List of First Nations people

This is a partial list of famous people who are members of the First Nations in Canada.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Contents

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X
• Y
• Z

• See also
• References

A

• Aatsista-Mahkan, Blackfoot chief
• Abishabis, Cree religious leader
• A-ca-oo-mah-ca-ye, Blackfoot chief
• Evan Adams, Sliammon actor, doctor and health policy
• Mary Kawennatakie Adams, Mohawk basket maker
• Agouhanna, chief of Hochelega
• David Ahenakew, politician
• Freda Ahenakew, author
• Frederick Alexcee, Tsimshian-Iroquois woodcarver
• Jerry Alfred, musician
• Almighty Voice (Cree), fugitive
• Anahareo (Gertrude Bernard), author
• Anna Mae Aquash, Mi'kmaq activist
• Nathaniel Arcand, actor
• Jeannette Armstrong, author, artist and activist
• Arron Asham, NHL hockey player
• Shawn Atleo, chief
• Auoindaon, Wyandot chief

B

• James Bartleman, diplomat and author
• Francois Beaulieu, northern prospector and guide
• Adam Beach, actor
• Big Bear, Cree chief
• Jackson Beardy, Ayisini painter
• Billy-Ray Belcourt, writer
• Perry Bellegarde, politician and leader of the Assembly of First Nations
• Rykko Bellemare, actor
• Kwena Bellemare-Boivin, actress
• Rebecca Belmore, Ojibwe conceptual artist
• Ethel Blondin-Andrew, politician
• Dempsey Bob, Tahltan-Tlingit woodcarver
• Columpa Bobb, actor, playwright and poet
• Rodney Bobiwash, scholar and activist
• Steven Bonspille, Mohawk chief
• Milton Born With A Tooth, activist
• James Bourque, activist
• Joseph Brant, Mohawk leader
• Mary Brant, Mohawk leader
• T. J. Burke, politician

C

• Douglas Cardinal, architect
• Harold Cardinal, writer and political leader
• Lorne Cardinal, actor
• Tantoo Cardinal, actor
• Kate Carmack, possible finder of the gold deposits in the Yukon
• Nadine Caron, first female First Nations Canadian general surgeon
• Dawson Charlie, co-discoverer of gold in the Yukon
• Jonathan Cheechoo, ice hockey player^[1]
• Chief Lady Bird, (aka Nancy King), Chippewa and Potawatomi artist, illustrator, educator and community activist
• Byron Chief-Moon, Kainai Nation American-born actor
• Matthew Coon Come, former NationalAssembly of First Nations
• Harold Crowchild, last surviving Tsuu T'ina veteran of World War II^[2]
• Crowfoot, Blackfoot chief
• Bert Crowfoot, broadcaster and journalist

D

• Brian Deer, Tionerahtoken (Mohawk) librarian from Kahnawake, laid the foundation for the Brian Deer Classification System (BDCS)
• Demasduit, one of the last Beothuk people
• Andy de Jarlis, Métis fiddler
• Paul DeVillers, politician
• Bonnie Devine, Ojibway conceptual artist
• Donnacona, chief of Stadacona site of present-day Quebec City
• Armond Duck Chief, country singer-songwriter
• Willie Dunn, filmmaker, folk musician, playwright and politician
• Jeremy Dutcher, musician
• Lillian Dyck, Canadian Senator

E

• Georges Erasmus, politician
• Ron Evans, politician

F

• Gary Farmer (b. 1953), Cayuga actor and filmmaker^[3]
• Jerry Fontaine, politician
• Phil Fontaine, former National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations
• Rainbow Sun Francks, Plains Cree actor

G

• James Gabriel, Grand Chief of Kanesatake, Quebec
• Jonathan Genest-Jourdain, politician
• Dan George, actor and Salish chief
• Dudley George, protester killed near Camp Ipperwash
• Leela Gilday, Dene musician
• James Gladstone, Canadian Senator
• Michelle Good, writer and lawyer
• Graham Greene, Oneida actor
• Mary Greyeyes-Reid, first First Nations woman to join the Canadian Forces
• Guujaaw, Haida, carver, musician and political activist

H

• John Harding (Sha ko hen the tha), chief of Kanesatake, Quebec
• Elijah Harper, politician
• Rinelle Harper, advocate for victims of violence
• Jimmy Herman, actor
• René Highway, dancer and actor
• Tomson Highway, playwright, novelist, and children's author
• Tom Hogan, Ojibway painter
• Kaniehtiio Horn, actress

I

• Ilona Verley, Nlaka'pamux drag queen most known for competing in Canada's Drag Race

J

• Alex Janvier, Dene Suline-Saulteaux artist
• Chief William Jeffrey, Tsimshian hereditary chief, activist and carver
• Edward John, political leader
• Mary John, Sr., leader of the Dakelh or Carrier people
• Pauline Johnson, writer and performer
• Dr. Gene Joseph, Wet'suwet'en Nadleh'dena First Nations librarian, founder of the Xwi7xwa Library
• Edith Josie, writer

K

• Stephen Kakfwi, premier of the Northwest Territories
• Tina Keeper, activist, actress and politician
• Keish (Skookum Jim Mason), discovered gold in the Yukon
• Wab Kinew, musician and broadcaster, premier of Manitoba
• Chester Knight, musician

L

• Melina Laboucan-Massimo, climate justice advocate
• Oscar Lathlin, politician
• George Leach, musician
• Reggie Leach, ice hockey player
• Mary Leaf, Mohawk artist specializing in basketmaking
• Ange Loft, Kanien'kehá:ka Kahnawà:ke (Mohawk) performing artist
• Tom Longboat, distance runner
• Morley Loon, musician
• Loma Lyns (Whitefish Lake Ojibway), musician

M

• George Manuel, former national chief of the Assembly of First Nations
• Maquinna, chief of the Nuu-chah-nulth
• Lee Maracle, poet and author
• Leonard Marchand, politician
• Donald Marshall, Jr., wrongly convicted of murder
• Mungo Martin, Kwakwaka'wakw woodcarver
• Matonabbee, Chipewyan hunter and leader
• Matooskie (also known as Nancy McKenzie)
• Duncan McCue, journalist
• Deborah McGregor (Whitefish River Ojibway), environmentalist, educator^[4]
• Claude McKenzie, singer-songwriter
• Gerald McMaster, Siksika First Nation-Red Pheasant First Nation artist, author, curator
• Henri Membertou, Mi'kmaq leader
• Billy Merasty, actor
• Gary Merasty, politician
• Ovide Mercredi, politician
• Mattie Mitchell, Mi’kmaq Chieftain, explorer
• Gilbert Monture, honorary chief of the Mohawk tribe
• Alwyn Morris, athlete
• Norval Morrisseau, Ojibwe artist
• Daniel David Moses, poet and playwright
• Tara Lee Morin, writer
• Will Morin, politician
• Ted Moses, politician

N

• Nahnebahwequa, Ojibwa spokeswoman and Christian Missionary
• Darlene Naponse, filmmaker and writer
• David Neel, Kwakwaka'wakw conceptual artist, print-maker and author
• Ellen Neel, Kwakwaka'wakw woodcarver
• Aaron Nelson-Moody, woodcarver^[5]
• Sandra Lovelace Nicholas, Canadian Senator
• Shelley Niro, New York-born Six Nations of the Grand River Mohawk artist and filmmaker
• Ted Nolan, ice hockey player and coach
• Nonosabasut, leader of the Beothuk people
• Kaúxuma Núpika, prophetess

O

• Kim O'Bomsawin, filmmaker
• Alanis Obomsawin, filmmaker
• Diane Obomsawin, artist and animator
• Daphne Odjig, Odawa-Potawatomi painter
• Bernard Ominayak, elected leader of the Lubicon Lake Indian Nation
• Joseph Onasakenrat, Mohawk chief of Kanesatake, Quebec
• Oronhyatekha, first Aboriginal medical doctor
• Helen Betty Osborne, Manitoba woman, kidnapped and murdered

P

• Francis Pegahmagabow, sniper, Military Medal winner
• Peter Penashue, politician
• Tahmoh Penikett, actor
• Elizabeth Phillips, Cheam elder, Halq’emeylem specialist
• Piapot, leader, diplomat, warrior, horse thief, and spiritualist
• Poundmaker (Pitikwahanapiwiyin), Cree chief
• Susan Point, Coast Salish artist^[6]
• Chief Pontiac, Odawa war leader
• Gary Potts, former chief of Temagami First Nation
• Gaylord Powless, lacrosse player
• Ross Powless, lacrosse player
• Carey Price, NHL hockey player
• Tommy Prince, war hero
• William Prince, singer-songwriter

Q

• Carl Quinn, singer-songwriter

R

• Bill Reid, Haida jeweler, sculptor and artist
• Sandrine Renard, newscaster on the Naked News
• Waubgeshig Rice, writer and broadcaster
• David A. Robertson, Indigenous graphic novelist and writer
• Robbie Robertson, songwriter and guitarist
• Carla Robinson, television journalist
• Eden Robinson, writer
• Eric Robinson, politician

S

• Samian, musician
• Fred Sasakamoose, ice hockey player
• Gregory Scofield, writer
• Alfred Scow, Judge and Hereditary Chief
• Bev Sellars, Secwepemc writer and chief
• James Sewid, former chief councilor of the Kwakwaka'wakw
• Shanawdithit, believed to have been the last surviving member of the Beothuk people
• Crystal Shawanda, musician
• Shingoose, musician
• Jay Silverheels, Mohawk actor best known for performing as The Lone Ranger's companion Tonto
• Éléonore Sioui, Wyandot healer, teacher, and activist
• Sheldon Souray, ice hockey player
• Ralph Steinhauer, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta
• Shayla Stonechild, actress and podcaster
• Cree Summer, voice actress

T

• Drew Hayden Taylor, playwright and journalist
• Gordon Tootoosis, Cree/Stoney actor best known as Albert Golo on North of 60
• Walter Patrick Twinn, Canadian Senator
• Tecumseh, military leader, War of 1812
• Jeff Thomas, photographer
• Dahti Tsetso, Dehcho environmentalist and educator
• Arielle Twist, poet
• Jaylene Tyme, drag entertainer

V

• Diyet van Lieshout, musician
• Roy Henry Vickers, Tsimshian artist
• Florent Vollant, Innu singer-songwriter

W

• Barbara Wardlaw, interim leader First Peoples National Party of Canada
• Frank Whitehead, politician
• Joshua Whitehead, writer
• Massey Whiteknife, businessman and musician
• David B. Williams, Ojibway painter and printmaker
• Kona Williams, forensic pathologist
• Myron Wolf Child, activist, public speaker and politician
• Sara Wolfe, nurse, midwife, and healthcare advocate

Y

• Greg Younging, member of the Opsakwayak Cree Nation, editor and expert on First Nations copyright

See also

• Indigenous peoples of the Americas portal
• Canada portal

• Aboriginal Canadian personalities
• List of Canadian Inuit
• List of First Nations leaders
• List of Métis people