Chippewa Indians Mattagami First Nation

This band of chippewa indians live in central ontario, several hundred miles east of lake superior. Their tribal history probably involves many anishinabek from michigan and southern ontario, fleeing to their land to escape from the whites. Their ancestors obviously fought in the wars against the whites. They signed the 1850 robinson-huron treaty, but did not cede their land. They did, however, give the whites their permission to build roads and railroads, as well as trading posts. Their total enrolled band population is 478, with supposedly only 161 living on reserve. That population estimate for the matagami reserve is difficult to accept. There are very few white settlements in the mattagami region.