Swan River First Nation was one of five
Woodland Cree communities around
Lesser Slave Lake that together composed a regional band. On January 1, 1890, a majority of the Lesser Slave Lake Cree communities were in favor of
Treaty. The
RCMP first came to the area by 1897, and by 1899,
Treaty 8 was signed on the shore of Lesser Slave Lake by Kinosayo (Andrew Willier) of
Driftpile FN,
Moostoos of
Sucker Creek FN,
Weecheewaysis, Charles Nesootasis, and Felix Giroux.
Chiefs Unlike southern bands, First Nations communities around
Lesser Slave Lake did not have chiefs. Out of necessity for Treaty negotiations, people from all five bands selected Kinosayo as the chief of the Lesser Slave Lake Bands in 1899, and he would serve until his death in 1918 from the
spanish flu. Each community also had an elected headman responsible to the chief. • August Sowan (Sound) (first chief) • Gene Giroux (Davis) • August Chalifoux • Victor Twin • Paul Sound • Gordon Courtoreille • Charlie Chalifoux • Dustin "Dusty" Twin Sr. • Richard Davis • Leon Chalifoux • Ryan Davis • Gerald Giroux • Lee Twinn (current chief) ==References==