Attawapiskat who bravely spoke out about the poor education conditions in her community. She attended J.R. Nakogee elementary school, which had to use temporary classrooms because of a fuel leak. When the government didn't build a new school, Shannen and others used YouTube and Facebook to start a campaign called "Students Helping Students." Shannen spoke about her community's experiences in newspapers, at conferences, and on Parliament Hill. In 2008, at just 12 years old, she was nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize. Sadly, Shannen died in a car accident in 2010. After her death, her campaign continued as Shannen's Dream, which works to raise awareness about fair funding for First Nations children's education.
• Jules Arita Koostachin, filmmaker