The Many Names of Robert Cree: How a First Nations Chief Brought Ancient Wisdom to Big Business and Prosperity to His People

by Robert Cree, Therese Greenwood (Primary Contributor)

His mother called him “Bobby Mountain.” Elders called him “Great Man.” His people called him “Chief.” Oil men called him “Mr. Cree.” But the government called him “Number 53.” Robert Cree was all of these while facing his people’s oppressors and freeing the ghosts of tortured spirits.


The Many Names of Robert Cree is his first-person account of survival in a brutally racist residential school system designed to erase traditional Indigenous culture, language, and knowledge. It is also the story of an epic life of struggle and healing, as Cree takes the wisdom of his ancestors and a message of reconciliation to the halls of government and to industry boardrooms.


In the storytelling tradition of his people, Cree recounts his early years in the bush, his captivity at a residential school, his struggles with addiction, his political awakening as one of Canada’s youngest First Nation Chiefs, and the rising Indigenous activism of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. He also recounts the oil industry’s arrival on his poverty-stricken reserve and the ensuing struggle to balance economic opportunity with environmental challenges.


Throughout, Cree’s leadership is rooted in his unshakable commitment to the sacred traditional teachings of his people. His beliefs give him the strength to focus on hope, dignity, and building a better future for his community. Now a respected Elder and spiritual leader, Cree champions forgiveness as a powerful force that can bring healing and transformation for all.

264 pages, Paperback

Published October 28, 2025

Reviews

[Sheila Norris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently completed “The Many Names of Robert Cree: How a First Nations Chief Brought Ancient Wisdom to Big Business and Prosperity to His People”, written by Robert Cree with Therese Greenwood.
Mr. Cree uses his story, in the story-telling tradition of his people, to share a lifetime of learning with those open to hearing what he has to offer.
Mr. Cree’s memoir takes the reader from the beginning of his life – with his mother arriving at the hospital by dogsled – through the joys of a childhood spent in the bush learning at the knees of community members who shared their traditional wisdom, followed by the horrors of residential school, and his eventual escape back to people of his community. The power of his early learning and his connection to community, coupled with subsequent work experiences, were the raw materials for the creation of the leader he became.
This is the story of a leader who saw a path to help his people through the traditional ways, by connecting to the dominant culture and fearlessly applying those practices in a way that would benefit everyone. He valued the mentors who guided him, recognized the importance of keeping the right values front and centre, and never lost sight of the interconnectedness of all things. He also respects both science and traditional ways, and explains how these different perspectives can stand side by side to ensure sustainable progress.
One of the lessons imparted is that learning can come from anywhere if you are open to receive it. I certainly took a number of lessons away, and I hope that I was open enough to receive what Mr. Cree is offering. This is a book I will read again, because I believe that there will be other lessons for me, when I am ready for them.
This book has a lot to offer and anyone interested in learning more about traditional ways and how they can improve current business practices will find their time well spent. It also provides an opportunity to understand more about the history of this country through one man’s journey. As a first generation Canadian of the same general vintage, I really appreciated this perspective.
I recommend this book. The content is always accessible, the story sometimes hard to hear, and the lessons invaluable.

[Alberta Views Magazine]

"People from all across Canada were coming to our region to work in the oil sands,” recalls Elder and former chief of the Fort McMurray First Nation, Robert Cree. For Indigenous people in northern Alberta in the 1980s, he says, it was important to work together to stop the corporate “freight train from rolling over us.” So they did. With encouragement from his mentor Harold Cardinal, Cree organized Indigenous groups and signed a deal with the oil industry so that Indigenous staff would make up 13 per cent of the local workforce, and proposals from Indigenous- owned businesses would be given priority. At the time it was a radical change, and it’s one of the reasons why Elders called Cree “Great Man.” But he has had other names. As a child his mother called him “Bobby Mountain.” At the Ermineskin Residential School, where the RCMP took him at age 9, he was “Number 53.” Drawing strength from traditional teachings, Cree survived, helped his people and now shares lessons from his journey in this wise and evocative book.

More Alberta Book reviews at https://albertaviews.ca/category/depa...

[Austin Dobrik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed it! I really don't know any indigenous people in my life, and although I have read about the Truth and Reconciliation commission, I have never gone deeper than a few stories told at community events. To hear the story of Robert Cree's life, I felt like I had a view into the past of how the lives of some indigenous people in Canada changed over the last half century.

The clarity of the scenes really come through, and Alberta really comes alive through his eyes. I really hope others pick up this book and learn a bit more about this really interesting person. The reality of residential schools really hit me in a way that I never understood before. Although I could never truly understand what he went through, I appreciate his willingness to share such a difficult experience, and help us reflect on the journey of truth and reconciliation we all should go through.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the audiobook version read by Lorne Cardinal (Corner Gas fame), and it added a lot of depth to hear the story - like through aural tradition. It was also nice to hear the traditional Cree pronunciation of some of the terms used throughout the book. I also found a lot of powerful life lessons - especially forgiveness. And I really found it powerful that they used the term “dominant culture,” instead of White man or other terms.

There are a lot of lessons in this book and a lot of powerful emotions. I hope this book becomes required reading in schools and at all levels of government.

[Don Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very special book written by a very special man who lived through the abuses of residential school to become a leader of his community. His descriptions of residential school are tough to read but bring the reality of those places to light. Relying on his people's traditional knowledge got him through rough times and helped guide his people to prosper, while educating the "dominant culture" as to how reconciliation in business and life should proceed. He has lessons for all of us as to how to live our lives in harmony with the nature that sustains us.

[Tricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first thing I noticed was this book, even though it’s about a difficult subject is positive. It’s not judgy, angry… it’s accepting, warm & positive.
Thank you Robert Cree for sharing your story, wisdom, and knowledge.

[Enid Wray]

An important testimonial for the historical record.

[Greg Thierman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every Canadian should read this book, especially every UCP & Conservative member