Keeseekoowenin
Ojibway First Nation
Keeseekoowenin Ojibway First Nation, also known as the Riding Mountain Band, is located near Elphinstone, Manitoba, south of Riding Mountain National Park.
Our community has a rich history deeply connected to the land, the Riding Mountain region, and our longstanding traditions.
In 1935, our community, then known as the autonomous Okanase Band, was forcibly removed from Clear Lake (IR 61A) and relocated to what is now Keeseekoowenin First Nation. The displacement was part of broader efforts to push Indigenous communities out of areas for tourism and development. Decades later, in 1994, we successfully reclaimed IR 61A after a land claim settlement, returning a vital piece of our traditional territory on the boundaries of the national park. Additionally, our community holds a third and smaller reserve, IR 61B, located at Bottle Lake, historically known as Battle Lake.