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.
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 ...
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 par ...
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 for U ...
region.
First Nations
* Abitibi River Cree (historical)
**
Abitibiwinni First Nation
The Abitibiwinni First Nation (french: Première Nation Abitibiwinni) is an Algonquian First Nation in the Canadian province of Quebec, residing primarily in the community of Pikogan in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region.
The First Nation had a to ...
(also
Algonquin 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 (also Algonquin and Ojibwe)
* Moose River Cree (historical)
**
Brunswick House First Nation (also Ojibwe)
**
Chapleau Cree First Nation
**
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 (also Swampy Cree)
**
Matachewan First Nation (also Ojibwe)
**
Missanabie Cree First Nation (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 ...
**
Taykwa Tagamou Nation
* 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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