Split Lake
News from Manitoba The Children The Attendance Project
Tataskweyak Cree Nation
The Tataskweyak Cree Nation is located in Split Lake, Manitoba 600 miles north of Winnipeg and 90 miles north east of Thompson latitude 56 degees north. An unpaved highway built in the 1970′s allows access to Thompson and the town of Gillam 90 miles further east.Prior to that Split Lake was a “fly in” community.Split lake is actually part of the Nelson River system which begins in Lake Winnipeg and ends its journey in Hudson Bay.
The Tatatskweyak Cree Nation originated in York Factory on Hudson Bay moving southwest in canoes and finally settling in its present location.Three other nearby bands, Fox Lake, War Lake and York Factory were part of the original community but are now independant.TCN is the largest of these bands with a population of about 3000.
The school in Split Lake has over 600 students from nursery to grade 12. Attendance is generally poor with high school drop out rates above 50%. Central’s goal is to improve attendance at the School.