Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (Oji-Cree: ᑭᐦᒋᓇᒣᑯᐦᓯᑊ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊᐠ (Gichi-namegosib ininiwag); unpointed: ᑭᒋᓇᒣᑯᓯᑊ ᐃᓂᓂᐧᐊᐠ or ᑭᐦᒋᓇᒣᑯᐦᓯᐱᐎᓂᓂᐗᐠ (Gichi-namegosibiwininiwag); unpointed: ᑭᒋᓇᒣᑯᓯᐱᐎᓂᓂᐗᐠ), also known as Big Trout Lake First Nation or KI for short, is an Oji-Cree First Nation reserve in Northwestern Ontario and is a part of Treaty 9 (James Bay).
The First Nation's land-base is a 29,937.6 ha (73,976.38 acre) Kitchenuhmaykoosib Aaki 84 Reserve, located on the north shore of Big Trout Lake.
Big Trout Lake is a fly-in community, accessible by air, and winter road in the colder months.
The population of Big Trout Lake was 1,322 residents in January 2007, making it one of the largest First Nations communities in the region.
Current band councillors are Cecelia Begg, Joseph Mckay, Enos Mckay, Randy Nanokeesic, Bonnie Sanderson, Jack Mckaym, Luke Sharpie, The people speak Oji-Cree (Anishininiimowin, Severn Ojibwe or Northern Ojibway) and English When Treaty 9 was first signed in Osnaburgh, Ontario in 1905, KI was located in land that was, at the time, not considered part of Ontario but rather within the then North-Western Territory.
There is one band-run community radio station, 100.3 FM, which broadcasts everything from public health announcements, Sunday mass, and rebroadcasts the Wawatay Native Communications Society from Sioux Lookout, Ontario.
Healthcare was traditionally provided by the Hudson's Bay Company post master who would dispense medication etc.
The first Europeans gave various names to people of the region including Kiristinon or Kritinou which was eventually shortened to Cree.
[5] The first recorded European trader was James Swain who, in 1807, was charged with establishing a trading post at "Trout Lake" for the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC).
Local people were then hired to ship the furs down the Fawn River to the Severn then up the Hudson Bay coast to Fort York (present day Churchill, Manitoba).
[7] A sacred fire consecrated in front of the Thunder Bay jail which held them was extinguished by police on March 19, 2008.
Some members spoke out about this alleged violation of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and suppression of traditional ceremony.
The leaders were given temporary parole to appear at the protest at Queen's Park on May 26, and were permanently freed by the Ontario Court of Appeal two days later.
In 2012, Chief Donny Morris and his wife were invited to New Zealand for a speaking tour discussing their experience with Platinex and the Government of Ontario.