Profile- Obishikokaang (Lac Seul First Nation #28)

Obishikokaang ( Lac Seul First Nation #28) is located in northwestern Ontario approximately 60 kms. Northwest of Sioux Lookout. Total membership population is 2,894 (2006 INAC) of which, 25% live on reserve.

There are three separate communities which are all accessible by gravel road, Frenchman’s Head ( pop,355) Kejick Bay ( pop. 275) and whitefish Bay (pop. 93). These communities are modern with medical clinics, schools ,recreational facilities, a full Police service, Band administrative offices, water treatment plant and ground water supply and several small businesses.

Historical

The name Lac Seul is French meaning, “ Lonely Lake”. The Ojibway people call the lake, “Obishikokaang” meaning “strait of the white pines”. The traditional territory of the Obishikokaang Ojibway was vast stretching from NNE of Red Lake, all along the shores of the Lac Seul watershed, down through Minnitaki Lake and east of Sturgeon Lake.

There is evidence of early contact with European fur traders and explorers ( 1791) and the Hudson Bay Company opened its’ first post on Lac Seul in 1803. The Hudson Bay Company operated until the 1980’s.

In 1873, the Saulteaux- Ojibway tribes of Northwestern Ontario signed Treaty #3, at Northwest Angle, thereby surrendering their vast traditional territories to Her Majesty The Queen of Great Britain and Ireland in return for “reserves” and other certain “treaty rights” and in 1874, the Lac Seul Band signed and Adhesion of Lac Seul Indians to Treaty #3 giving the band treaty status.