445:
441:). In 1861, the Governor General in Council allowed the Innu to move from Manicouagan to the Bersimis Reserve, that had the same area of Manicouagan Reserve, namely 70,000 acres (280 km). But the formation of the reserve hardly affected the Innu because, for many years thereafter, most families remained nomadic and would spend almost all of their lives in the forest, hunting for caribou, beaver, and bear, as well as hare and partridge to supplement their diet. In fact, the Innu were slow in adopting new techniques and improvements, such as canvas canoes or metal stoves, but rather maintained their traditional beliefs, knowledge, behaviors, and techniques.
71:
383:
locative noun referring to the town, and the form "upesciyâmîw-iyiniw" in reference to the people of
Pessamit. The local form of the name can be explained by phonological changes that have occurred in the local dialect. In particular, the dialect of Pessamit has undergone the following phonological changes - it regularly drops short initial vowels, it has lost consonantal pre-aspirations, it has coalesced -sc- to -ss-, and final -c's have changed to final t's. This has resulted in local pronunciation of Pessamit from the more historical upesciyâmîhc.
312:
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1113:
1133:
1105:
391:
Moulin-Bersimis (Bersimis-Mills) until 1945, and Rivière-Bersimis from then on. On the east side in the Innu village, the post office opened as Notre-Dame-de-Betshiamits in 1881, renamed to
Bersimis in 1898 until 1919, and then took the name Betsiamites when demanded by the people. Similarly, the Indian reserve went through a few name changes: first Bersimis, then Betsiamites in 1981, and since 2008, Pessamit.
1088:
1263:
78:
58:
464:
On
February 21, 1981, the Band Council of Bersimis renamed itself and the reserve to Betsiamites. In 2005, the Betsiamites Band Council was renamed again, this time to the Innu Council of Pessamit, and on November 6, 2008, the Commission de toponymie du Québec (Quebec Geographical Names Board) agreed
382:
argued that the word
Betsiamites could mean "those arriving by river". However, most authors today agree that the word came from the Innu root "Pessamit", meaning of "place where there are leeches or lampreys or sea eels". The dialect spoken at Mistissini uses the older form "upesciyâmîhc" as the
414:
in 1733 (although this post was probably located on the west bank of the
Betsiamites River rather than on the east bank where the village now stands). During that same period, numerous Jesuit missionaries evangelized and converted the Innu that visited the various trading posts along the coast.
437:, Commissioner of Crown Lands, as: "On the River St Lawrence from the River of Vases to the River of Outardes at Manicouagan about 11 miles in breadth by 10 miles in depth." (The River of Vases is now known as Ragueneau River, so the reserve roughly corresponded to the current municipality of
390:
during his hydrographic surveys of the St. Lawrence and by the Hudson's Bay
Company. Further interchangeable use between these names can be seen from the designation of the post offices on both sides of the Betsiamites River: on the west side, it was called Bersimis from 1863 to 1910, then
452:
Between 1871 and 1902, the
Bersimis post was the headquarters of HBC's Bersimis District. From 1860 on, an industrial community developed on the west side of the Betsiamites River, known as Bersimis (now Rivière-Bersimis in the
771:
386:
The names
Betsiamites and Bersimis have been in use concurrently since the mid 19th century. The Innu and Oblate missionaries used Betsiamites, whereas Bersimis was preferred by Admiral
1419:
426:
In 1845, the registers of the Notre-Dame-de-Betshiamits
Mission opened and a few years later in 1849, the Innu began to clear the site of present village in order to build a chapel.
914:
457:), that by 1900 was larger than the Innu village on the east side. In 1924, the band council permitted the Government of Quebec to construct the provincial highway (
1397:
423:(HBC) merged in 1821, the post continued to be operated by the HBC, until the lease expired the following year. The HBC reacquired the lease of Bersimis in 1831.
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1050:
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70:
1486:
99:
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688:, a forestry corporation that is managing the logging activities in the forests making up a large portion of the reserve's territory.
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During the French Era, a trading post was established at the mouth of the
Betsiamites River called Pointe-des-Bersimites by
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17:
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Indigenous people had lived or visited the site for centuries prior to arrival of Europeans. Early in the 17th century,
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In 1853, the Innu of Betsiamites were first assigned a reserve of 70,000 acres (280 km) west of the
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reported the presence of an Innu village on the North Shore of the Saint Lawrence that he identified as
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461:) across the reserve, and in 1955, the local road between the village and the highway was built.
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1024:
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada - Aboriginal Community profiles: Pessamit First Nation
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1150:
1120:
945:
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937:
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699:, the organization that manages the Papinachois Resort and the Lac-des-Îles Outfitter.
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30:
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1142:
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Other economic activities include mining, wind power, and hydroelectricity projects.
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360:
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Private dwellings occupied by usual residents (2021): 822 (total dwellings: 841)
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1333:
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1436:
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965:. Government of Canada; Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. 2024-05-03
154:
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1215:
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Natural Resources Canada - Legal Surveys Division, Historical Review -
684:
The largest employer on the reserve is the band council, followed by
370:
The reserve includes the communities of Betsiamites and Papinachois.
236:
746:(in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation
686:
Société d'aménagement et de développement forestier de Betsiamites
465:
to change the name of the reserve to the Pessamit Indian Reserve.
29:
This article is about the reserve. For the First Nation band, see
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1262:
889:. Archives of Manitoba - Keystone Archives Descriptive Database
344:
340:
144:
134:
57:
262:
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433:, known as the Manicouagan Reserve, that was described by
347:, located about 50 kilometres (31 mi) southwest from
302:
662:
Registered population of band members, as of May 2024:
714:École Nussim - Pre-Kindergarten to elementary grade 6
998:. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. Archived from
959:"First Nation Profiles: Bande des Innus de Pessamit"
717:École Uashkaikan - grades secondary 1 to secondary 5
1058:
693:Société de développement économique de Betsiamites
691:Economic development is led and supported by the
1568:
415:Eventually the trading post became part of the
819:(in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec
1413:
1180:
1044:
1194:
359:. It is across the river directly north of
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1406:
1187:
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1051:
1037:
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861:(in French). Conseil des Innus de Pessamit
853:
851:
849:
847:
655:English and French as first language: 0.2%
419:'s lease. When the North West Company and
310:
772:"Pessamit (Code 2496802) Census Profile"
766:
764:
762:
760:
697:Développement touristique de Betsiamites
443:
986:
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980:
872:
844:
811:
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14:
1569:
710:There are two schools on the reserve:
570:
494:
210:245.19 km (94.67 sq mi)
1401:
1168:
1032:
906:
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757:
1253:Innu Takuaikan Uashat makMani-Utenam
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728:
24:
1587:Hudson's Bay Company trading posts
1558:Administrative divisions of Quebec
1435: Administrative divisions of
901:
565:
489:
25:
1603:
1017:
695:, and tourism is promoted by the
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1111:
1103:
1086:
883:"Hudson's Bay Company: Bersimis"
77:
76:
69:
56:
36:Indian reserve in Quebec, Canada
1059:Adjacent Municipal Subdivisions
475:Historical census populations –
468:
1455:Regional county municipalities
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923:
838:"Grammaire de la langue innue"
830:
658:Other as first language: 86.3%
652:French as first language: 9.8%
13:
1:
1592:1861 establishments in Canada
1248:Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation
1222:Northeastern Quebec Agreement
1132:
1087:
996:Aboriginal Community profiles
817:"Pessamit (Réserve indienne)"
721:
649:English as first language: 0%
351:along the north shore of the
1236:First Nations (Indian bands)
1112:
1104:
738:Répertoire des municipalités
705:
669:On Betsiamites Reserve: 2849
373:
7:
182: • Federal riding
10:
1608:
1577:Innu communities in Quebec
679:
480:
394:
28:
1555:
1505:
1477:Le Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent
1453:
1380:
1314:La Romaine (Unamenshipit)
1270:
1259:
1243:Mushuau Innu First Nation
1235:
1207:
1064:
963:fnp-ppn.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca
780:. Government of Canada -
636:Source: Statistics Canada
635:
507:—
455:Municipality of Colombier
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1582:Communities in Côte-Nord
740:: Geographic code 96802"
477:Pessamit, Indian reserve
378:In 1931, anthropologist
1347:Natashquan (Nutashkuan)
992:"Pessamit First Nation"
1462:equivalent territories
645:Mother tongue (2021):
449:
231:9.9/km (26/sq mi)
672:On other reserves: 74
447:
388:Henry Wolsey Bayfield
254: • Summer (
1073:Rivière-aux-Outardes
666:Total members: 4,185
421:Hudson's Bay Company
407:on his map of 1632.
405:Sauvages Bersiamiste
363:. It belongs to the
355:at the mouth of the
353:Saint Lawrence River
228: • Density
1334:Mingan (Ekuantshit)
744:www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca
478:
401:Samuel de Champlain
111: /
18:Betsiamites, Quebec
1537:Havre-Saint-Pierre
1472:La Haute-Côte-Nord
1151:St. Lawrence River
1121:St. Lawrence River
917:2011-07-06 at the
887:pam.minisisinc.com
473:
450:
417:North West Company
365:Pessamit Innu Band
220: • Total
31:Pessamit Innu Band
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782:Statistics Canada
675:Off reserve: 1259
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357:Betsiamites River
339:community in the
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207: • Land
115:48.950°N 68.650°W
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1519:Baie-Comeau
1513:Forestville
1492:Caniapiscau
1482:Manicouagan
1357:Sheshatshiu
1282:(abandoned)
1279:Davis Inlet
1271:Communities
1109:Betsiamites
912:Betsiamites
777:2021 census
380:Frank Speck
349:Baie-Comeau
325:Betsiamites
292:418 and 581
275:Postal Code
186:Manicouagan
118: /
1571:Categories
1362:Pakuashipi
1339:Natuashish
1329:Matimekosh
1319:Maliotenam
1219:Innu music
1216:Nitassinan
1006:2010-06-29
865:2010-06-29
823:2010-06-29
787:2024-06-20
750:2024-06-20
722:References
435:John Rolph
323:(formerly
215:Population
177:Government
1526:Sept-Îles
1447: 09)
1437:Côte-Nord
1383:See also:
1342:(Naskapi)
1297:community
1292:(Naskapi)
1226:Côte-Nord
1143:Colombier
1078:Ragueneau
706:Education
439:Ragueneau
374:Etymology
305:.pessamit
237:Time zone
155:Côte-Nord
1497:Minganie
1367:Pessamit
1309:Lac-John
915:Archived
341:Canadian
331:), is a
329:Bersimis
321:Pessamit
141:Province
84:Pessamit
43:Pessamit
1542:Fermont
1286:Essipit
1224:(1978)
1200:Naskapi
969:21 June
893:21 June
680:Economy
395:History
298:Website
280:G0H 1B0
131:Country
106:68°39′W
103:48°57′N
1445:Region
1372:Uashat
1202:people
948:census
583:+12.0%
551:+10.7%
518:+11.2%
345:Quebec
169:Formed
151:Region
145:Quebec
135:Canada
627:+7.6%
624:2,428
621:2021
616:−6.8%
613:2,256
610:2016
605:+2.7%
602:2,420
599:2011
594:+3.0%
591:2,357
588:2006
580:2,288
577:2001
548:2,042
545:1996
540:+5.3%
537:1,844
534:1991
529:−6.6%
526:1,752
523:1986
515:1,875
512:1981
504:1,686
501:1976
327:, or
263:UTC-4
242:UTC-5
223:2,428
1459:and
1198:and
1196:Innu
971:2024
946:2021
942:2016
938:2006
934:2001
930:1996
895:2024
566:Pop.
562:Year
490:Pop.
486:Year
337:Innu
202:Area
164:None
307:.ca
303:www
267:EDT
256:DST
246:EST
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