[2] Their reserves include: The nation is named for Willow Cree Chiefs Beardy (kâmiyescawesit (Kah-mis-cho-wey-sit), "one who has a little beard") and Okemasis (okimâsis, "little chief", diminutive of okimâw).

Together, they led two-thirds of the Willow Cree band and settled west of Duck Lake prior to the signing of Treaty 6 in 1876.

With adjoining reserves, the two bands have since merged into a single First Nation.

[3] The remaining Willow Cree today form the One Arrow First Nation.

[4] The Willow Cree are a sub-group of the Plains Cree tribe located today in the geographic regions of the Saskatchewan parklands, situated on the southern edge of the Boreal Forest and northern edge of the Great Plains, also situated between the North Saskatchewan and South Saskatchewan Rivers.