Saddle Lake Cree Nation

Saddle Lake Cree Nation is an Amiskwacīwiyiniwak ("Beaver Hills Cree") division of the Plains Cree, historically speaking the Plains Cree language and located in central Alberta. The Nation is a signatory to Treaty 6. This First Nation's governing structure is unusual in that it has two separate councils and chiefs governing different Indian reserves, one called the Saddle Lake Cree Nation (proper) and the other called the Whitefish Lake First Nation, often called "Whitefish (Goodfish) Lake First Nation" to distinguish it from a similarly named group in Manitoba. For the purposes of the Indian Act however the Saddle Lake and Whitefish are one band government.

In June 2013, the Nation reported a population of 9,934 people, of which 6,148 people lived on their own Reserve. Their reported population size makes Saddle Lake the second most populous First Nation in Alberta (after the Kainai Nation aka the Blood people).^[1] Of these 2,378 were members of the Whitefish Lake First Nation, with 1,778 of those lviving on-reserve,^[2] and remainder are members of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation proper.

History

In 1876, the Amiskwacīwiyiniwak, who were a loose confederation of Cree and Assiniboine band societies (part of the wider Iron Confederation), entered into a treaty relationship with Canada through Treaty 6. Chief Onchaminahos ("Little Hunter") for the Saddle Lake Band of Cree, and Chief Pakân ("Nut") for Whitefish Lake Band of Cree represented the ancestors of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation at negotiations and signing Fort Pitt (now in Saskatchewan). Chief Pakan, along with Big Bear argued for one large reserve of 1,000 square miles (2,600 km²) for all the Plains and Woods Cree in the West, so they could hunt and farm together. When the government did not agree to this, Pakan's and Big Bear's bands refused to settle on reserves until better term were offered, and Pakan when to Regina with the Métis translator Peter Erasmus in 1884 to discuss the matter with the Indian commissioner.^[3]

In 1902, four historical Cree bands were amalgamated as the Saddle Lake Cree Nation. The four Cree Bands were:

• Onchaminahos' Band, led by Chief Onchaminahos ("Little Hunter"; a.k.a. Thomas Hunter);
• Seenum's Band, led by Chief Pakân ("Nut", a.k.a. James Seenum);
• Blue Quill's Band, led by Chief Blue Quill; and
• Wasatnow's Band, led by Chief Muskegwatic ("Bear Ears").

However, the amalgamation process wasn't fully completed until 1953 when the treaty pay lists of the Little Hunter's, James Seenum's and Blue Quill's Bands were merged.^[4]

Reserves

There are three reserves under the governance of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation, one of which is shared with five other bands:

• 96.20 hectares (237.7 acres) Blue Quills First Nation Indian Reserve, formerly known as the "Blue Quill Indian Reserve 127", shared with five other bands (see article)
• 25,780.60 hectares (63,705.2 acres) Saddle Lake Indian Reserve 125, containing the community of Saddle Lake, Alberta
• 4,542.70 hectares (11,225.3 acres) White Fish Lake Indian Reserve 128; the reserve is also known as "Whitefish Lake Indian Reserve 128" or as "Goodfish Lake Indian Reserve 128", and occasionally as "Whitefish (Goodfish) Lake Indian Reserve 128"

Originally, Chief Muskegwatic had also reserved Washatanow (or Hollow Hill Creek) Indian Reserve 126 along the north bank of the North Saskatchewan River. However, this Reserve was surrendered in 1896 in exchange for an equal area of land adjoining Saddle Lake Indian Reserve 125, known today as the "Cache Lake Addition" of the Saddle Lake Indian Reserve 125.^[5] Blue Quill Indian Reserve 127 was originally reserved for the use by the Blue Quill's Band, but in 1896, a boarding school (Sacred Heart Indian Residential School, commonly called the "Saddle Lake Boarding School") was relocated from Lac la Biche, Alberta, to the Blue Quill Indian Reserve, and the Band relocated to the Saddle Lake Indian Reserve. In 1931, Blue Quill Indian Reserve 127 became a shared Reserve when the boarding school relocated to St. Paul, Alberta.

Saddle Lake Indian Reserve 125 is bordered by Smoky Lake County, the County of St. Paul No. 19, and County of Two Hills No. 21.

Governance

Saddle Lake Cree Nation elect their officials through a Custom Electoral System. Additionally, this Cree Nation maintains two groups of elected officials:

Saddle Lake Cree Nation

Saddle Lake Cree Nation on the Saddle Lake Indian Reserve have elected Chief Leonard Jackson, and Councillors Herb Cardinal, Terry Cardinal, Charlene Houle-White, Shannon Houle, John Large, John Shirt, Dennis Steinhauer, and G. Jason Whiskeyjack. Their three-year term began on 06/19/2013.

Whitefish Lake First Nation

Saddle Lake Cree Nation on the White Fish Lake Indian Reserve, governing the Reserve as the Whitefish Lake First Nation, also have elected officials. The Whitefish Lake First Nation have elected Chief James Jackson, and Councillors Leslie Cardinal, Brian Favel and Sandy Jackson. Their three-year term began on 11/27/2011.

References

External links

• Official site of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation
• Official site of the Whitefish Lake First Nation
• Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada's profile of Saddle Lake Cree Nation
• Profile of White Fish Lake 128 from Northeast Alberta Information HUB Alliance

Subdivisions of Alberta
Subdivisions	Regions Census divisions Census agglomerations Municipalities Municipal districts (counties) Specialized municipalities School authorities
Communities	Cities Towns Villages Summer villages Hamlets Indian reserves and settlements Metis settlements Ghost towns Designated places
Cities and urban service areas	Airdrie Brooks Calgary Camrose Chestermere Cold Lake Edmonton (capital) Fort McMurray Fort Saskatchewan Grande Prairie Lacombe Leduc Lethbridge Lloydminster Medicine Hat Red Deer Sherwood Park Spruce Grove St. Albert Wetaskiwin
Indian reserves	?Ejere K'elni Kue Alexander Alexis Alexis Cardinal River Alexis Elk River Alexis Whitecourt Allison Bay Amber River Assineau River Beaver Lake Beaver Ranch Big Horn Bistcho Lake Blood Blue Quills Boyer Buck Lake Bushe River Charles Lake Child Lake Chipewyan Clear Hills Clearwater Cold Lake Collin Lake Cornwall Lake Cowper Lake Devil's Gate Dog Head Drift Pile River Duncan's Eden Valley Ermineskin Fitzgerald Fort Mckay Fort Vermilion Fox Lake Gregoire Lake Hay Lake Heart Lake Hokedhe Túe Horse Lakes Jackfish Point Janvier Jean Baptiste Gambler John D'Or Prairie Kapawe'no Kehewin K'i Túe Li Dezé Loon Lake Loon Prairie Louis Bull Makaoo Montana Namur Lake Namur River O'Chiese Old Fort Peace Point Peigan Timber Limit "B" Pigeon Lake Piikani Puskiakiwenin Saddle Lake 125 Samson Sandy Point Sawridge Siksika Stoney Stony Plain Sturgeon Lake Sucker Creek Sunchild Swampy Lake Swan River Tall Cree Thabacha Náre Thebathi Tsu K'adhe Túe Tsu Túe Tsuu T'ina Tthe Jere Ghaili Unipouheos Upper Hay River Utikoomak Lake Wabamun 133A Wabamun 133B Wabasca 166, 166A, 166B, 166C, 166D Wadlin Lake White Fish Lake 128 William Mckenzie Winefred Lake Woodland Cree Zama Lake
Indian settlements	Carcajou Cadotte Lake Desmarais Fort MacKay Garden Creek Little Buffalo
Metis settlements	Buffalo Lake East Prairie Elizabeth Fishing Lake Gift Lake Kikino Paddle Prairie Peavine
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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 First 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 First Nation Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation Mistawasis First Nation Montreal Lake First 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 First Nation Michel Band (disputed) Montana First Nation O'Chiese First Nation Papaschase (disputed) Paul First Nation Saddle Lake Cree Nation Samson First Nation Sunchild First Nation Whitefish Lake First Nation (Goodfish)