A History of Mattagami First Nation

Before becoming established as a First Nation under Treaty 9, the people who would become Mattagami First Nation #71 were separate clans who would gather at the Mattagami Post during the year and trade goods.  With the signing of Treaty 9 on January 12, 1907, this gave the clans a land base to unite as Mattagami First Nation.

In the early years of Mattagami, fur trapping was the principal livelihood.  Furs were used as a currency for the members to trade for supplies such as flour, sugar, tea, canned goods, rifles, ammunition, and clothing.  Mattagami was accessible only by waterway, therefore in the summer, boats would be the sole transportation, and in the winter, dog teams would be used.

Once Mattagami became a treaty member, the Department of Indian Affairs became involved in the lives of the community members.  Formal schooling was introduced, first by Ministers, then with the Department hiring qualified teachers to live on-reserve and teach.  The on-reserve school offered kindergarten through to grade six and after completing grade six, students would have to move off reserve to a residential school.

In 1922, the Kenogamissi and Togo dams were constructed, which resulted in the flooding of Mattagami Lake in order to become a reservoir for the generation of hydro electricity.  By the 1950’s, the original land that members resided on was not suitable to live on due to flood erosion, and Mattagami was given a piece of land across the Mattagami Lake.  Twenty-two houses were built on this new piece of land to which the members had to relocate.  The original land for Mattagami members has since become “The Old Reserve”, and is very important to the heritage of the present members since there are burial grounds located there as well as remnants of their forefathers.

Mattagami First Nation continues to be situated on the land that was given to compensate for the flooding in the 1950’s.  It is here that the members have settled, and built their community on.  Mattagami First Nation is located 180 km north of Sudbury and 80 km south of Timmins, in Ontario, Canada.  There are 404 registered members, 200 of whom live on reserve.  The Administration Office provides various services for them, and acts as a sort of municipal government body for the First Nation.