Chippewa Indians Big Trout Lake First Nation

This band of chippewa indians live in the northern portion of the northwestern part of ontario. Their tribal history probably involves many of the anishinabek from minnesota and wisconsin, fleeing to their land to escape from the whites. Leaders from big trout lake signed the 1905,1929 and 1930 treaies with canada, but they did not cede their land to canada. What they agreed to when they signed the treaties, was to acknowledge they had commenced a nation to nation relationship with canada, and certain other terms which possibly included their lands minerals and timber supplies. In 2008, canada forced their way into the government offices of the Big Trout Lake First Nation, which is also known as Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation, and imprisoned their governments leaders.

They did so because they did not allow the whites to explore their land, including lakes, for minerals. Big Trout Lake, or kitchenuhmaykoosib inninuwug leaders were imprisoned for around 3 months then released. After gaining their freedom, they likely retaliated for what the whites forced them through. Either they did or some of their more rebellious citizens did. This chippewa reserve and the citizens, rely on fishing, hunting, and trapping for a subsistence, as well as to a lessor degree, the tourism industry, and, of course, government. There are no year round roads to the reserve. Their total enrolled band population is much higher than what the whites claim. They claim the population of big trout lake is 1,066, but since they have 10,000s of sq. mi. of land surrounding them, they have more than enough resources to allow for a population growth to continuously occur.