Pimicikamak Cree Nation

Pimicikamak Cree Nation is sometimes used as a name for Pimicikamak, one of the more populous Cree indigenous peoples in Canada. Etymologically, "Pimicikamak Cree Nation" is a description of this indigenous people, and is not a name.

"Pimicikamak" is the Cree name of an indigenous people whose traditional territory was the drainage basin of the upper Nelson River in what came to be known as Rupert's Land.[1] "Cree" is 18th-Century French slang derived from "the Old Algonkin dialect form "kiristino", which was "the name of an obscure band of Indians who roamed the region south of James Bay in the first half of the seventeenth century".[2] It is an exonym that was not used by the Pimicikamak people to describe themselves.[3] Today, "Crees use the name Cree to refer to themselves only when speaking English or French."[4] "Nation" is an English word. The combination of these three terms describes the Pimicikamak people less accurately than its own name "Pimicikamak".

"Pimicikamak Cree Nation" may be abbreviated as "PCN" referring erroneously to the Cross Lake Band of Indians or Cross Lake First Nation, not to be confused with the Mexican metal band of that name. Pimicikamak is an indigenous people whose origins lie in pre-history; the Cross Lake Band of Indians is a pseudo-corporate legal entity created by the Indian Act.[5] The Pimicikamak people is governed by four councils under customary law. Cross Lake First Nation is governed by a Band Council under the Indian Act.[6]

Suicide crisis

The Pimicikamak Cree Nation has, as of 2016, the highest suicide rate in all of Canada. Residents made 140 attempts in the span of a fortnight in March 2016, or ten per day. Band councillor Donnie McKay blamed the epidemic on the isolated community's lack of jobs, guidance counselors and suicide prevention specialists.[7][8][9][10][11][12][13]

One noted program to counter the suicide epidemic is the Pimicikamak Thunder, a youth softball team.[14] The team was profiled in The Sound of Thunder, a 2017 documentary feature produced by and aired on TSN as part of Bell Let's Talk.[15]

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References
  1. Margaret Anne Lindsay & Jennifer S.H. Brown, The History of the Pimicikamak People to the Treaty Five Period, The Centre for Rupert's Land Studies at The University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg (2008).
  2. David H. Pentland, "Synonymy" in "West Main Cree", in Handbook of North American Indians, June Helm, ed., Smithsonian Institution 1981, Washington, D.C., v. 6, p. 227.
  3. David Thompson recorded "The French Canadians...call them 'Krees', a name which none of the Indians can pronounce...", "Life with the Nahathaways" in David Thompson: Travels in Western North America 1784–1812, Victor G. Hopwood, ed., Macmillan of Canada, Toronto (1971), p. 109.
  4. David H. Pentland, "Synonymy" in "West Main Cree", in Handbook of North American Indians, June Helm, ed., Smithsonian Institution 1981, Washington, D.C., v. 6, p. 227.
  5. Indian Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. I-5, (Can.), , accessed 3 September 2008.
  6. But note that the Band Council is no longer elected under the Indian Act; see: The Pimicikamak Election Law, 1999, s. 19: "For greater certainty, provisions of the Indian Act and regulations thereunder, in respect of election of Chief and Council of the Band, shall not apply in respect of the Band." and s. 26: "Notwithstanding the Indian Act and Regulations thereunder, the Chief and Council of the Nation shall be, ex officio, the Chief and Council of the Band.", http://www.pimicikamak.ca/law/LAWoELEf_cor.DOC Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 3 September 2008.
  7. "Manitoba First Nation Had 140 Suicide Attempts in Last 2 Weeks". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  8. "Pimicikamak youth fundraise for suicide prevention conference". www.cbc.ca. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  9. "'I'm scared to lose more youth': Pimicikamak students try to cope with suicides". www.cbc.ca. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  10. "Father struggles with heartbreak, Pimicikamak continues call for help". www.cbc.ca. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  11. "Manitoba community seeks answers as youth suicides soar". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  12. "Four young people have died on Pimicikamak Cree Nation". www.cbc.ca. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  13. ICI.Radio-Canada.ca, Zone Regions -. "Suicides à Pimicikamak : l'aide se précise – ICI.Radio-Canada.ca". Radio-Canada.ca (in French). Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  14. "'I play for the youth': Pimicikamak softball team represents Manitoba". CBC News Manitoba, August 2, 2017.
  15. "TSN Original: The Sound of Thunder". TSN.
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