Essipit (known as Les Escoumins until 1996) is an
Innu
The Innu / Ilnu ("man", "person") or Innut / Innuat / Ilnuatsh ("people"), formerly called Montagnais from the French colonial period ( French for "mountain people", English pronunciation: ), are the Indigenous inhabitants of territory in the ...
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve (french: réserve indienne) is specified by the '' Indian Act'' as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty,
that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band."
Ind ...
in the
Canadian province
Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North ...
of
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
, located on the north shore of the
Gulf of Saint Lawrence
, image = Baie de la Tour.jpg
, alt =
, caption = Gulf of St. Lawrence from Anticosti National Park, Quebec
, image_bathymetry = Golfe Saint-Laurent Depths fr.svg
, alt_bathymetry = Bathymetry ...
in the
Côte-Nord
Côte-Nord (, ; ; land area ) is the second-largest administrative region by land area in Quebec, Canada, after Nord-du-Québec. It covers much of the northern shore of the Saint Lawrence River estuary and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence past Tadous ...
region. It belongs to the
Innue Essipit
Innue Essipit is an Innu First Nation in Quebec, Canada. It owns one reserve named Essipit where one-third of its population live, located in the Côte-Nord region on the North shore of the Saint Lawrence River
The St. Lawrence River (french: ...
First Nation.
The reserve is named after the historical name of the Escoumins River, that around 1664, was known as ''Esseigiou''. Charles Arnaud, who spent many years of his life among the Montagnais stated that the river was also called ''Etshipi'', meaning "river of shells".
History
The
Montagnais have frequented the place for thousands of years, gathering berries that covered the rocks and adorned the mossy plains in the spring. The
Jesuit Relations
''The Jesuit Relations'', also known as ''Relations des Jésuites de la Nouvelle-France'', are chronicles of the Jesuit missions in New France. The works were written annually and printed beginning in 1632 and ending in 1673.
Originally written ...
reported on the presence of "Excomminquois" in the region since 1611. It presented them however as an enemy nation of the French and distinguished them from the Montagnais of the region who were recognized as friends. It is assumed that they likely were
Mi'kmaq
The Mi'kmaq (also ''Mi'gmaq'', ''Lnu'', ''Miꞌkmaw'' or ''Miꞌgmaw''; ; ) are a First Nations people of the Northeastern Woodlands, indigenous to the areas of Canada's Atlantic Provinces and the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec as well as the northe ...
tribes that from the middle of the 16th century onwards sporadically left their territory around
Chaleur Bay
frame, Satellite image of Chaleur Bay (NASA). Chaleur Bay is the large bay in the centre of the image; the Gaspé Peninsula is to the north and the Gulf of St. Lawrence is seen to the east.">Gulf_of_St._Lawrence.html" ;"title="Gaspé Peninsula ...
and visited the North Shore of the Saint Lawrence Gulf.
In 1863, about 40 Montagnais people were counted at the Mission of
Escoumins. In 1881, the Superintendent of Indian Affairs appointed surveyor Elzéar Boivin to delineate the land occupied by them. On July 23, 1892, the Government of Canada purchased the land and the ''Réserve indienne des Escoumins'' (Escoumins Indian Reserve) was formed.
[Natural Resources Canada - Legal Surveys Division, Historical Review ]
Innue Essipit
In 1994, the reserve changed its name to ''Communauté montagnaise Essipit'', made official by Commission de toponymie du Québec on June 7, 1996. On August 7, 2003, the name was changed again, and it is now known as Innue Essipit.
[
]
Demographics
Reserve population trend:
* Population in 2021: 310 (2016 to 2021 population change: 4.4%)
* Population in 2016: 297
* Population in 2011: 268
* Population in 2006: 247
* Population in 2001: 258
* Population in 1996: 252
* Population in 1991: 237
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 128 (total dwellings: 134)
The total population of the Essipit First Nation is 1,050, with only 228 band
Band or BAND may refer to:
Places
*Bánd, a village in Hungary
*Band, Iran, a village in Urmia County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran
*Band, Mureș, a commune in Romania
* Band-e Majid Khan, a village in Bukan County, West Azerbaijan Province, I ...
members living on the reserve.
References
External links
Site de la communauté EssipitRegroupement PetapanEntreprises Essipit
{{authority control
Innu communities in Quebec
Communities in Côte-Nord