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Quebec’s Aboriginal People – Meeting the Anishnabe :: by Inês Lopes

Written by ines July 06th

In the last entry of this series entitled “Quebec’s Aboriginal People,” we meet the Anishnabe, and discover a touristic initiative: Abitibiwinni on the Harricana.

Photo credit: Bercé par l’Harricana, Abitibiwinni-Aventure/Culture

The Anishnabe – A Few Words on Their History and Territory
“Anishnabe” means “the real men” and this is the term this Aboriginal nation prefers, rather than “Algonquins”, which is often used. Traditionally, their territory, the Nitakinan, spreads from the basin of the Ottawa River to the northern limits of Abitibi. Archeological researches have estimated that their occupation of this territory possibly dates back 6,000 years. Over long distances, the Anishnabe lived mostly from hunting, fishing and picking. Their philosophy is to take only what is necessary and to allow resources to replenish. This nomadic people and its environment were, however, disturbed in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries by colonization, logging and mining, and road and dam construction.

Current Population, Language and Culture
Today, we count around 9,000 Anishnabe. More than half live in nine Anishnabe communities; others live in cities such as Montreal, Ottawa and Val d’Or. Other Anishnabe communities also live in Ontario. Their ancestral language is still spoken by about 60% of the nation. Among the Anishnabe’s numerous crafts, to name but a few, are moose skin and fur clothing, birchbark baskets, embroidery, pearls and the tikinagan (baby carrier). Today, in order to preserve a connection to nature and to their culture, some families still spend winter in their hunting territories, as did their ancestors. For the Anishnabe, everything is equal and is part of the circle of life. For life to circulate between humans and the Earth, each individual, family, animal, tree, insect, plant, river, lake or wind has its own role to play.

Tourism: The Example of Abitibiwinni on the Harricana
If you wish to meet the Anishabe people, and learn and live their culture, Abitibiwinni on the Harricana is a destination to consider. A “must-see” according to the STAQ (Quebec Aboriginal Tourism Corporation). Tourism with a taste of adventure and culture, this is what this initiative proposes. Many activities are offered on the Harricana River or directly in the community. For example, you may go canoeing with an Anishnabe guide. Besides the proposed adventure, they will also present their culture and their values: living according to nature’s rhythm and respecting it. They will also tell you about their people, their history and their territory. You may then relax and spend the night under a tepee.

In this short series of blog entries on Quebec’s Native nations, we only presented five. If you have the chance to pass by a Native community, I do encourage you to stop, but make sure you visit a specific touristic spot and do not disturb community peacefulness. I invite you to get to know the Native people, their different cultures, beliefs, values, and connection to the Earth. Let them tell you their stories, their pains and their joys, their visions of the past, and those of the future.

References

Quebec Aboriginal Tourism Corporation
Wapikoni mobile – Anishnabe Nation (in French)
Abitibiwinni on the Harricana