Northern Ojibwa

The Northern Ojibwa are a branch of the Ojibwa who occupy northwestern Ontario and Island Lake, Manitoba (St Theresa Point First Nations), in the upper drainage areas of rivers that flow northeast into Hudson and James bays. They refer to themselves as Ojibway, or Anishinabe, meaning “the original people.” Since the Northern Ojibwa’s environment is similar to that of the Cree, they share more cultural traits with their Cree neighbours than with other Ojibwa. They do not exhibit Ojibwa features of clan organization or practise the Midewiwin (except at Sandy Lake).

The Northern Ojibwa can be divided in two groups corresponding to dialect. The Northern Ojibwa who speak the Severn dialect frequently refer to themselves as Cree and reside in the Ontario communities of Big Trout Lake, Caribou Lake, Sandy Lake, Bearskin Lake, Deer Lake, Trout Lake, Sachio Lake, Kingfisher Lake, and Wunnumin. Immediately south of the Severn speakers are Northern Ojibwa who speak the northwestern Ojibwa dialect. They live at Osnaburg, Lac Seul (mixed with Saulteaux), Cat Lake, and Martin Falls, Ontario. The Northern Ojibwa living in the northern parts of Ontario and Manitoba also reside in mixed communities with Cree and are often designated Oji-Cree. Many Northern Ojibwa, especially Severn speakers, speak Cree and English, although Cree is the choice for liturgical purposes. At Lac Seul, for example, which is located on the northern boundary between the Northern Ojibwa and the Saulteaux, less than 50 percent speak English, while at Cat Lake less than 10 percent speak English. Although no figures are available for Severn speakers, the Severn dialect continues to be used in the home, but, for many, English has become the language of business.

Historically, the Northern Ojibwa were organized in units, called bands by traders, that were larger than the nuclear family. Although leaders had little formal authority, they were recognized for their shamanic powers, hunting ability, and skills in bargaining with traders. During the summer the Northern Ojibwa congregated in large groups along lake shores to fish. In the fall, they broke into small hunting groups to move inland to their hunting ranges. Northern Ojibwa bands were composed of hunting groups, which wintered together and were closely related. Band sizes varied between 50 and 150, and larger regional groups came together when the weather was good. Beginning in 1780, the Northern Ojibwa were intensively involved in a competitive regional fur trade.

The Northern Ojibwa shared common Algonquian Subarctic religious beliefs, including personal vision quests and proper respect for animals. Shamans played an important intermediary role in the shaking-tent and the wahbeno, which involved mystical communications through fire. Although Methodist missionaries reached as far as the Albany River basin in 1844, missionary efforts intensified between 1880 and 1920 when Anglican missionaries began work among the Northern Ojibwa at Weagamow Lake (Round Lake, Ontario). As Anglican missions expanded to other locations, Cree and mixed bloods were converted and a number were ordained to serve the spiritual needs of the Northern Ojibwa in the Severn River. Many were forced by circumstance to mission stations to supplement their trapping, and communities formed around fur-trade posts such as Lac Seul.

In the twentieth century, although the Northern Ojibwa economy was based primarily on fish and big game, irregular game cycles and aggressive fur-trade polices implemented by governments, including punitive conservation measures and restrictions on steel traps, contributed to a shift to fish and hare; hunting groups were eventually reduced in size to that of the nuclear family. Major land cessions by treaty were made among the Northern Ojibwa in 1905, and further cessions in 1929–30 (Treaty 9) forced many Northern Ojibwa to move closer to village sites to collect treaty payments and participate in Christian services. Today, the Northern Ojibwa are part of the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation, which represents Cree, Ojibwa, and Oji-Cree members of Treaty 9 and Ontario members of Treaty 5.