Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation
Encyclopedia
Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (Oji-Cree
: ᑭᐦᒋᓇᒣᑯᐦᓯᑊ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊᐠ (Gichi-namegosib ininiwag); unpointed: ᑭᒋᓇᒣᑯᓯᑊ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊᐠ or ᒋᓇᒣᑯᐦᓯᐱᐎᓂᓂᐗᐠ (Gichi-namegosibiwininiwag); unpointed: ᓇᒣᑯᓯᐱᐎᓂᓂᐗᐠ), also known as Big Trout Lake First Nation or KI for short, is a First Nations
community in Northwestern Ontario
. Part of Treaty 9
(James Bay). The community is about 580 km (360 mi) north of Thunder Bay
, Ontario
.
The First Nation's land-base is a 29,937.6 ha (73,976.38 acre) Kitchenuhmaykoosib Aaki 84 Reserve, located on the north shore of Big Trout Lake (Ontario)
. Big Trout Lake is a fly-in community, accessible by air, and winter road
in the colder months.
The current band chief is Donald Morris and deputy chief is Jackie Mckay. Current band councillors are Cecelia Begg, John Cutfeet, Enos Mckay, Samuel Mckay, Evelyn Quequish and Darryl Sainnawap.
Languages spoken: Oji-Cree
(Anishininiimowin), English
Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug is within the boundaries of the territory described by the 1929-30 Adhesion to the James Bay Treaty of 1905 - Treaty 9. Full reserve status was granted to Big Trout Lake in 1976.
Marion Anderson
, who became a band councillor for Big Trout Lake in 1950, was the first woman ever to serve as a First Nations band councillor in Ontario. She was later awarded the Order of Ontario
in honour of this distinction.
The KI was sued by Platinex Inc. over an interim order preventing Platinex from exploring. The decision was released May 22, 2007. The court issued 3 orders: a Consultation protocol; a timetable; and an MOU on the KI, Platinex, and Ontario. The Ontario Superior Court held that appropriate consultation funding was necessary, and that the Court would continue to supervise and facilitate the consultation process. The KI's position had been that "the serious imbalance between the fiscal position(s) of the parties renders the consultation process unfair." No specific finding on funding levels was made, but adequacy of funding was found to be assessable in the consultation process. Implications for other consultation processes remain uncertain.
In 2008, six leaders of the community (Chief Donny Morris, Jack McKay, Sam McKay, Darryl Sainnawap, Cecilia Begg and Bruce Sakakeep) were imprisoned for protesting development on their traditional land by Platinex Inc.. A sacred fire was consecrated in front of the Thunder Bay
jail where they were being held, which was extinguished by police on 19 March, 2008. First Nations have spoken out about this alleged violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
and suppression of traditional ceremony Several members of KI and surrounding nations protested their leaders' imprisonment by walking all the way from Kenora, Ontario
to Toronto
. The leaders were given temporary parole to appear at the protest at Queen's Park on May 26, and were permanently freed by the Ontario Court of Appeal two days later.
Oji-Cree language
The Severn Ojibwa or the Oji-Cree language is the indigenous name for a dialect of the Ojibwe language spoken in a series of Oji-Cree communities in northern Ontario and at Island Lake, Manitoba, Canada...
: ᑭᐦᒋᓇᒣᑯᐦᓯᑊ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊᐠ (Gichi-namegosib ininiwag); unpointed: ᑭᒋᓇᒣᑯᓯᑊ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊᐠ or ᒋᓇᒣᑯᐦᓯᐱᐎᓂᓂᐗᐠ (Gichi-namegosibiwininiwag); unpointed: ᓇᒣᑯᓯᐱᐎᓂᓂᐗᐠ), also known as Big Trout Lake First Nation or KI for short, is a First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
community in Northwestern Ontario
Northwestern Ontario
Northwestern Ontario is the region within the Canadian province of Ontario which lies north and west of Lake Superior, and west of Hudson Bay and James Bay. It includes most of subarctic Ontario. Its western boundary is the Canadian province of Manitoba, which disputed Ontario's claim to the...
. Part of Treaty 9
Treaty 9
Treaty 9 was an agreement established in July, 1905, between the Government of Canada in the name of King Edward VII and various First Nations in northern Ontario. One First Nation community in the bordering Abitibi region of northwestern Quebec is included in this treaty...
(James Bay). The community is about 580 km (360 mi) north of Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
The First Nation's land-base is a 29,937.6 ha (73,976.38 acre) Kitchenuhmaykoosib Aaki 84 Reserve, located on the north shore of Big Trout Lake (Ontario)
Big Trout Lake (Ontario)
Big Trout Lake is a large lake in Northern Ontario. The lake has a community along its shore, Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation ....
. Big Trout Lake is a fly-in community, accessible by air, and winter road
Winter road
Winter roads are temporary highways carved out of snow and ice. They facilitate transportation to and from communities without permanent roads, and are commonly seen in isolated regions in Canada's north....
in the colder months.
Background
The population of Big Trout Lake was 1,322 residents in January 2007, making it one of the largest First Nations communities in the region.The current band chief is Donald Morris and deputy chief is Jackie Mckay. Current band councillors are Cecelia Begg, John Cutfeet, Enos Mckay, Samuel Mckay, Evelyn Quequish and Darryl Sainnawap.
Languages spoken: Oji-Cree
Oji-Cree language
The Severn Ojibwa or the Oji-Cree language is the indigenous name for a dialect of the Ojibwe language spoken in a series of Oji-Cree communities in northern Ontario and at Island Lake, Manitoba, Canada...
(Anishininiimowin), English
Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug is within the boundaries of the territory described by the 1929-30 Adhesion to the James Bay Treaty of 1905 - Treaty 9. Full reserve status was granted to Big Trout Lake in 1976.
Marion Anderson
Marion Anderson (politician)
Marion Anderson, O.Ont was a Canadian politician, who became in 1950 the first woman ever to serve as a First Nations band councillor in Ontario....
, who became a band councillor for Big Trout Lake in 1950, was the first woman ever to serve as a First Nations band councillor in Ontario. She was later awarded the Order of Ontario
Order of Ontario
The Order of Ontario is the most prestigious official honour in the Canadian province of Ontario. Instituted in 1986 by Lieutenant Governor Lincoln Alexander, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier David Peterson, the civilian order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to...
in honour of this distinction.
Recent events
In 2008, six leaders of the community (Chief Donny Morris, Jack McKay, Sam McKay, Darryl Sainnawap, Cecilia Begg and Bruce Sakakeep) were imprisoned for protesting development on their traditional land by Platinex Inc.. A sacred fire was consecrated in front of the Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay
-In Canada:Thunder Bay is the name of three places in the province of Ontario, Canada along Lake Superior:*Thunder Bay District, Ontario, a district in Northwestern Ontario*Thunder Bay, a city in Thunder Bay District*Thunder Bay, Unorganized, Ontario...
jail where they were being held, which was extinguished by police on 19 March, 2008. First Nations have spoken out about this alleged violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a bill of rights entrenched in the Constitution of Canada. It forms the first part of the Constitution Act, 1982...
and suppression of traditional ceremony Several members of KI and surrounding nations protested their leaders' imprisonment by walking all the way from Kenora, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. The leaders were given temporary parole to appear at the protest at Queen's Park on May 26, and were permanently freed by the Ontario Court of Appeal two days later.