Big River First Nation facts for kids
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| People | Cree |
|---|---|
| Treaty | Treaty 6 |
| Headquarters | Debden |
| Province | Saskatchewan |
| Land | |
| Main reserve | Big River 118 |
| Other reserve(s) | |
| Land area | 119.648 km2 |
| Population (2022) | |
| On reserve | 2556 |
| On other land | 202 |
| Off reserve | 1095 |
| Total population | 3863 |
| Government | |
| Chief | Jack Rayne |
| Council size | 12 |
| Council |
Leonard Lachance, Noreen Morin, Marvin Netmaker, Jonathon Bear, Robert Rabbitskin, Isadore Weenonis, Sylvia McAdam, Michael Crookedneck, Tyrone Morin, Marshall Dreaver, Euclid Morin, and Bryan Morin
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| Website | |
| bigriverfirstnation.ca | |
The Big River First Nation is a Cree community in Saskatchewan, Canada. Their name in the Cree language is ᒥᐢᑕᐦᐃ ᓰᐲᕁ (mistahi-sîpîhk), which means "at the big river."
This First Nation signed Treaty 6, an important agreement. They live near Pelican Lake Ojibway, the Big River, and Prince Albert National Park. Their main community is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) northwest of Prince Albert. It is also 19 kilometers (12 miles) southwest of the village of Debden.
The Big River First Nation has nearly 30,000 acres of reserve land. Their main reserves are:
The Big River 118 reserve covers about 11,571 hectares. The Big River 118A reserve is 393 hectares. Their offices are in Debden, and the reserves are west of the village.
The Cree are the largest group of Indigenous people in Canada. There are 154 Cree bands, and Big River First Nation is one of them. They are known as band number 404 out of Canada's 634 recognized First Nation bands. In 2022, the Big River First Nation had 3,863 people. About 2,556 people lived on their reserve lands. Another 1,095 people lived off-reserve. They have 407 homes, with 366 of them being lived in.
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History of Big River First Nation
The Big River First Nation is located about 98 kilometers (61 miles) northwest of Prince Albert in Saskatchewan. We don't know exactly when Indigenous people first settled along the Oklemow-Cee-Pee River, also known as the Big River.
The first Chief of the Big River First Nation was Chief See-See-Way-um. He signed Treaty 6 on September 3, 1878. The community first joined Treaty 6 under Chief Flying Dust at Fort Carlton in 1878. However, they later formed their own group. About ten years later, they settled on their own reserve. This was led by Chief Kenemotayo (okinomotayew), who was one of Flying Dust's headmen. Chief Kenemotayo became the second chief of the Big River First Nation.
After signing the Treaty, for the next 20 years, the Big River First Nation continued to live by hunting, trapping, and fishing. This helped them to be self-sufficient.
How Big River First Nation is Governed
The Big River First Nation uses its own special way to choose its leaders. This is called a custom electoral system. The current chief of the Big River First Nation is Chief Jack Rayne.
There are also twelve Tribal Council members. They are Leonard Lachance, Noreen Morin, Marvin Netmaker, Jonathon Bear, Robert Rabbitskin, Isadore Weenonis, Sylvia McAdam, Michael Crookedneck, Tyrone Morin, Marshall Dreaver, Euclid Morin, and Bryan Morin. Usually, each term for leaders lasts four years. The current council members started their term on October 2, 2019. Their term ends on October 1, 2023.
The Big River First Nation has important goals for its government. They want to be open and responsible with their money and decisions. They also want to help their community grow by creating good rules and policies.
Justice System in the Community
The Big River First Nation is part of the Whitefish (Big River) First Nation (Cree Court) Circuit Point. This means they have a special court system. Their goals for justice include building trust between their members and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). They also want to help and support community members when they deal with the justice system.
Since the Nation is mainly Cree, they use the Cree Court. This means that court hearings are mostly or entirely in the Cree language. This court handles issues like crime and child protection.
Cree Courts are similar to other Provincial Courts. However, in Cree Courts, almost everyone involved speaks Cree. This includes judges, clerks, and the people accused. Lawyers can speak English, and the accused person can speak either Cree or English.
The Cree Court was the first of its kind in Canada. It has many benefits. For example, it helps people who are accused to communicate better. It also helps everyone understand the importance of First Nation culture, language, community, and traditional values.
Culture and Traditions
A main goal for the Big River First Nation is to help members connect with their culture. As part of the Cree Nation, they work hard to respect, protect, and share Cree values.
They hold many workshops throughout the year. These workshops help members practice important Cree traditions. This includes oral history and oral storytelling. They also teach land-based life skills and host cultural camps. These workshops are often for specific age groups. There are special workshops for parents, teen parents, and youth.
The Mistahi Sipiy Elementary School and the Se-Se-Wa-Hum High School have an Elders Program. This program allows students to learn cultural teachings from Elders.
The Cree language is very important in the Big River First Nation. In 2016, a census showed that 57% of young people knew the Cree language. For nearly 33% of young people, Cree was their first language. This is much higher than the 3.5% of the total population of Saskatchewan who know an Indigenous language. As mentioned, Cree is also important in their Justice System. Most court proceedings are done in the Cree language.
Besides workshops and the Elders Program, the Big River First Nation strengthens its culture through events. They host and attend sun dances, chicken dances, round dances, community feasts, and pow wows.
Pow wows are special gatherings in Native American and First Nation cultures. People meet to socialize and take part in cultural activities. They are very important to the Big River First Nation. The community even has a pow wow arbour project.
Sun dances also play a big role in their culture. The Sun Dance, sometimes called the Rain or Thirst Dance, is a sacred ceremony. It helps people reaffirm their beliefs and ways of life. It also celebrates good health, a safe community, and a good harvest.
Education for Youth and Adults
The Big River First Nation has two schools on its reserves. There is one elementary school and one high school. Their community goals include improving education programs for youth and adults. They also want to invest in education after high school.
The Mistahi Sipiy Elementary School has about 360 students. They range from nursery to grade five. The Se-Se-Wa-Hum High School had 350 students from grade six to grade twelve in the 2019-2020 school year. Lyle Whitefish is the principal of the elementary school, and Kavia Burns is the principal of the high school. High school programs include sports and cultural activities. Both schools offer lunch programs. They provide a healthy breakfast and a hot lunch to students. They also have an Elder's Program. This program gives students access to cultural teachings.
There are also support programs for students in the Big River First Nation. The Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) helped students financially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was for students who could not find work because of the pandemic. This benefit was for students in college or university, and recent high school graduates.
Students who did not qualify for CESB could get help from the Big River First Nation Post Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP). This program gives money to Big River First Nation students. It helps them get education and skills training after high school. This includes university entrance programs, certificate or diploma programs, and Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate degrees. The program covers costs like tuition, books, travel, and living expenses.
Recently, Mavis Whitefish-Dreaver, a teacher from Saskatchewan, started a reading camp. The COVID-19 pandemic affected the schooling and reading of Indigenous children. She and three other teachers created this program to help. They first checked students' reading levels and understanding. They did tests at the beginning and end of each week. The program was a success. Students showed great improvement in their reading skills.
The Big River First Nation is also part of the Treaty Six Education Council. This group helps provide education services to 11 other First Nations. They serve over 3,000 students. The council believes in promoting education for Indigenous children. They also honor Indigenous knowledge and experiences. They work to restore and preserve the Treaty and the culture of the First Nations.
