I need help finding information regarding an Indian reserve on Big Whiteshell Lake in Manitoba. Our current reserves are in Ontario, and we are known (for INAC purposes) as Islington 29. Our elders speak about this reserve, and we know of a cemetary on an island on Big Whiteshell Lake. There are still building foundations on the mainland part, as well as a Scouts Canada camp (Camp Alloway). Also, survey markers are supposed to be somewhere on the property so a group of us are venturing to the property and island within the next few weeks. There is a window of time after the snow melts and before the vegetation obscures the ground and markers.
I just relocated back to my home community after 40 years away – starting from when I was adopted out.
My home community hired me right away to look into, among other things, this issue of what happened to our former reserve. It is no longer on any maps, nor found in anything within Indian Affairs.
Basically, I am asking for any help on where to look for the information that my community needs. I am starting to join forums and other groups, as well as starting the tedious work of finding accounts of our people being present there by the Hudson’s Bay and other government records.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I look forward to hearing from anybody that could help.
Kris
Here is a quick map of the area in question. I searched INAC database and could not come up with an Islington 29.
When I google this, it comes up as Wabaseemoong, is this correct?
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0ByyniRdjCwdiM2JiOTRlMTMtNzc5Yi00OWQyLTg4MzctMzJmMDg4YzdiYmY3&hl=en
This shows the islands, and I couldn’t find any surveyed data in the CLSS : http://clss.nrcan.gc.ca/cadastraldata-donneescadastrales-eng.php that overlays that lake.
Thanks!
I’m going to look up more about what you happened to find, and some clues you gave me. I went to university for law and social work, so I can research, but not as specifically as some specialists and people who know certain fields. Thanks again.
Wabaseemoong is the correct name of our community. I talked to a surveyor in Kenora and he said that I would need to go through a surveyor accredited in Manitoba. A small group of us are going to the land in question in a couple of weeks, so I’ll post whatever results I get from that. Furthermore, surveying is a bit of an expensive procedure for our community, so I’ll need to do some more legwork and then figure out a way to get a paid survey. The biggest issue we’re dealing with here is that it likely entails an expropriation of reserve lands, and within the scope of First Nations – Fed/Prov Government relations it’s a very touchy subject.
Best Reagrds,
Kris
How are things going with your research? It can be a daunting task as you’ve pointed out! Would be nice to see you far along you have gotten and what processes you have had to go through to get where you are now…
This is interesting, because my band (now in BC) is originally from the great lakes region (Lake Superior, or nowadays, Sault St. Marie) and we have old ‘reserves’ that no longer exist there also.
I have always wanted to go back and visit these places so I am going to follow your research (especially on where to look for ‘missing’ reserves). I would think (especially with my case) that the North West Mounted Police (RCMP) may have some records… or not. Have you explored those?