Moose Cree (Cree: ''Mōsonī'' or ''Ililiw''), also known as Moosonee, and together with Eastern
Swampy Cree
The Swampy Cree people, also known by their autonyms ''Néhinaw'', ''Maskiki Wi Iniwak'', ''Mushkekowuk,'' ''Maškékowak'' or ''Maskekon'' (and therefore also ''Muskegon'' and ''Muskegoes'') or by exonyms including ''West Main Cree,'' ''Lowlan ...
, also known as Central Cree, West James Bay Cree or West Main Cree. They speak the
l-dialect of the
Cree language
Cree (also known as Cree– Montagnais–Naskapi) is a dialect continuum of Algonquian languages spoken by approximately 117,000 people across Canada, from the Northwest Territories to Alberta to Labrador. If considered one language, it is th ...
.
The Moose Cree were first noted in
Jesuit Relations
''The Jesuit Relations'', also known as ''Relations des Jésuites de la Nouvelle-France'', are chronicles of the Jesuit missions in New France. The works were written annually and printed beginning in 1632 and ending in 1673.
Originally written i ...
for 1671, along the shores of
James Bay
James Bay (french: Baie James; cr, ᐐᓂᐯᒄ, Wînipekw, dirty water) is a large body of water located on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean, of which James Bay is the southernmost pa ...
and along the
Moose River. On th
Ochagach map (c. 1728) they (as "Monsonnis") were noted as far inland as the
Rainy Lake
Rainy Lake (French: '; Ojibwe: ') is a freshwater lake with a surface area of that straddles the border between the United States and Canada. The Rainy River issues from the west side of the lake and is harnessed to make hydroelectricity fo ...
region.
First Nations
* Abitibi River Cree (historical)
**
Abitibiwinni First Nation (also
Algonquin
Algonquin or Algonquian—and the variation Algonki(a)n—may refer to:
Languages and peoples
*Algonquian languages, a large subfamily of Native American languages in a wide swath of eastern North America from Canada to Virginia
**Algonquin la ...
and
Ojibwe
The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains.
According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...
)
**
Wahgoshig First Nation
Apitipi Anicinapek Nation, formerly known as Wahgoshig First Nation, is an Algonquin Anicinape community, located near Matheson in Cochrane District in northeastern Ontario, Canada. In January 2008, the First Nation had 270 people registered wit ...
(also Algonquin and Ojibwe)
* Moose River Cree (historical)
**
Brunswick House First Nation
Brunswick House First Nation is an Ojibway-Cree First Nations in the Canadian province of Ontario, located in the Sudbury District, northeast of Sault Ste Marie, Ontario. The First Nation have reserved for themselves the Mountbatten 76A Indian R ...
(also Ojibwe)
**
Chapleau Cree First Nation
Chapleau Cree First Nation ( cr, ᔕᑊᓗ ᐃᓂᓂᐗᐠ, ''šaplo ininiwak'') is a Mushkegowuk Cree First Nation located by Chapleau Township, Sudbury District, Ontario, Canada. The First Nation have reserved for themselves the Chapleau 75 ...
**
Constance Lake First Nation
Constance Lake First Nation ( ojs, ᑾᐣᐢᑕᐣᐢ ᓴᑲᐦᐃᑲᐣ) is an Oji-Cree First Nations band government located on the shores of Constance Lake near Hearst, Cochrane District in northeastern Ontario, Canada. It is directly north ...
(also Ojibwe)
**
Kashechewan First Nation
The Kashechewan First Nation (, cr, ᑫᔒᒋᐗᓐ ᐃᓕᓕᐗᒃ, kêšîciwan ililiwak) is a Cree First Nation band government located near James Bay in Northern Ontario, Canada. The community is located on the northern shore of the Albany ...
(also Swampy Cree)
**
Matachewan First Nation
Matachewan First Nation is an Ojibway and Cree First Nation reserve located in the Timiskaming District of Ontario, Canada. As of March, 2012, they had a total registered population of 642 people, of which 40 people lived on their own reserves.
...
(also Ojibwe)
**
Missanabie Cree First Nation
Missanabie Cree First Nation ( cr, masinâpôy ininiwak, ᒪᓯᓈᐴᔾ ᐃᓂᓂᐗᐠ) is a "Treaty 9" Nation. The nation is named after Missinaibi River and Lake, around which the traditional territory of the nation is located. The name "Miss ...
(also Ojibwe)
**
Moose Cree First Nation
The Moose Cree First Nation (formerly known as Moose Factory Band of Indians) ( cr, ᒨᓱᓂᔨ ᐃᓕᓕᐗᒃ, môsoniyi ililiwak) is a Cree First Nation band government in northern Ontario, Canada. Their traditional territory is on the west si ...
**
Taykwa Tagamou Nation Taykwa Tagamou Nation ( cr, ᑕᐟᑾ ᑕᑲᒪᐤ ᐃᓂᓂᐗᐠ tatkwa takamaw ininiwak, formerly known as New Post First Nation, is a Cree First Nations band government whose reserve community is located in the Cochrane District in Ontario, Can ...
* Lake Nipigon Cree (historical)
* Piscotagami River Cree (historical)
* Rainy Lake Cree (historical)
External links
* Bishop, Charles A
"Territorial Groups Before 1821: Cree and Ojibwa"in ''Handbook of North American Indians: Subarctic''.
* Bishop, Charles A
"The Western James Bay Cree: Aboriginal and Early Historic Adaptions"in ''Prairie Forum'', 1982, Vol. 8, No.2.
* Honigmann, John J
"West Main Cree"in ''Handbook of North American Indians: Subarctic''.
"Monsoni"in ''Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico: Part 1: A-M''.
Cree
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