Garden Hill First Nations (Oji-Cree: ᑭᐢᑎᑲᐣᐘᒋᐣᐠ, Kistiganwacheeng), the reserve's First Nations community, is located in the northeast section of the Canadian province of Manitoba on the shore of Island Lake.
In the early 1900s, there were no chiefs, but there were leaders called "headmen". They earned their status by establishing a reputation for generosity, service, wisdom, spirituality, courage, diplomacy, dignity, loyalty and personal magnetism. These leaders achieved status by influence, not by possession of wealth, but by the distribution of it. The shared generosity because of beliefs, values, traditions, and customs required by this behaviour. The chief with the longest time in the position was Henry Fiddler, who held the position of Chief for 22 years from 1931 to 1953.[citation needed]
The population of Garden Hill was 3,054 in the 2021 Canadian census an increase of 17.3% from 2016. There were a total of 665 private dwellings. The population density was 36.8 per square kilometre on a land area of 83.05 square kilometres. The median age was 21.4.[3]
Garden Hill First Nations is a First Nations community, and a signatory of Treaty 5. As of February 2015, Garden Hill First Nations had a registered population of 4,567 with 3918 members living on reserve and 649 members living off reserve.[9]
Members elect a chief, vice chief and seven councillors through a Custom Electoral System.[9]
Reserve lands
Garden Hill First Nations has the following seven reserves:[2]
There are two schools in Garden Hill. The elementary school is named Kistiganwacheeng Elementary School and the secondary school is called Garden Hill First Nation High School.
Garden Hill Student Services office is located in Winnipeg, the office handles post-secondary students that attend various institutions.