Before and shortly after signing of Treaty Three (1873), the Band was known as the Mattawan who were stewards of vast reaches of land within the treaty area (see boundary map). The descendants of Mattawan are Wabauskang and Grassy Narrows (GN) First Nations and some government documents indicate that the origins of Lac Seul First Nation can also be traced back to the Mattawan Peoples. Chief Sahkatcheway was the contemporary leader of Mattawan and a signatory to Treaty Three (1873). Treaty three lands were to be selected and laid aside for farming purposes after consulting with each band. The size of the reserve lands was based on an area of one square mile for each family of five or in proportion to the size of the family. Based on 200 members, at the per capita allotment of 128 acres per person, the land entitlement for Chief Sahkatcheway’s people in 1875 was to have been 25,600, acres. Surveying of reserve lands was not completed due to weather, financial difficulties and Ontario/Manitoba boundary disputes. The failure to incomplete the surveys has resulted in a shortfall of 7,314 acres (based on the original estimated population, at signing of the Treaty) for Grassy Narrows First Nation and Wabauskang First Nation, jointly.