11 Nations and 55 communities form the landscape of Aboriginal Quebec. Exploring the true nature of the province in the company of its first inhabitants, taking the pulse of cultures and traditions handed down for thousands of years, celebrating, marvelling, sharing, tasting this multifaceted living heritage...: these are all good reasons to go and meet the Aboriginal communities.
The first inhabitants of the territory, the representatives of the eleven Aboriginal Nations are literally in the four corners of Quebec. In the east of the province, around the estuary and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, you will find the Innu of the North Shore as well as the Naskapi on the border with Labrador, not to mention the Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk (Maliseet) in the Lower St. Lawrence and the Mi'gmaq in the Gaspé. In southern and central Quebec, you will find the Huron-Wendat, W8banaki (Abenaki), Atikamewk, Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) and the Innu of Lac Saint-Jean, who belong to the Innu Nation. Western Quebec is home to the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation, while the Eeyouch (Cree) of Eeyou Istchee James Bay and the Inuit of Nunavik mark the vast regions of northern Quebec with their ancestral presence. These 11 Nations total no less than 55 Aboriginal communities throughout Quebec. This shows the diversity of realities, cultures, landscapes and traditions that make up the universe of Aboriginal Quebec.
Wendake to discover the culture of the Huron-Wendat
From downtown Quebec City, a fifteen-minute drive is all it takes to reach the Huron-Wendat community of Wendake. And go back in time several millennia via a first visit to the traditional Huron site Onhoüa Chetek8e. This reconstructed traditional village offers a complete immersion in the Wendat culture. We then go to the Huron-Wendat Museum, whose exhibition takes a close look at the history of this community living today in an urban environment while carefully preserving its ancestral culture. This same site is also a symbol of the meeting of tradition and modernity since it also houses a high-end hotel and an exceptional gastronomic restaurant, La Traite. Welcome to the Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations, the jewel of Wendake, next to which you can even sleep in a traditional longhouse and experience a myths and legends evening around the fire. Another enchantment to be experienced in the evening, Onhwa' Lumina is an immersive and multimedia light trail to be completed in the middle of nature. With a length of 1.2 km and a duration of approximately 50 minutes, this brand new attraction in Wendake is inspired by Wendat myths and cultural symbols.
In Odanak, a unique encounter with the history of the W8banaki (Abenaki)
Within Aboriginal communities, many museums expose the history and specificities of a Nation such as arts and crafts. They are also living places of conservation, sharing and transmission of Aboriginal cultures. In Odanak, Centre-du-Québec, the Abenaki Museum is the pioneer of Aboriginal museums in Quebec. It was founded in 1965 by members of the community. Dedicated to the history of the Abenaki Nation, known for its basketry, masks, totems and traditional dances, the museum presents several interesting exhibits. "Wôbanaki, the People of the Rising Sun" immerses visitors in the cultural and spiritual universe of this people originally from southern Quebec and the present-day states of Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire. "Kwigw8mna" takes us on a journey of discovery of a traditional dwelling reconstituted thanks to archaeological digs carried out in the Odanak historic quadrangle. Adjacent to the museum, the Tolba walking trail offers a pleasant stroll along the Saint-François River to discover the flora and fauna of the community. Don't miss a visit to the Odanak church and chapel, and don't forget to stop by the arts and crafts boutique, which is full of native creations from here and elsewhere.
Take the Pow Wow and Aboriginal Culture Festival Route
Open to all, these sacred and colorful events are unique moments of gathering and sharing. They are also an opportunity to admire the traditions of various communities, which is the very principle of the powwow: a competition during which dancers from different Nations compete with daring to the sound of drums and in their most beautiful traditional clothing. Organized by the Huron-Wendat, the Wendake International Pow-wowwelcomes Aboriginal Nations from all over the world. Not to be missed either, the traditional Pow-wow of Pessamit, on the North Shore, is a highlight for this Innu community, as is the Grand Gathering of the First Nations of Mashteuiatsh, which perpetuates a thousand-year-old tradition of exchanges and meetings on the shores of Lac Saint-Jean every summer. Mashteuiatsh also hosts the Atalukan Festival of Stories and Legendsin August. This important dimension of Aboriginal culture is also present at the Festival du conte et de la légende de l'Innucadie, on the North Shore, while the Festival Innu Nikamu, in Mani-Utenam, near Sept-Îles, focuses on Aboriginal music and arts. The Pow-Wow Route provides an overview of these captivating encounters with First Nations culture.
Encounter the nature of the Great North and the culture of the Inuit with Aventures Inuit
This is the land of polar bears and igloos, of arctic tundra and northern lights... Nunavik extends beyond the 55th parallel a territory of staggering size, comparable in size to France. As mythical as it is remote, the Great North of Quebec also fascinates its inhabitants. Marked by centuries of nomadism, the Inuit have shaped a way of life and a culture that belong to them alone. Meeting them and discovering their astonishingly rich traditions is a sure way to increase your sense of escape during a trip to Nunavik. The packages imagined by Inuit Adventures allow you to explore both the incredible nature of the Great North and its human dimension. One of them, for example, takes us to meet the wildlife of Nunavik to observe polar bears, musk oxen and caribou while visiting four communities bordering Ungava Bay. Whether it's venturing into Nunavik's vast national parks, spying on the northern lights in Kuujjuaq or sleeping in an igloo in Puvirnituq, meeting the Inuit and their fascinating way of life is always an adventure.
Text: David Lang
