Editing Cree (section)

== Sub-groups and geography ==
[[File:Cree_map.svg|thumb|300px|Map of Cree dialects]]
The Cree are generally divided into eight groups based on dialect and region. These divisions do not necessarily represent ethnic subdivisions within the larger ethnic group:

* ''[[Naskapi]]'' and ''[[Montagnais]]'' (together known as the ''Innu'') are inhabitants of an area they refer to as ''[[Nitassinan]]''. Their territories comprise most of the present-day political jurisdictions of eastern Quebec and Labrador. Their cultures are differentiated, as some of the Naskapi are still [[caribou]] hunters, and more [[nomad]]ic than many of the Montagnais; the Montagnais have more permanent settlements. The total population of the two groups (in 2003) was about 18,000 people, of which approx. 15,000 were in Quebec. Their dialects and languages are the most distinct from the Cree spoken by the groups west of Lake Superior.
* ''[[Atikamekw]]'' are inhabitants of the area they refer to as ''[[Nitaskinan]]'' ("Our Land"), in the upper [[Saint-Maurice River]] valley of Quebec (about {{cvt|300|km|mi|disp=or}} north of [[Montreal]]). Their population is around 8,000.
* [[East Cree]] – [[Grand Council of the Crees]]; approximately 18,000 Cree ({{lang|cr-Latn|Iyyu}} in Coastal Dialect / {{lang|cr-Latn|[[Iynu]]}} in Inland Dialect) of [[Eeyou Istchee]] and [[Nunavik]] regions of [[Northern Quebec]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Les Amérindiens du Canada |trans-title=Amerindians of Canada |language=fr |publisher=Authentik Canada |url=https://www.authentikcanada.com/fr-fr/faq/les-amerindiens}}</ref>
* [[Moose Cree]] – [[Moose Factory]]<ref name="moosecree.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.moosecree.com/community-profile/services.html |title=Moose Cree First Nation community profile |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210012321/http://www.moosecree.com/community-profile/services.html |archive-date=10 December 2008}}</ref> in [[Northeastern Ontario]]; this group lives on [[Moose Factory Island]], near the [[River mouth|mouth]] of the [[Moose River (Ontario)|Moose River]], at the southern end of [[James Bay]]. "Factory" used to refer to a [[trading post]].<ref>{{cite map |title=First Nations |publisher=Government of Ontario |url=https://files.ontario.ca/pictures/firstnations_map.jpg}}</ref>
* [[Swampy Cree]] – this group lives in [[northern Manitoba]], along the [[Hudson Bay]] coast, and adjacent inland areas to the south and west, as well as in Ontario, along the coasts of Hudson Bay and James Bay. Some also live in eastern Saskatchewan, around [[Cumberland House, Saskatchewan|Cumberland House]]. Their dialect has 4,500 speakers.
* [[File:Cree People.png|alt=Another Example Of The Areas The Cree People Lived|thumb|Another map of Cree dialects]][[Woodland Cree]] and Rocky Cree<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sixseasonsproject.ca/|title=Six Seasons of the Asiniskaw Īthiniwak|website=sixseasonsproject.ca}}</ref> – a group in [[northern Alberta]], Manitoba, and Saskatchewan.
* [[Plains Indians|Plains Cree]] – a total of about 34,000 people in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Montana, USA.

Due to the many dialects of the [[Cree language]], the people have no modern collective [[Endonym|autonym]]. The Plains Cree and Attikamekw refer to themselves using modern forms of the historical {{lang|cr-Latn|nêhiraw}}, namely {{lang|cr-Latn|nêhiyaw}} and {{lang|cr-Latn|nêhirawisiw}}, respectively. The Moose Cree, East Cree, Naskapi, and Montagnais all refer to themselves using modern dialectal forms of the historical {{lang|cr-Latn|iriniw}}, meaning 'man.' Moose Cree use the form {{lang|cr-Latn|ililiw}}, coastal East Cree and Naskapi use {{lang|cr-Latn|iyiyiw}} (variously spelled {{lang|cr-Latn|iiyiyiu}}, {{lang|cr-Latn|iiyiyuu}}, and {{lang|cr-Latn|eeyou}}), inland East Cree use {{lang|cr-Latn|iyiniw}} (variously spelled {{lang|cr-Latn|iinuu}} and {{lang|cr-Latn|eenou}}), and Montagnais use {{lang|cr-Latn|ilnu}} and {{lang|cr-Latn|innu}}, depending on dialect. The Cree use "Cree", "cri", "Naskapi, or "montagnais" to refer to their people only when speaking [[French language|French]] or [[English language|English]].<ref name=Pentland>{{cite book |quote=David H. Pentland, "Synonymy" |first=John J. |last=Honigmann |chapter=West Main Cree |title=Handbook of North American Indians |volume=6: Subarctic |editor1=June Helm |editor-link1=June Helm |editor2= William C. Sturtevant |editor-link2=William C. Sturtevant |publisher=Smithsonian |location=Washington, D.C. |date=1981 |page=227 |isbn=978-0-16-004578-3 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EKfPuwEACAAJ&pg=PA227}}</ref>{{wide image|Cree Indian sun dancers, probably Montana, ca 1893 (LAROCHE 126).jpeg|500px|A group of Cree [[sun dance]]rs, photographed {{Circa|1893}} by [[Frank La Roche]]}}