Who Are the Cree?
The Cree (Nehiyawak or Iyiniwak, "the People") are one of the largest indigenous nations in North America, with approximately **350,000 members** across Canada and a smaller population in Montana. Speaking various dialects of Cree—an Algonquian language—they historically occupied the vast boreal forest and northern plains from Quebec to Alberta. The Cree divide into several major groups: **Plains Cree** (buffalo hunters of the prairies), **Woodland Cree** (hunters and trappers of the boreal forest), **Swampy Cree** (around Hudson Bay), and **James Bay Cree/Eeyou** (Quebec). Their territory spans more area than any other indigenous nation in North America, and Cree remains one of the most-spoken indigenous languages on the continent, with approximately 96,000 speakers.
Adaptations Across Environments
The Cree demonstrate remarkable cultural diversity shaped by environment. **Plains Cree** adopted horse culture in the 18th century, becoming buffalo hunters who lived in tipis, participated in the Sun Dance, and fought alongside the Blackfoot or Assiniboine depending on alliance patterns. **Woodland Cree** remained in the boreal forest, hunting moose, caribou, and beaver, living in birch bark wigwams, and developing sophisticated knowledge of the vast northern forests. **Swampy Cree** around Hudson Bay combined hunting with fishing and waterfowl harvesting in the wetlands. **Mushkegowuk Cree** (Western James Bay) and **Eeyou** (Eastern James Bay) adapted to the subarctic coast. Despite these differences, all Cree groups share linguistic ties, kinship connections, and core cultural values including respect for elders, relationship with the land, and the importance of sharing. This adaptability—thriving from prairies to tundra—enabled Cree expansion across the continent.
The James Bay Agreement
The **James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement** (1975) represents a landmark in indigenous rights. When Quebec planned massive hydroelectric development on James Bay Cree territory without consent, the Cree and Inuit fought back. The resulting agreement—Canada's first modern land claims treaty—gave the James Bay Cree $225 million in compensation, hunting and fishing rights, and self-governance over their territory in exchange for allowing development. However, the dams flooded vast areas, displaced communities, and caused environmental damage including mercury poisoning of fish. The agreement was both breakthrough and cautionary tale: Cree communities gained resources and recognition but lost irreplaceable lands. Subsequent agreements have attempted to address ongoing impacts, while the **Cree Nation Government** has used the settlement to build infrastructure, healthcare, and education across Eeyou Istchee (Cree territory). The James Bay Cree demonstrate how indigenous peoples can negotiate with modern states while maintaining identity and governance.
Language and Cultural Resilience
Cree is one of the most vital indigenous languages in North America. Approximately **96,000 people** speak Cree dialects, making it the most-spoken indigenous language in Canada. The language has its own writing system—**Cree syllabics**—developed in the 1840s by missionary James Evans working with Cree collaborators. Unlike English's complex spelling, syllabics are intuitive once learned, with symbols representing syllables rather than individual sounds. This system spread rapidly, with Cree communities achieving high literacy rates. Today, Cree remains a living language: children grow up speaking Cree in many communities, Cree-language media including radio stations and websites serve speakers, and universities offer Cree language courses. However, urbanization and English/French dominance threaten transmission; language programs work to ensure new generations learn Cree. Cultural practices including the **Shaking Tent** ceremony, sweat lodges, and seasonal gatherings continue, adapted but unbroken across centuries of colonial pressure.
Contemporary Cree Nations
The Cree are represented by numerous political organizations reflecting their geographic spread. In Quebec, the **Grand Council of the Crees/Cree Nation Government** governs Eeyou Istchee with substantial autonomy. In Ontario, Mushkegowuk Council represents western James Bay Cree communities. Prairie Cree belong to various First Nations in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, some organized under Treaty 6, Treaty 8, and other numbered treaties. The **Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation** in Montana houses the only Cree reservation in the United States—descendants of those who fled Canada after the 1885 Rebellion. Economically, some Cree communities have partnered in resource development while others resist projects threatening their lands—the Lubicon Cree's decades-long struggle against oil development exemplifies ongoing conflicts. Politically, Cree leaders have been prominent in national indigenous movements, including former Assembly of First Nations National Chief Ovide Mercredi. The Cree's size, political sophistication, and cultural vitality make them central to indigenous affairs across Canada.
References
- Brightman, R. A. (1993). Grateful Prey: Rock Cree Human-Animal Relationships. University of California Press.
- Milloy, J. S. (1988). The Plains Cree: Trade, Diplomacy and War. University of Manitoba Press.
- Richardson, B. (1991). Strangers Devour the Land. Chelsea Green Publishing.
- Preston, R. J. (2002). Cree Narrative: Expressing the Personal Meanings of Events. McGill-Queen's University Press.