James Smith First Nation
Encyclopedia
The James Smith First Nation is a Cree
First Nation in Saskatchewan
, Canada
. James Smith has one Indian Reserve
Fort à la Corne #100 located north of Kinistino, Saskatchewan
near Fort de la Corne
on the Saskatchewan River
. This reserve is shared between three first nations, the other two being the Peter Chapman First Nation and Chakastaypasin First Nation. James Smith has a present population of 2,412, with the on-reserve population estimated to be at 1,592 members. James Smith is part of the Prince Albert Grand Council. Bordering the reserve are the rural municipalities of Kinistino No. 459
and Torchwood No. 488, as well as the Cumberland 100A Indian reserve.
.
James Smith signed Treaty Six at Fort Carlton
in 1876. The population at the time of the signing was 134 members or 32 families. The original language spoken was Cree. James Smith, alongside John Smith, migrated to the area from the Red River
district of Manitoba
, and his Cree name has been recorded as `Notaw(k)eecheekanis'.
However, the term `nihtawikhicikanis means 'good growing area' and is better applied to the community rather than the chief.
The Chakastaypasin First Nation later joined the people of James Smith following the dissolution of their reserve near St. Louis, Saskatchewan
after the Saskatchewan Rebellion (a process of presumably forced relocation vaguely assigned to "the late 1880s"). As they are separate signatories to Treaty 6
, the Chakastapaysin do have some legal status as a separate nation, but their status as a separate First Nation remains in limbo, with an inquiry looming since 1999.
The people of the Peter Chapman First Nation were incorporated into the same band in 1902, but they are generally recognized as a separate band, with their legal status disputed both in court and by an ongoing commission of inquiry. Recently the three nations who had been forced under one government by the name of James Smith decided to separate into their founding bands.
Cree
The Cree are one of the largest groups of First Nations / Native Americans in North America, with 200,000 members living in Canada. In Canada, the major proportion of Cree live north and west of Lake Superior, in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the Northwest Territories, although...
First Nation in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. James Smith has one Indian Reserve
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
Fort à la Corne #100 located north of Kinistino, Saskatchewan
Kinistino, Saskatchewan
- External links :...
near Fort de la Corne
Fort de la Corne
Fort de la Corne was built in 1753 by Louis de la Corne, Chevalier de la Corne at the same time that the second Fort Paskoya was built. It was built a little lower than the Saskatchewan River Forks at the mouth of the Pehonan Creek, a new establishment which originally bore the name of Fort des...
on the Saskatchewan River
Saskatchewan River
The Saskatchewan River is a major river in Canada, approximately long, flowing roughly eastward across Saskatchewan and Manitoba to empty into Lake Winnipeg...
. This reserve is shared between three first nations, the other two being the Peter Chapman First Nation and Chakastaypasin First Nation. James Smith has a present population of 2,412, with the on-reserve population estimated to be at 1,592 members. James Smith is part of the Prince Albert Grand Council. Bordering the reserve are the rural municipalities of Kinistino No. 459
Kinistino No. 459, Saskatchewan
Kinistino No. 459 is a rural municipality in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, located in the Census Division 15. The seat of the municipality is located in the Town of Kinistino.-Demographics:...
and Torchwood No. 488, as well as the Cumberland 100A Indian reserve.
Background and Diversity of Bands
The First Nation takes its name after Chief James Smith, a brother of Chief John Smith who founded the Muskoday First NationMuskoday First Nation
The Muskoday First Nation is a First Nation in Saskatchewan, Canada, composed of Cree and Saulteaux peoples. The First Nation has a registered population of 1552 people as of December 2007, of which approximately 560 members of the First Nation live on-reserve, and approximately 980 live...
.
James Smith signed Treaty Six at Fort Carlton
Fort Carlton
Fort Carlton was a Hudson's Bay Company fur trade post from 1810 until 1885. It was rebuilt by the Saskatchewan government as a provincial historic park and can be visited today...
in 1876. The population at the time of the signing was 134 members or 32 families. The original language spoken was Cree. James Smith, alongside John Smith, migrated to the area from the Red River
Red River of the North
The Red River is a North American river. Originating at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers in the United States, it flows northward through the Red River Valley and forms the border between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota before continuing into Manitoba, Canada...
district of Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, and his Cree name has been recorded as `Notaw(k)eecheekanis'.
However, the term `nihtawikhicikanis means 'good growing area' and is better applied to the community rather than the chief.
The Chakastaypasin First Nation later joined the people of James Smith following the dissolution of their reserve near St. Louis, Saskatchewan
St. Louis, Saskatchewan
St. Louis is a Canadian village in the province of Saskatchewan, south of Prince Albert and northeast of Batoche. It was founded by Métis settlers in the late 19th century, and is the northernmost Southbranch Settlement, a series of communities which range from Fish Creek in the south along the...
after the Saskatchewan Rebellion (a process of presumably forced relocation vaguely assigned to "the late 1880s"). As they are separate signatories to Treaty 6
Treaty 6
Treaty 6 is an agreement between the Canadian monarch and the Plain and Wood Cree Indians and other tribes of Indians at Fort Carlton, Fort Pitt and Battle River. The area agreed upon by the Plain and Wood Cree represents most of the central area of the current provinces of Saskatchewan and...
, the Chakastapaysin do have some legal status as a separate nation, but their status as a separate First Nation remains in limbo, with an inquiry looming since 1999.
The people of the Peter Chapman First Nation were incorporated into the same band in 1902, but they are generally recognized as a separate band, with their legal status disputed both in court and by an ongoing commission of inquiry. Recently the three nations who had been forced under one government by the name of James Smith decided to separate into their founding bands.
External links
- Prince Albert Grand Council site on James Smith http://www.pagc.sk.ca/submenu/bands.asp?ID=5
- Government of Saskatchewan site on James Smith http://www.saskbiz.ca/communityprofiles/CommunityProfile.Asp?CommunityID=1081
- Map of James Smith 100 at Statcan