Beaver Indians

They are a lost Ojibway Tribe. We know from 1832's Edinburgh Encyclopedia that Ojibway People gave rise to Cree People and Athabascan People. Either in 16th century or 17th century, Ojibway leaders east of Sault Ste. Marie, sent large numbers of Ojibway People to James Bay, Hudson Bay and Beaufort Sea, to combat Eskimo and white invaders. Ojibway leaders should have only sent their soldiers because it later caused civil strife. We can trace Cree Indians to a group of Ojibway People living near Lake Nipissing and Sault Ste. Marie. They were named "Nez Perce" by French or Italians. Their Ojibway name was "Amikwa" which means "Beaver People" in Ojibway Language. They were from Ojibway Nations "Hunter Totem." Hudson Bay Company established trade with Eskimos and Indians after establishing trade posts around James Bay and Hudson Bay. Their main trade item were Beaver Pelts. Instead of following Ojibway Laws, this "Beaver Totem" of Ojibway Nation, actively sought out trade opportunities with HBC. That caused civil strife within Ojibway Nation. Ojibway Soldiers were fighting invading Eskimos and whites, while their "Beaver Totem" was trading with their enemies. These Cree Indians eventually settled near HBC trade posts and became allied with Eskimos and whites. They mixed with them and from that action, a slightly new and corrupted Ojibway Language was brought forth. Lewis and Clark called Cree Language "Corrupted Ojibway Language." Staff at HBC forts and trade posts, called Cree Indians "Keskatchewan Indians and also Beaver Indians." Their correct name is "Beaver Indians."

Before 1774, some Beaver Indians left Hudson Bay's west coast and migrated to near Cumberland House, Saskatchewan. They were possibly led by whites. Another group of Beaver Indians forced their way to Lake Winnipeg's west coast with their white leaders. Those at Cumberland House were more successful yet Ojibway leaders sent Ojibway reinforcements to northern Manitoba and forced Beaver Indians and their Eskimo and white allies, to retreat west into northern Alberta and northern British Columbia. West of Lake Winnipeg, Ojibway Soldiers subjugated Beaver Indians and their Eskimo and white allies by 1817. That same year they signed "Selkirk Treaty" which established for them a small colony known as Red River Colony. There are only a few Beaver Indians or Cree Indians now. They have a couple of Reserves in Alberta and a couple more in British Columbia. However, Sarcee or T'suu Tina and Sekani Indians, speak same language as Beaver Indians. Including their Reserves, Beaver Indians have as many as 10 or more First Nations in Alberta and British Columbia. They are Beaver First Nation and Horse Lake First Nation in northern Alberta. Blueberry River First Nation, Doig River First Nation and Prophet River First Nation in northeastern British Columbia. Sekani have Fort Ware First Nation, Kwadacha First Nation, McLeod Lake First Nation and T'say Keh First Nation in British Columbia. T'suu Tina have their large Reserve in southern Alberta. We can't forget about Nez Perce Indians of Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. Though they speak a different language, more investigating must be conducted to find out exactly who they are. Beaver Indians are really Cree Indians. They received their name of "Cree" from Creole or Creare which is a Latin word meaning "to make, bring forth, produce and beget." Ojibway People called them "Traitors." Beaver Indians are not very numerous. They'll always deny being Ojibway.