Washaw Sibi was recognized by the Cree Nation in 2003 as the 10th Cree community in Eeyou Istchee.
For decades, Washaw Sibi Eeyou have been working to establish a community for themselves, and Chief Annie Mapachee-Salt remains hopeful the end of that journey might be in sight for the displaced First Nation.
“We have made very significant progress in achieving our ultimate objective: a place to call home,” Mapachee-Salt announced in May.
This came during her presentation to the council board of the Grand Council of the Crees on the progress of establishing the new community. She requested a resolution to engage in a study with the provincial government on the economic benefits of building their new community. The proposed site is south of the Bell River less than 2km from Matagami.
Mapachee-Salt met with Matagami’s mayor and council in June to discuss the proposed location. After presenting her report, the town of Matagami allowed access to the land and asked to be kept informed at every step. Washaw Sibi has hired a firm to conduct ground and water studies, but the Chief said there are still many steps to take with Matagami.
Over the past two decades, the Washaw Sibi Eeyou have studied 12 possible sites. Their most recent vote in 2023 between four locations resulted in 87% of Washaw Sibi members choosing the Matagami site.
Back in 2014, there was a site chosen off Highway 109 further south, but this location was disputed by Lac Simon and conflicts with neighbouring Algonquin Nations is something Mapachee-Salt said her community wants to avoid.
One of the benefits of building next to Matagami would be the reduced cost. Rather than starting from scratch, as at the proposed Highway 109 site, building next to Matagami could mean sharing existing water and electricity infrastructure.
The Matagami council noted that their current population of 1,400 was once as high as 4,000. The infrastructure was built for a population of 5,000 and could possibly accommodate a community such as Washaw Sibi.
The appearance before the Matagami council helped to dispel some common assumptions Mapachee-Salt says exist around their claims for a community. One misconception is that they already come from Cree communities when in fact they are a distinct group.
“Our great-grandmother may have been from Waskaganish, but she raised her family on the land north of La Sarre, east of Cochrane, south of Waskaganish and around Matagami,” Mapachee-Salt stated.
“We are not from Waskaganish. We are not from Waswanipi, but we had to be affiliated with them in order to receive our beneficiary numbers,” she insisted. “I’ve never lived in Waskaganish and my Mom never lived in Waskaganish. I think people are beginning to understand who Washaw Sibi is.”
Mapachee-Salt told the Matagami council how in the 1940s there were 14 Cree families living in the La Sarre area. She even presented photographs and documents dating back over 100 years showing Crees living in the southernmost regions of Eeyou Istchee.
“We are a people who were always there. La Sarre was the area where Crees would spend their summers.”
Indian Affairs would eventually force the Washaw Sibi Eeyou to relocate to places like Pikogan and Moose Factory.
Washaw Sibi’s struggle is similar to that of Ouje-Bougoumou. Built in 1992, it is so far the only Cree community established after the JBNQA was signed in 1975.
For that reason, former Grand Chief Abel Bosum, who was instrumental in establishing Ouje, was brought in as an advisor to help facilitate the complex process between Washaw Sibi and the governments of Canada and Quebec.
Bosum said there are parts of the Ouje-Bougoumou process that could be applied to Washaw Sibi’s cause. He comes to the table with both lessons learned and a focused approach.
“I know them. I know where they’re coming from,” Bosum told the Nation. “The main challenges are political – in the Cree world, in the region and with governments.”
Once a suitable location is agreed upon by all parties, the next step will be to designate category 1A land for the Washaw Sibi community.
Unfortunately for Washaw Sibi, the Quebec government is not willing to increase the Cree Nation land quota that was negotiated in 1975. Therefore, similar to Ouje-Bougoumou’s creation, pockets of land will have to be re-assigned from other Cree communities to Washaw Sibi.
While adding lands to the JBNQA is not possible, an exchange of land is. Legally, the land is owned by Quebec and the establishment of a federally recognized community requires passing title of that land to the federal government.
“Each community has its land set aside. So, when Whapmagoostui agrees to grant one square kilometre; instead of having 800 square kilometres they will have 799 and that one kilometre will be given to Quebec,” Bosum explained.
So far, Bosum said five Cree First Nations have offed to donate one square kilometre of category 1A land to Washaw Sibi.
The new Cree town is hoping for nine kilometres, but five is considered sufficient to build. Bosum said politically, support from Cree communities opens up further opportunities when negotiating with Quebec.
Bosum says the keys to success are political influence and economic incentives.
Essential to Quebec’s acceptance is the newly mandated economic impact study which could give Washaw Sibi the extra leverage they need in gaining support from not only the Baie-James and Abitibi regions, but also from the province.
“Matagami is a town that is dying. There is no economic activity, and the population is going down,” Bosum said.
“Having a community nearby would stimulate the economy much the way Ouje did for Chapais and Chibougamau. The Cree today have big economic impacts. They generate a lot of economic activity around these municipalities. If the report can prove that, then there will be benefits.”
Once Quebec is on board, Bosum said the final piece is recognition from the federal government and an amendment to the JBNQA. Washaw Sibi is currently opening an office in Matagami with a liaison officer and an information centre.
Bosum remembers the overwhelming feelings of joy Ouje-Bougoumou families felt moving into their new community.
“It’s hard to explain. You have to go through that process to understand. It’s the greatest feeling, the feeling that I’m going back to my homeland,” Bosum said. “The second greatest is once the community is built, and you actually enter into your own home.”
One hopes that feeling will arrive sooner than later for Washaw Sibi. Chief Mapachee-Salt is mourning the recent passing of her aunt, the last sibling of eight.
“Seeing that whole family gone is discouraging,” she said. “They were the ones who really had that hope, that dream to make it happen for future generations. It’s taken a long time, but hopefully my generation will see our children and grandchildren in that community.”