Norway House Cree Nation facts for kids
| People | Cree |
|---|---|
| Treaty | Treaty 5 |
| Headquarters | Norway House |
| Province | Manitoba |
| Land | |
| Main reserve | Norway House 17 |
| Population (October 2019) | |
| On reserve | 8389 |
| On other land | 68 |
| Off reserve | 1918 |
| Total population | 10375 |
| Government | |
| Chief | Larson Anderson |
| Council |
|
| Website | |
| http://nhcn.ca | |
The Norway House Cree Nation is a First Nation community in Manitoba, Canada. Their traditional name is Kinosao Sipi (Cree: ᑭᓄᓭᐏ ᓰᐱᐩ). This name means "Fish Lake River." The community is located near Playgreen Lake and the Nelson River.
The people of Norway House Cree Nation are part of the Cree nation. They are specifically from the Swampy Cree group. They have their own band government which helps manage their community. They live on several special areas of land called reserves. Most people live on the Norway House 17 reserve. In 2019, over 8,300 members lived on the reserve. Another 1,900 members lived in other places.
The Norway House Cree Nation school was featured in a documentary. This film was made by a famous filmmaker named Alanis Obomsawin.
Contents
History of Norway House Cree Nation
Early Beginnings of Norway House
In 1816, a man named Thomas Douglas sent people from Norway to the area. They were there to build a road. This road would connect York Factory to Lake Winnipeg. In 1817, a place called Norway House was built. It was located at Mossy Point, Manitoba.
By 1821, Norway House became very important. It was the main inland trading post for the Hudson's Bay Company. This company traded furs. Norway House was also a convenient meeting place. Leaders from the northern fur trading areas met there. Later, in 1875, an important agreement called Treaty 5 was signed there.
Signing Treaty 5
The Cree people of Norway House wanted to sign a treaty. Many other Indigenous peoples in the south had already done so. The community was facing hard times. They were running low on food, housing supplies, and medicine.
On September 24, 1875, Treaty 5 was signed. This happened at the Hudson's Bay outpost in Norway House. Signing this treaty created the reserve for Norway House Cree Nation. After the treaty, some families moved south. They went to where Fisher River Cree Nation is now. They wanted to start a farming community there.
After signing Treaty 5, the Canadian government took on new duties. They became responsible for education, health, and food supplies for the community.
Residential Schools and Their Impact
In 1900, the Norway House Residential School was built. It was meant to educate First Nations students. Most students came from northern Manitoba. Children at the school faced very poor living conditions. They also learned skills like housekeeping and sewing. These skills were for labor, not for higher education.
In the winter of 1906-1907, a student named Charles Clyne ran away. He had been punished physically. Charles spent a night in a cabin in the woods. His feet became badly frostbitten. He was permanently disabled because of this.
The school building was not kept up well. It burned down in 1913. A new building was built in 1915. But it also burned down in 1946. Another school was built in 1954. This last residential school closed permanently in 1967.
