Chippewa Indians Fort William First Nation

This band of chippewa indians live just south of thunder bay, ontario. The fort williams first nation tribal history probably includes many anishinabek from minnesota and wisconsin, fleeing to their land in the 19th century to escape from the whites. The region was probably first inhabited by the nakota people, who the french attempted to incite trouble with the anishinabek, by giving them guns. Though the nakota were supplied with guns by the whites, they were not capable of dominating the powerful anishinabek. The chippewa indians of this location were very likely hostile towards the french and english, and probably killed more than a few of them. Their leaders signed the 1850 robinson-superior treaty, which ceded their land and set up their reserve. Their first nation covers 5,815 hectares or 14,369 acres. However, the land to their west, all the way to lake of the woods, is extremely isolated (has no towns), and the land north of thunder bay, to north of lake nipigon, also is extremely isolated (has no towns), and that allows many of the chippewa indians from fort williams to fish, hunt, and trap for a subsistence. Their total enrolled band population is 1,798, with 832 living on reserve just south of thunder bay.