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 |
More details
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Essipit (Es-si-pit)
| Population |
425 people |
| Territory Name |
Essipit Reserve |
| Latitude |
48.342958 |
| Longitude |
-69.399261 |
More details
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Mani-utenam (Ma-ni-ou-te-nam)
| Population |
3 728 people |
| Territory Name |
Maliotenam Reserve |
| Latitude |
50.21514 |
| Longitude |
-66.200867 |
More details
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Mashteuiatsh (Mass-teu-i-atsh)
| Population |
4 941 people |
| Territory Name |
Mashteuiatsh Reserve |
| Latitude |
48.567634 |
| Longitude |
-72.254162 |
More details
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Matimekush (Ma-ti-mé-kosh)
| Population |
839 people |
| Territory Name |
Matimekosh Reserve and Lac John Reserve |
| Latitude |
54.806374 |
| Longitude |
-66.812239 |
More details
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Natashquan (Na-tash-kou-an)
| Population |
957 people |
| Territory Name |
Natashquan Reserve |
| Latitude |
50.132244 |
| Longitude |
-61.800156 |
More details
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Pakut-shipu (Pa-kou-a Shi-pi)
| Population |
309 people |
| Territory Name |
Saint-Augustin Settlement |
| Latitude |
51.222529 |
| Longitude |
-58.665619 |
More details
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Pessamit (Pes-sa-mit)
| Population |
3 609 people |
| Territory Name |
Betsiamites Reserve |
| Latitude |
48.944151 |
| Longitude |
-68.646183 |
More details
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Tshishe-shastshit (Shesh-ah-shee)
| Population |
694 people |
| Territory Name |
Tshishe-shastshit |
| Latitude |
53.518369 |
| Longitude |
-60.14225 |
More details
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Unaman-shipu (U-na-men shi-pu)
| Population |
1 073 people |
| Territory Name |
La Romaine Reserve |
| Latitude |
50.216568 |
| Longitude |
-60.668135 |
More details
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Uashat (Ou-a-shat)
| Population |
3 728 people |
| Territory Name |
Uashat Reserve |
| Latitude |
50.223488 |
| Longitude |
-66.40686 |
More details
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Natuashish (Nat‑wah‑sheesh)
| Population |
2 710 people |
| Territory Name |
Natuashish |
| Latitude |
55.881377 |
| Longitude |
-60.90477 |
More details
Population
Distribution of the innue nation in 2008
| 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
