Portrait of a Nation
With a population of 18,000 aggregated in 11 communities in Labrador and Quebec’s boreal forest, the Innu make up a nation whose language, Innu-aimun, and culture, Innu-aitun, are most definitely alive.
The communities are, from west to east : Mashteuiatsh (Pointe-Bleue, on the western shore of Lac Saint-Jean), Essipit (Les Escoumins), Pessamit (Betsiamites), Uashat mak Mani-utenam (Sept-Îles & Malioténam), Matimekush-Lac John (Schefferville), Ekuanitshit (Mingan), Natashquan, Unaman-shipu (La Romaine) and Pakut-shipu (St. Augustin). The two Innu communities in Labrador are Tshishe-shastshit (Goose Bay) and Natuashish (formerly Utshimassit-Davis Inlet).
With the exception of Mashteuiatsh and Matimekush-Lac John, situated far inland, Innu communities are established on the North Shore of the Estuary and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. They can be found all along the 900 kilometres between the Escoumins River, east of the mouth of the Saguenay, and the Saint-Augustin River, west of the Labrador border.
Communities
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Ekuanitshit (E-kou-a-nit-shit) Population 538 people Territory Name Mingan Reserve Latitude 50.290381 Longitude -64.022226 -
Essipit (Es-si-pit) Population 425 people Territory Name Essipit Reserve Latitude 48.342958 Longitude -69.399261 -
Mani-utenam (Ma-ni-ou-te-nam) Population 3 728 people Territory Name Maliotenam Reserve Latitude 50.21514 Longitude -66.200867 -
Mashteuiatsh (Mass-teu-i-atsh) Population 4 941 people Territory Name Mashteuiatsh Reserve Latitude 48.567634 Longitude -72.254162 -
Matimekush (Ma-ti-mé-kosh) Population 839 people Territory Name Matimekosh Reserve and Lac John Reserve Latitude 54.806374 Longitude -66.812239 -
Natashquan (Na-tash-kou-an) Population 957 people Territory Name Natashquan Reserve Latitude 50.132244 Longitude -61.800156 -
Pakut-shipu (Pa-kou-a Shi-pi) Population 309 people Territory Name Saint-Augustin Settlement Latitude 51.222529 Longitude -58.665619 -
Pessamit (Pes-sa-mit) Population 3 609 people Territory Name Betsiamites Reserve Latitude 48.944151 Longitude -68.646183 -
Tshishe-shastshit (Shesh-ah-shee) Population 694 people Territory Name Tshishe-shastshit Latitude 53.518369 Longitude -60.14225 -
Unaman-shipu (U-na-men shi-pu) Population 1 073 people Territory Name La Romaine Reserve Latitude 50.216568 Longitude -60.668135 -
Uashat (Ou-a-shat) Population 3 728 people Territory Name Uashat Reserve Latitude 50.223488 Longitude -66.40686 -
Natuashish (Nat‑wah‑sheesh) Population 2 710 people Territory Name Natuashish Latitude 55.881377 Longitude -60.90477
Population
Community | Inside Reserve | Outside Reserve | Crown Land | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mashteuiatsh | 2 062 | 2 879 | 0 | 4 941 |
Pessamit | 2 825 | 779 | 5 | 3 609 |
Essipit | 175 | 250 | 0 | 425 |
Uashat mak Mani-utenam | 3 043 | 679 | 7 | 3 728 |
Ekuanitshit | 514 | 24 | 0 | 538 |
Natashquan | 897 | 57 | 3 | 957 |
Unaman-shipu | 1 022 | 49 | 2 | 1 073 |
Pakut-shipu | 22 | 1 | 286 | 309 |
Matimekush | 749 | 90 | 0 | 839 |
All | 11 309 | 4 807 | 303 | 16 419 |
Reference: Indian Registry, INAC, December 2008