Indigenous Peoples of Canada

People

Haida

Place label: Haida Gwaii, British Columbia

The islands of Haida Gwaii are central to Haida homelands.

People

Tsimshian

Place label: Skeena River and northern Pacific coast

Coast Tsimshian territories include the lower Skeena and its delta.

Other names or spellings: Ts’msyen

People

Nisga’a

Place label: Nass River valley, British Columbia

Nisga’a communities are connected through the Nass River valley.

Other names or spellings: Nisgaa

People

Tahltan

Place label: Stikine River country, British Columbia

Tahltan homelands extend along the Stikine and inland.

People

Gitxsan

Place label: Skeena, Kispiox and Kitwanga rivers, British Columbia

These river valleys connect Gitxsan communities.

Other names or spellings: Gitksan

People

Dakelh

Place label: Central interior of British Columbia

Dakelh territories include the lake country of the central interior.

Other names or spellings: Carrier

People

Wet’suwet’en

Place label: North-central British Columbia

Wet’suwet’en are a distinct people of the northern interior.

Other names or spellings: Wetsuweten

People

Tse’khene

Place label: Northern interior of British Columbia

Tse’khene homelands include northern interior mountain and lake country.

Other names or spellings: Sekani

People

Kaska Dena

Place label: Northern British Columbia and southern Yukon

Kaska communities and homelands extend across the provincial–territorial boundary.

Other names or spellings: Kaska

People

Secwépemc

Place label: Interior British Columbia, including the Kamloops area

Secwépemc communities share connections across a large interior homeland.

Other names or spellings: Shuswap · Secwepemc

People

Nlaka’pamux

Place label: Fraser Canyon and Nicola valley, British Columbia

Nlaka’pamux homelands include river and valley country.

Other names or spellings: Thompson · Nlakamux

People

Syilx / Okanagan

Place label: Okanagan country, British Columbia and beyond the US border

Syilx communities have connections across the modern international border.

Other names or spellings: Okanagan · Syilx

People

Ktunaxa

Place label: Southeastern British Columbia and neighbouring US states

Ktunaxa homelands cross modern borders. Their language is distinct from neighbouring languages.

Other names or spellings: Kootenay · Kutenai

Related peoples

Coast Salish peoples

Place label: Salish Sea, lower Fraser and surrounding coastal lands

A broad grouping of related peoples and languages, including many distinct Nations.

Other names or spellings: Salish

People

Sḵwx̱wú7mesh / Squamish

Place label: Southwestern British Columbia

Squamish and Lil’wat are distinct Nations with their own languages and traditions.

Other names or spellings: Squamish

People

Lil’wat

Place label: Mount Currie and Pemberton area, British Columbia

Lil’wat is a distinct Nation within the wider St’át’imc people.

Other names or spellings: Lilwat

People

Tŝilhqot’in

Place label: Chilcotin watershed, British Columbia

The Chilcotin, Chilko and Taseko rivers are important within Tŝilhqot’in territory.

Other names or spellings: Chilcotin · Tsilhqotin

Related peoples

Nuu-chah-nulth

Place label: West coast of Vancouver Island

Related coastal Nations work together through the Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council.

People

Plains Cree

Place label: Saskatchewan and neighbouring regions

One of the distinct peoples whose languages and cultures are supported by SICC.

Other names or spellings: Nehiyawak · nêhiyawak

People

Swampy Cree

Place label: Saskatchewan and neighbouring regions

One of the distinct peoples whose languages and cultures are supported by SICC.

Other names or spellings: Nehinawak · néhinawak

People

Woodland Cree

Place label: Saskatchewan and neighbouring regions

One of the distinct peoples whose languages and cultures are supported by SICC.

Other names or spellings: Woods Cree · Nihithawak · níhithawak

People

Dakota

Place label: Saskatchewan and neighbouring regions

One of the distinct peoples whose languages and cultures are supported by SICC.

People

Lakota

Place label: Saskatchewan and neighbouring regions

One of the distinct peoples whose languages and cultures are supported by SICC.

People

Nakoda

Place label: Saskatchewan and neighbouring regions

One of the distinct peoples whose languages and cultures are supported by SICC.

Other names or spellings: Nakota · Assiniboine

People

Saulteaux

Place label: Saskatchewan and neighbouring regions

One of the distinct peoples whose languages and cultures are supported by SICC.

Other names or spellings: Nahkawininiwak · Nakawe

People

Dënesųłiné

Place label: Northern Saskatchewan and the wider northern interior

Dënesųłiné communities are part of the diverse Dene peoples.

Other names or spellings: Denesuline · Chipewyan · Dene

Confederacy

Blackfoot Confederacy

Place label: Southern Alberta and Montana

The Confederacy includes Siksika, Kainai, Piikani and Aamskapi Pikuni. The last is based in the United States.

Other names or spellings: Siksikaitsitapi · Niitsitapi

Nation

Siksika

Place label: Southern Alberta

A distinct Nation within the Blackfoot Confederacy.

Other names or spellings: Blackfoot

Nation

Kainai

Place label: Southern Alberta

A distinct Nation within the Blackfoot Confederacy.

Other names or spellings: Blood

Nation

Piikani

Place label: Southern Alberta

A distinct Nation within the Blackfoot Confederacy.

Other names or spellings: Peigan

People

Gwich’in

Place label: Northern Yukon and Northwest Territories; also Alaska

A distinct people represented in the Yukon’s Indigenous language landscape.

Other names or spellings: Gwichin

People

Hän

Place label: Yukon River around Dawson; also Alaska

A distinct people represented in the Yukon’s Indigenous language landscape.

Other names or spellings: Han

People

Northern Tutchone

Place label: Central Yukon

A distinct people represented in the Yukon’s Indigenous language landscape.

People

Southern Tutchone

Place label: Southwestern Yukon

A distinct people represented in the Yukon’s Indigenous language landscape.

People

Tagish

Place label: Southern Lakes region of Yukon

A distinct people represented in the Yukon’s Indigenous language landscape.

People

Tlingit

Place label: Southern Yukon, northern British Columbia and Alaska

A distinct people represented in the Yukon’s Indigenous language landscape.

Other names or spellings: Lingit

People

Upper Tanana

Place label: Western Yukon and neighbouring Alaska

A distinct people represented in the Yukon’s Indigenous language landscape.

People

Tłı̨chǫ

Place label: Northwest Territories

Tłı̨chǫ communities include Behchokǫ̀, Whatì, Gamètì and Wekweètì.

Other names or spellings: Tlicho · Dogrib

People

Abenaki

Place label: Southern Québec; homelands also extend into the United States

Odanak and Wôlinak are Abenaki communities in Québec.

People

Algonquin / Anishinabeg

Place label: Western Québec and eastern Ontario

Algonquin refers to a people; Algonquian is a larger language-family term.

Other names or spellings: Anicinabeg · Algonquin

People

Atikamekw

Place label: Upper Saint-Maurice region, Québec

Manawan, Wemotaci and Opitciwan are Atikamekw communities.

Other names or spellings: Atikamekw Nehirowisiwok

People

Innu

Place label: Québec and Labrador

Innu are distinct from Inuit, despite the similar-looking names.

Other names or spellings: Montagnais

People

Naskapi

Place label: Northeastern Québec and Labrador peninsula

Kawawachikamach is a Naskapi community near Schefferville.

People

Wendat

Place label: Wendake, Québec; historic connections to the Great Lakes

The Wendat Nation has deep historical connections beyond its present community.

Other names or spellings: Huron-Wendat · Huron

Related peoples

Anishinaabe peoples

Place label: Great Lakes and neighbouring regions of Canada and the United States

A broad family of related peoples, including Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi.

Other names or spellings: Anishinabek · Anishinaabeg

People

Ojibwe

Place label: Great Lakes region on both sides of the Canada–US border

One of the peoples connected through the Three Fires Confederacy.

Other names or spellings: Ojibwa · Ojibway · Chippewa

People

Odawa

Place label: Great Lakes region on both sides of the Canada–US border

One of the peoples connected through the Three Fires Confederacy.

Other names or spellings: Ottawa

People

Potawatomi

Place label: Great Lakes region on both sides of the Canada–US border

One of the peoples connected through the Three Fires Confederacy.

Other names or spellings: Bodéwadmi

Confederacy

Haudenosaunee Confederacy

Place label: Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region; homelands cross the Canada–US border

Six distinct Nations are connected through this Confederacy.

Other names or spellings: Iroquois · Six Nations

Nation

Kanien’kehá:ka / Mohawk

Place label: Members live at Six Nations of the Grand River, Ontario, and elsewhere

A distinct Haudenosaunee Nation. This community location is not its full ancestral homeland.

Other names or spellings: Mohawk

Nation

Oneida

Place label: Members live at Six Nations of the Grand River, Ontario, and elsewhere

A distinct Haudenosaunee Nation. This community location is not its full ancestral homeland.

Other names or spellings: Onyota’a:ka

Nation

Onondaga

Place label: Members live at Six Nations of the Grand River, Ontario, and elsewhere

A distinct Haudenosaunee Nation. This community location is not its full ancestral homeland.

Other names or spellings: Onondaga

Nation

Cayuga

Place label: Members live at Six Nations of the Grand River, Ontario, and elsewhere

A distinct Haudenosaunee Nation. This community location is not its full ancestral homeland.

Other names or spellings: Gayogohó:no

Nation

Seneca

Place label: Members live at Six Nations of the Grand River, Ontario, and elsewhere

A distinct Haudenosaunee Nation. This community location is not its full ancestral homeland.

Other names or spellings: Onödowá’ga’

Nation

Tuscarora

Place label: Members live at Six Nations of the Grand River, Ontario, and elsewhere

A distinct Haudenosaunee Nation. This community location is not its full ancestral homeland.

Other names or spellings: Skarù:rę’

People

Mi’kmaq

Place label: Mi’kma’ki, across much of Atlantic Canada and Gaspé

Mi’kma’ki is the Mi’kmaw homeland, with its own districts and relationships.

Other names or spellings: Mikmaq · Mi’kmaw · Micmac

People

Wolastoqiyik

Place label: Wolastoq / Saint John River watershed and neighbouring lands

Wolastoqiyik identity is deeply connected to the Wolastoq river.

Other names or spellings: Wolastoqey · Maliseet · Malecite

People

Métis Nation

Place label: Prairie provinces and parts of Ontario, British Columbia, Northwest Territories and the northern United States

A distinct Indigenous people with shared histories, communities and nationhood. Métis does not simply mean anyone with mixed ancestry.

Other names or spellings: Metis · Michif

People

Red River Métis

Place label: Red River and the wider Métis homeland

The Manitoba Métis Federation represents the Red River Métis, including citizens living beyond Manitoba.

Homeland

Inuit Nunangat

Place label: Inuit homeland in Canada: land, water and ice

The homeland includes four Inuit regions. Inuit also live in cities and communities outside Inuit Nunangat.

Inuit region

Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Place label: Western Arctic, including northwestern Northwest Territories

The Inuit of this region are Inuvialuit.

Inuit region

Nunavut

Place label: Central and eastern Canadian Arctic

An Inuit homeland region and a Canadian territory.

Inuit region

Nunavik

Place label: Northern Québec

An Inuit region in Québec, distinct from Nunavut.

Inuit region

Nunatsiavut

Place label: Northern Labrador coast

The Inuit region in Labrador, with its own Inuit government.