First Nations

[furst ney-shuhnz]

noun

Chiefly Canadian.

1. the Indigenous peoples of North America generally considered distinct from the Inuit and Métis (often used attributively).

   The Ministry of the Environment has worked with the First Nations, local government, industry, and area residents to create a long-term plan for the region.

   Games, stories, and hands-on exploration of artifacts helped the students connect with local First Nations cultures and histories.

2. First Nation any specific Indigenous, non-Métis, non-Inuit ethnic or language group, band, or reserve-based community.

   The Little Saskatchewan First Nation is located near St. Martins, Manitoba.

Word History and Origins

Origin of First Nations¹

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

"We would condemn it quite loudly," Mr Brooks said predicting legal challenges from First Nations communities along its route, as well as protests.

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The move comes three years after Pope Francis issued a historic apology to Canada's First Nations for the church's role in the "genocide" and suppression of indigenous identity through the residential schools programme.

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The newly named croc species, Wakkaoolithus godthelpi, honors the Wakka Wakka First Nations people whose Country includes the fossil site.

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The creation of a Jewish state out of the former British mandate became a humanitarian imperative, and when the U.S. became one of the first nations to recognize the modern state of Israel in 1948, Christians broadly supported it.

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While there is some disagreement as to the origins of the name, some sources attribute it to First Nations tribes in North America historically setting beaver traps in November.

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