Nishnawbe Aski Nation facts for kids
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ᓂᔑᓈᐯ ᐊᔅᑭ ᐅᑭᐎᓐ
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NAN Logo
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| Abbreviation | NAN |
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| Formation | Nishnawbe Aski Nation (known as Grand Council Treaty No. 9 until 1983) was established in 1973. |
| Headquarters | Thunder Bay, Ontario |
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Region served
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Treaty 9, Northern Ontario |
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Official language
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English, Cree, Ojibwe, Oji-cree |
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Grand Chief
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Alvin Fiddler |
| Website | nan.on.ca |
The Nishnawbe Aski Nation (often called NAN) is an important group that speaks for 51 different First Nation communities. These communities are located across northern Ontario, Canada, in areas covered by Treaty 9 and Treaty 5.
NAN's main goal is to represent the hopes and needs of its people. They work with the Canadian and Ontario governments to help solve problems and improve life for their communities.
The First Nations that are part of NAN include Ojibwa, Oji-Cree, and Cree peoples. Because of this, languages like Ojibwe, Oji-cree, and Cree are spoken within NAN. The main offices for NAN are in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The current leader is Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler.
Contents
How Nishnawbe Aski Nation Started
The Nishnawbe Aski Nation was first created in February 1973. It was known as the Grand Council of Treaty 9 back then.
In 1981, the Grand Council of Treaty 9 was reorganized and became the Nishnawbe Aski Nation. The first leaders of NAN were chosen in March 1984. After that, the Grand Council Treaty No. 9 stopped existing.
Current Leaders of NAN
The Nishnawbe Aski Nation has a Grand Chief and several Deputy Grand Chiefs who lead the organization. They work together to represent the 51 First Nation communities.
- Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler
- Deputy Grand Chief Anna Betty Achneepineskum
- Deputy Grand Chief Bobby Narcisse
- Deputy Grand Chief Victor Linklater
Communities and Land Covered by NAN
Nishnawbe Aski Nation represents 51 First Nation communities in northern Ontario. The land they cover is huge! It includes two-thirds of the entire province of Ontario.
This area is about 544,000 square kilometers (210,000 square miles). To give you an idea, that's roughly the same size as the country of Yemen. About 45,000 people are members of these communities, whether they live on or off reserve lands.
What Nishnawbe Aski Nation Does
NAN has many different departments and programs to help its communities. They work on various important areas to support their people.
NAN Departments
NAN has several departments that focus on different aspects of community life. These include:
- Administration
- Communications and Media
- Crisis and Suicide Prevention
- Education
- Health
- Infrastructure and Housing
- Land Rights and Treaty
- Social Services
- Youth
NAN Programs
NAN also runs various programs to improve the well-being of its members. Some of these programs are:
- Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative
- Choose Life Program (for mental health support)
- Family Violence Project
- Healthy Babies / Healthy Children Program
- Recreation
First Nations Affiliated with NAN
The 51 communities that are part of Nishnawbe Aski Nation are grouped into different Tribal Councils. These councils help organize and support the communities in their regions.
Some of the main Tribal Councils include:
- Windigo First Nations Council
- Wabun Tribal Council
- Shibogama First Nations Council
- Mushkegowuk Council
- Matawa First Nations
- Keewaytinook Okimakanak
- Independent First Nations Alliance
A few communities are not part of a specific Tribal Council but are still members of NAN. These include:
- Mishkeegogamang First Nation
- MoCreebec Council of the Cree Nation
- Sandy Lake First Nation
