about us

Chief & Council-Gagakinawadaginzowad

The First Nation have a custom electoral system of government and serve a two year term, consisting of a Chief and two Councillors forming our Council. Chief Janice Henderson, and Councillors Chris Henderson and Bill Wayash.

Chief Janice Henderson [email protected]

Councillor Chris Henderson [email protected]

Councillor Bill Wayash [email protected]

History

1873

  • Treaty #3 was signed between Mitaanjigamiing First Nation and the Crown on October 3rd.
  • Under the terms of the Treaty; the Crown was to provide both farmland and wildland for reserves and each family of five was to recieve one square mile of land, or 128 acres person.

1875

  • Indian Reserves surveyed in 1875, between 31st December 1874, and 31st October 1875.

1876

  • Creation of the original underlay map of Mitaanjigamiing First Nation.

1988

  • the Stanjikoming First Nation relocated from a site on an island on Rainy Lake to their current location.’

  • access road built

1992

  • New band office built

1999

  • New garbage dump location

2005

  • Following a community consultation and vote in 2005, the term and composition of the community leadership (Governance) changed from a 3-year term with four councillors to a 2-year term with one Chief and two councillors.
  • Band office addition

2007

  • Negotiations between Mitaanjigamiing, the Crown, and Ontario for the Treaty Land Entitlement Claim began in November.

2009

  • After a Band Council Resolution was submitted June 3, 2009, the reserve formerly known as Stanjikomiing First Nation, changed its name to Mitaanjigamiing First Nation. Mitaanjigamiing means “Where a smaller lake flows into a bigger lake.”
  • Mitaanjigamiing’s new Governance structure was officially approved on June 19, 2009.

 

 Here is a little tid bit found on the Fed-Nor ‘Tourism Lodge Feasibility Study’ application

 

Before the Europeans moved into the area, the Ojibway people called this area Mitang.  The Europeans could not pronounce this name.  Over time, this area became known as Stanjikoming and often is still shortened to Stanji.  Many names have been altered to the point of non-recognition.  Much research has been done by local elders to find the true names of places and give respect back to the language and the names.

 

Before the Fort Frances dam was built for the paper mill, Rainy Lake shores looked very different.  The Stanjikoming Bay received waters from Rainy River through one opening.  Natural waters came into the bay through a 10-15 foot narrow channel.  The channel had trees and underbrush throughout.  It was difficult to enter.  Canoes were probably pushed with poles.  Now the whole area is shallow with many sandy shores.

 

Prior to 1909, people came from all over Manitoba, Ontario , Net Lake , and Red Lake to this secluded place.  It was a bay filled with manomin and muskrats, ducks, geese, and other fowl thrived in the area.  The area was five miles by three miles and was known as a wild rice feeding area.

 

When the dam was built in 1909 the lake waters rose and flooded the wild rice beds.  Now three opening bring water to the bay.  Lands are flooded and the channel is now ¼ mile wide.  Now there is little rice.  Geese flying past and ducks are rare.  Two other channels feed the bay and life is different.  Visitors come but not for wild rice.

Community Map