Mikisew Cree First Nation

Land area51.161 km²Population (2019)^[1]On reserve172On other land492Off reserve2509Total population3173Government^[1]ChiefBilly-Joe TuccaroTribal Council^[1]Athabasca Tribal CouncilWebsitemikisewcree.ca

Mikisew Cree First Nation (Cree: ᒥᑭᓯᐤ, mikisiw, meaning: "golden eagle"^[2]) is an Indigenous First Nations government of Woodland Cree people in northeastern Alberta and in Northwest Territories, Canada.

Most Mikisew Cree First Nation members live in Fort McMurray, Edmonton, and Fort Chipewyan in Alberta and in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories.

According to former chief Lawrence Courtoreille, starting in 1944 many Dene people were induced by the government of to transfer their registration to the Mikisew band, including Courtoreille's own mother, leading to "a little over fifty percent" of the Mikisew Cree band members having some Dene heritage as of 2022^[update].^[3] Dene people were denied access to hunting, fishing, and gathering within the boundaries of Wood Buffalo National Park unless they switched their registration, and were threatened with eviction from the Birch River settlement. In the end, Cree access to the park was restricted as well.

The Mikisew Cree First Nation is one of the five Athabasca Tribal Council Nations. The group signed a treaty in 1986 with Canada establishing several reserves. The Mikisew Cree won a case in the Supreme Court of Canada in 2005 over title interests to areas of the Wood Buffalo National Park.

References

External links

• Mikisew Cree First Nation website