Kinoosao is a community on the western shore of Reindeer Lake. It is about 1 kilometre from the Manitoba border. People who used to live out in the trap lines and fish camps started moving here in the 1950’s. They live a nomadic lifestyle, in early June they move to the Guiding Camps Arctic Lodge, Tate Island Lodge, and Reindeer Lake Lodge. The majority of the men guide in these camps, while some of the women work at the lodges. In the middle of July some of these men move their families to the fish camps and Commercial fishing starts. People start moving back from these fish camps early September as the children have to start school. Some men stay in The Lodge camps until they are shut down in September. Commercial fishing is their main source of income. In the winter months there are few job opportunities in Kinoosao. A fish processing plant was built in the community. It was owned by the Cooperative fisheries Limited. The processing plant went broke in the late 1970’s, but they still have a fish plant where fish are delivered and then shipped to Winnipeg by semi-trailer trucks. Freshwater Fish Marketing Ltd are the owners now. The main way of travel in those days were dog teams. Most of the families used this way of travel, until 1970’s when they started using ski-doos. The road to Lynn Lake was open for Bombardier and Skidoo use only, until it was ploughed for all year use about 22 years ago. There are a few who have trap lines and they trap around Kinoosao area. The traps they set are for beaver, muskrat, mink, martin (sable), otter, lynx and fox. They have several species of fish on Reindeer Lake, and they eat fish quite a lot, we have pickerel, whitefish, trout, tulibee, burbot, northern pike, grayling and two species of mullet. Some of the Community members go about 100 kilometres north, to hunt for woodland caribou, to feed their families. They also hunt for moose when someone gets a moose they share amongst each other, which is their tradition. They did not have any phones until about three years ago. They have a Health Center, Shirley Clarke works as a Community Health Developer she does all the transportation, medication, appointments, water quality testing, and Workshops on Important issues. The School is an elementary school it is called Apisasin which means small in Cree. They only have up to Grade 8, after the student completes Grade 8 they have to go to school outside the Community, to complete their education. There are only thirty nine members in the community the majority are kids. Overall this Community is a nice and peaceful place to live.

CONTACTS:

COOP Store
Shirley Olson
General Delivery
Kinoosao, Saskatchewan
S0P 0J0
PH#(306) 758-3058
FAX#(306) 758-3050

Health Centre
Shirley Clarke
General Delivery
Kinoosao, Saskatchewan
S0P 0J0
Ph#(306) 758-3007
fax#(306) 758-3007