The Lac La Ronge Indian Band (Woods Cree: ᒥᐢᑕᐦᐃ ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᓂᕽ, romanized: mistahi-sâkahikanihk^[2]) is a Woodland Cree First Nation in northern Saskatchewan, it is the largest Cree band government in Canada and the largest First Nation in Saskatchewan. The administrative centre of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band is located in La Ronge.

History

La Ronge & Stanley Mission Band of Woods Cree Indians became a signatory to the Treaty 6 on February 11, 1889, signed by Chief James Roberts. In 1900 Peter Ballantyne was allowed to separate from the La Ronge and Stanley Mission Band to form the Peter Ballantyne Band of Cree Indians, the predecessor to the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation. In 1910, the La Ronge & Stanley Mission Band split into two entities: Amos Charles Band of Cree Indians (located in Stanley Mission) and the James Roberts Band of Cree Indians (located in La Ronge). In 1950, the two Bands amalgamated and became the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, the current legal name.^[3]

Reserves and communities

Reserves

Lac La Ronge Indian Band's land-base consists of 18 Indian reserves, some containing one of six communities:^[4]

• Bittern Lake 218—6,886 hectares (17,020 acres)
• Four Portages 157C—0.20 hectares (0.49 acres)
• Fox Point 157D—56.70 hectares (140.1 acres)
• Fox Point 157E—4.20 hectares (10.4 acres)
• Grandmother's Bay 219—4,488.90 hectares (11,092.3 acres)—containing the community of Grandmother's Bay
• Kitsakie 156B—74 hectares (180 acres)
• Lac La Ronge 156—605.40 hectares (1,496.0 acres)—containing the community of La Ronge
• Little Hills 158—517.20 hectares (1,278.0 acres)
• Little Hills 158A—38.30 hectares (94.6 acres)
• Little Hills 158B—131.20 hectares (324.2 acres)
• Little Red River 106C—12,939.30 hectares (31,973.7 acres)—containing the community of Little Red River
  • originally 12,302.44 hectares (30,400.0 acres)
  • in 1935, additional 650.69 hectares (1,607.9 acres) reserved
• Little Red River 106D—2,590 hectares (6,400 acres)
• Morin Lake 217—14,146.10 hectares (34,955.8 acres)—containing the community of Hall Lake
  • originally 13,208.94 hectares (32,640.0 acres)
  • in 1973, additional 936.85 hectares (2,315.0 acres) reserved
• Old Fort 157B—5.40 hectares (13.3 acres)
• Potato River 156A—409.50 hectares (1,011.9 acres)
• Stanley 157—251.30 hectares (621.0 acres)—containing the community of Stanley Mission
• Stanley 157A—3.80 hectares (9.4 acres)
• Sucker River 156C—154.80 hectares (382.5 acres)—containing the community of Sucker River

The communities of Stanley Mission, Grandmother's Bay and Little Red River are self-administered. This arrangement ensures that these communities have more control over their services and programs.^[5]

Communities

• Lac La Ronge (Cree: ᒥᐢᑕᐦᐃ ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᓂᕽ, mistahi-sâkahikanihk) — on Lac La Ronge 156 (55°04′15″N 105°17′46″W / 55.0707°N 105.2962°W / 55.0707; -105.2962)
• Little Red River (Cree: ᐸᐢᒁᐘᐢᑮᕽ, paskwâwaskîhk) — on Little Red River 106C as well as Montreal Lake Nation's Montreal Lake 106B Reserve (53°31′35″N 105°59′28″W / 53.52646°N 105.99115°W / 53.52646; -105.99115)
• Hall Lake (Cree: ᒨᓱᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᓂᓰᓯᕽ, môsosâkahikanisîsihk) — on Morin Lake 217 (55°06′43″N 105°54′42″W / 55.1120°N 105.9118°W / 55.1120; -105.9118)
• Morin Lake (Cree: ᐚᐸᓂ ᓵᑲᐦᐃᑲᓂᕽ, wâpani-sâkahikanihk) — on Morin Lake 217 (55°05′14″N 105°44′26″W / 55.08723°N 105.74056°W / 55.08723; -105.74056)
• Sucker River (Cree: ᓇᒦᐱᙾ, namîpith sîpiy) — on Sucker River 156C (55°17′03″N 105°09′49″W / 55.2841°N 105.1636°W / 55.2841; -105.1636)
• Stanley Mission (Cree: ᐋᒪᒋᐑᐢᐱᒧᐏᓂᕽ, âmaciwîspimowinihk) — on Stanley 157 (55°24′38″N 104°34′02″W / 55.4106°N 104.5672°W / 55.4106; -104.5672)
• Grandmother's Bay (Cree: ᑯᐦᑯᒥᓈᓂᕽ, kohkominânihk) — on Grandmother's Bay 219 (55°37′29″N 104°41′45″W / 55.6247°N 104.6959°W / 55.6247; -104.6959)

Governance

The First Nation elects their Council under the Custom Electoral System, consisting of a chief and 12 councillors. The current Council consists of Chief Tammy Cook-Searson and Councillors Devin Bernachez, Michael Bird, Linda Charles, Jimmy Charles, John Halkett, Gerald McKenzie, Keith Mirasty, Ann Ratt, Norman Ross, John Roberts, Sam Roberts, and Dennis Sanderson.^[5]