Couchiching First Nation

The Couchiching First Nation (

Fort Frances

.

History

Ancestors of the Couchiching First Nation were collectively known as Gojijiwininiwag (Couchiching-men) or as Rainy Lake and River Bands of Saulteaux—"couchiching" (gojijiing) being the Ojibwe word for "at the inlet", referring to Rainy Lake, known in Ojibwe as Gojiji-zaaga'igan (Inlet Lake).

Originally, members of the Couchiching First Nation resided further west and others were voyageurs from the east until they moved to the Fort Frances area in the late 19th century to avoid the

Department of Indian Affairs then allocated them a tract of land north of the town, but the band members considered it too far from the trading post. Eventually, they ended up on Little Eagle land and changed it to Couchiching.^{[citation needed}

]

The current chief is Richard Bruyere. He was elected chief on March 7, 2024, in the band election process. A council of six band members governs the band: Sandy Bruyere (reelected), Lucille Morrisseau (reelected), Randy Jones (reelected), Kourtney Perrault (reelected), Peggy Loyie (reelected), and David Bruyere. The chief's and council's terms end in March 2026.[1]^[2]

Programs

Couchiching First Nations administers over a dozen programs within the reserve.

Wasaw Companies

Couchiching First Nation had early residences in the Wasaw area north of Frog Creek/Frog Lake. This area was highly regarded in the busy 19th-century forestry and wild rice harvests. After 1909, flooding impacts and expropriation of land for the railway and highway forced the community to move south of Frog Creek and along Sand Bay (south of Highway 11 east of Fort Frances). The Wasaw companies include Wasaw Business Enterprises, Wasaw Project Inc., Wasaw Construction Ltd., Wasaw Developments, and Wasaw Food Services, Inc. These companies are meant to create own source revenue for the community in order to build an economic base for the community.

Wasaw (waasa) in Ojibwe, the language of Couchiching, means "far".^[3]

Notable people

Susan Blight, artist^[4]^[5]
Tara Houska, advocate^[6]

References

^ https://www.931theborder.ca/2024/03/12/a-change-in-leadership-for-couchiching-first-nation/#
^ https://www.couchichingfirstnation.com/chief-council
^ "The Ojibwe People's Dictionary". ojibwe.lib.umn.edu.
^ "Susan Blight". Feminist Art Collective. February 28, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
^ "Susan Bright". Gallery 44.
^ "Tara Houska | Al Jazeera News | Today's latest from Al Jazeera". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2023-07-05.

External links

48°40′55″N 93°24′40″W / 48.68194°N 93.41111°W / 48.68194; -93.41111

[1] ttps://www.931theborder.ca/2024/03/12/a-change-in-leadership-for-couchiching-first-nation/#

[2] ttps://www.couchichingfirstnation.com/chief-council

[3] "The Ojibwe People's Dictionary". ojibwe.lib.umn.edu.

[:0-4] "Susan Blight". Feminist Art Collective. February 28, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2018.

[:1-5] "Susan Bright". Gallery 44.

[6] "Tara Houska | Al Jazeera News | Today's latest from Al Jazeera". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2023-07-05.

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

v t e The Numbered Treaties: Treaty Three
Numbered Treaties	Treaty 1 Treaty 2 Treaty 3 Treaty 4 Treaty 5 Treaty 6 Treaty 7 Treaty 8 Treaty 9 Treaty 10 Treaty 11
Anishinabeg of Kabapikotawangag Resource Council	Animakee Wa Zhing 37 (Northwest Angle 37) Big Grassy Naongashiing (Big Island) Northwest Angle 33 Onigaming Wauzhushk Onigum
Bimose Tribal Council	Asubpeeschoseewagong (Grassy Narrows) Eagle Lake Iskatewizaagegan (Shoal Lake) 39 Lac des Mille Lacs Naotkamegwanning (Whitefish Bay) Obashkaandagaang Bay Niisaachewan Shoal Lake 40 Wabaseemoong (Whitedog) Wabauskang Wabigoon Lake
Pwi-Di-Goo-Zing Ne-Yaa-Zhing Advisory Services	Couchiching Lac La Croix Mitaanjigamiing Naicatchewenin Nigigoonsiminikaaning Rainy River Seine River
Other Treaty 3 Nations	Buffalo Point Lac Seul Saugeen

v t e Grand Council of Treaty 3
Anishinabeg of Kabapikotawangag Resource Council	Animakee Wa Zhing 37 Big Grassy Naongashiing (Big Island) Northwest Angle 33 Onigaming Wauzhushk Onigum
Bimose Tribal Council	Asubpeeschoseewagong (Grassy Narrows) Eagle Lake Iskatewizaagegan (Shoal Lake) 39 Lac des Mille Lacs Naotkamegwanning (Whitefish Bay) Obashkaandagaang Bay Niisaachewan Shoal Lake 40 Wabaseemoong (Whitedog) Wabauskang Wabigoon Lake
Pwi-Di-Goo-Zing Ne-Yaa-Zhing Advisory Services	Couchiching Lac La Croix Mitaanjigamiing Naicatchewenin Nigigoonsiminikaaning Rainy River Seine River
Non-member Treaty 3 First Nations	Buffalo Point Lac Seul Sagkeeng (Fort Alexander) Saugeen

v t e Rainy River District, Ontario
Towns	Fort Frances Rainy River
Townships	Alberton Atikokan Chapple Dawson Emo La Vallee Lake of the Woods Morley
First Nations	Animakee Wa Zhing 37 Big Grassy Couchiching Lac La Croix Mitaanjigamiing Naicatchewenin Naongashiing Nigigoonsiminikaaning Onigaming Rainy River Seine River
Indian reserves	Agency 1 Assabaska Big Grassy River 35G Big Island 31D Big Island 31E Big Island 31F Big Island 37 Big Island Mainland 93 Couchiching 16A Lake of the Woods 31H Lake of the Woods 34 Long Sault 12 Manitou Rapids 11 Naongashing 31A Neguaguon Lake 25D Rainy Lake 17A Rainy Lake 17B Rainy Lake 18C Rainy Lake 26A Rainy Lake 26B Rainy Lake 26C Sabaskong Bay 32C Sabaskong Bay 35C (part) Sabaskong Bay 35F (part) Sabaskong Bay 35H Saug-a-Gaw-Sing 1 Seine River 23A Seine River 23B Sturgeon Falls 23
Unorganized areas	Unorganized Rainy River
Unincorporated communities	Arbor Vitae Barwick Bergland Black Hawk Blue Burditt Lake Calm Lake Crilly Devlin Finland Flanders Gameland Glenorchy Government Landing Kawene McGinnis Creek Minahico Mine Centre Morson Off Lake Corner Pinewood Rocky Inlet Sapawe Shenston Sleeman Stratton
See also Communities in Rainy River District Census divisions of Ontario

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	United States