Treaty No. 5 – 1910 Adhesion – North Spirit Lake

Members of the North Spirit Lake Band refer to themselves as Maymayquayshwak or Cliff Dwellers. Before the treaty, all of the people from Sandy Lake, Windy Lake, Cliff Dweller Lake (aka North Spirit Lake), Caribou Lake and Island Lake would gather at Mud Lake to celebrate. They were all considered members of Porcupine’s family.  When Treaty No. 5 was signed in 1910, the North Spirit Lake people got lumped in with the Deer Lake Band.  It was not until 1985 that the North Spirit Lake people (aka Cliff Dweller Lake) were officially recognized by the government of Canada as a separate and distinct band.