Kinistin Saulteaux Nation is a Saulteaux First Nations band government in Tisdale, Saskatchewan, Canada. Their reserve is 39 kilometres (24 mi) southeast of Melfort. The Kinistin Saulteaux Nation is a signatory of Treaty No. 4, which was signed by Chief Yellow-quill on August 24, 1876.
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Total registered population in February, 2009, was 913, of which the on-reserve population was 328 members. The First Nation is a member of the Saskatoon Tribal Council and have their urban offices in Saskatoon as well as their Tribal Council offices.
History
The First Nation was originally part of the Yellow-quill Saulteaux Band, a Treaty Band named after a Treaty 4 signatory Chief Ošāwaškokwanēpi, whose name means "Green/Blue-quill." However, due to "š" merging with "s" in Nakawēmowin (Saulteaux language), this led to a mistranslation of his name as "Yellow-quill"—"yellow" being osāw-, while "green/blue" being ošāwaško- (or osāwasko- in Saulteaux). Kinistin is named after Chief Kiništin ("Cree"), one of the headmen for Chief Ošāwaškokwanēpi. Chief Kiništin came to Saskatchewan from Western Ontario along with his two brothers, Miskokwanep ("Red [Crow-]Feather") and Mehcihcākanihs ("Coyote"). In 1901, lands were set aside for the Kinistin Band. Soon after the death of Chief Ošāwaškokwanēpi, the Yellow-quill Saulteaux Band divided into three groups, with the group originally headed by Chief Kiništin becoming the Kinistin Saulteaux Nation.
Reserves
The First Nation have reserved for themselves three reserves:
Governance
Kinistin have an elected tribal council consisting of a chief and five councillors. The current council for the two-year-long electoral term ending on April 29, 2017, consists of Chief Greg Scott and Councillors Kalvin Nippi, Orvin Thomas, Wayne A. Thomas, Joseph Smokeyday and Brenda Kaiswatum.