Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation

The Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (formerly the Nelson House First Nation) is a Cree-speaking community of about 4,200 Cree centered in Nelson House, Manitoba, Canada. Nelson House is located about 80 km west of Thompson and is accessible via the mixed paved and gravel Provincial Road 391. Nisichawayasihk means where three rivers meet in Cree and describes Nelson House which is located at the convergence of the Burntwood River, Footprint and Rat Rivers.

The people of Nisichawayasihk are largely ancestral descendants of indigenous Cree peoples who have populated the Canadian Shield region of northern and central Canada since the retreat of the glaciers about 10,000 years ago.

Largely left alone by the Government of Canada during initial colonization and settlement of Western Canada, by the late 19th century a move was made by the government to isolate and relocate members of the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation to a single, pre-defined location which no European settlers had expressed an interest in. This area was defined by the government in the agreement known as Treaty 5, a document which established that Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation members and their descendants were guaranteed certain rights and benefits.

Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation is governed by an elected chief and council. Elections are held pursuant to NCN's own democratic election code. The last election in Nelson House was in July 2014. The Chief is currently Marcel Moody, a former Councillor.

About 2,500 members of the NCN live in Nelson House and the remaining 1,700 off the reserve lands. Until 2005, the community of South Indian Lake on the shores of Southern Indian Lake was also part of the NCN. In December 2005, this community of about 1,100 persons separated from the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation to form the O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation.

With a population of approximately 4,200, the NCN is a large and widespread community. Nelson House consists of nine areas, which are known to the residents as Hillside, Dogpoint, R.C. Point, Little R.C. Point, New Area, Hart's Point, Michelle Point, Bay Road and Moore's Bay.

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