James Smith Cree Nation

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.

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 Nation.

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").^[1] 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.^[2]

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.^[3] 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 [1]
Government of Saskatchewan site on James Smith [2]
Map of James Smith 100 at Statcan

v t e The Numbered Treaties: Treaty Six
Numbered Treaties	Treaty 1 Treaty 2 Treaty 3 Treaty 4 Treaty 5 Treaty 6 Treaty 7 Treaty 8 Treaty 9 Treaty 10 Treaty 11
Manitoba	Marcel Colomb First Nation Mathias Colomb First Nation
Saskatchewan	Ahtahkakoop First Nation Beardy's and Okemasis' Cree Nation Big Island Lake Cree Nation Big River First Nation Flying Dust First Nation Island Lake First Nation James Smith First Nation Lac La Ronge First Nation Little Pine First Nation Lucky Man Cree Nation Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation Mistawasis First Nation Montreal Lake Cree Nation Moosomin First Nation Mosquito-Grizzly Bear's Head-Lean Man Muskeg Lake Cree Nation Muskoday First Nation One Arrow First Nation Onion Lake First Nation Pelican Lake First Nation Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation Poundmaker Cree Nation Red Pheasant First Nation Saulteaux First Nation Sweetgrass First Nation Sturgeon Lake First Nation Thunderchild First Nation Waterhen Lake First Nation Witchekan Lake First Nation
Alberta	Alexander First Nation Alexis First Nation Beaver Lake Cree Nation Cold Lake First Nation Enoch Cree Nation Ermineskin Cree Nation Frog Lake First Nation Heart Lake First Nation Kehewin Cree Nation Louis Bull Tribe Michel Band (terminated) Montana First Nation O'Chiese First Nation Papaschase Band (terminated) Paul First Nation Saddle Lake Cree Nation Samson First Nation Sunchild First Nation Whitefish Lake First Nation (Goodfish)

Background and Diversity of Bands

External links

See also