434:
430:). 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.
60:
372:
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.
301:
1420:
1102:
1122:
1094:
380:
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.
1077:
1252:
67:
47:
453:
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
371:
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
403:
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.
426:, 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
379:
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
441:
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
760:
375:
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
1408:
415:
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.
903:
446:), 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 (
1386:
412:(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.
1401:
1465:
724:
1394:
1217:
1460:
1575:
1290:
1039:
1012:
980:
871:
59:
1475:
88:
1450:
677:, a forestry corporation that is managing the logging activities in the forests making up a large portion of the reserve's territory.
947:
900:
1416:
1480:
1470:
433:
1210:
1580:
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1485:
399:
During the French Era, a trading post was established at the mouth of the
Betsiamites River called Pointe-des-Bersimites by
1570:
1565:
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Indigenous people had lived or visited the site for centuries prior to arrival of Europeans. Early in the 17th century,
1546:
1032:
174:
1061:
1175:
1236:
1025:
1443:
1335:
418:
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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805:
826:
1433:
1231:
988:
275:
1285:
450:) across the reserve, and in 1955, the local road between the village and the highway was built.
423:
409:
321:
1086:
280:
1535:
1340:
376:
1520:
1312:
765:
341:
263:
244:
1514:
8:
1501:
1013:
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada - Aboriginal Community profiles: Pessamit First Nation
389:
300:
1350:
1317:
1302:
1168:
1139:
1109:
934:
930:
926:
922:
918:
688:, the organization that manages the Papinachois Resort and the Lac-des-Îles Outfitter.
405:
353:
184:
19:
1241:
1131:
1066:
770:
691:
Other economic activities include mining, wind power, and hydroelectricity projects.
443:
427:
345:
255:
234:
1377:
1355:
1297:
1201:
447:
349:
1017:
1530:
1274:
907:
631:
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents (2021): 822 (total dwellings: 841)
400:
1322:
419:
1559:
1374:
1198:
1161:
103:
90:
1425:
1214:
1153:
954:. Government of Canada; Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. 2024-05-03
143:
1507:
1345:
1267:
1184:
368:
337:
1327:
1307:
1207:
1204:
899:
Natural Resources Canada - Legal Surveys Division, Historical Review -
673:
The largest employer on the reserve is the band council, followed by
359:
The reserve includes the communities of Betsiamites and Papinachois.
225:
735:(in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l'Habitation
675:
Société d'aménagement et de développement forestier de Betsiamites
454:
to change the name of the reserve to the Pessamit Indian Reserve.
18:
This article is about the reserve. For the First Nation band, see
1188:
1419:
1360:
1251:
878:. Archives of Manitoba - Keystone Archives Descriptive Database
333:
329:
133:
123:
46:
251:
230:
325:
422:, known as the Manicouagan Reserve, that was described by
336:, located about 50 kilometres (31 mi) southwest from
291:
651:
Registered population of band members, as of May 2024:
703:École Nussim - Pre-Kindergarten to elementary grade 6
987:. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. Archived from
948:"First Nation Profiles: Bande des Innus de Pessamit"
706:École Uashkaikan - grades secondary 1 to secondary 5
1047:
682:Société de développement économique de Betsiamites
680:Economic development is led and supported by the
1557:
404:Eventually the trading post became part of the
808:(in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec
1402:
1169:
1033:
1183:
348:. It is across the river directly north of
1409:
1395:
1176:
1162:
1040:
1026:
866:
864:
850:(in French). Conseil des Innus de Pessamit
842:
840:
838:
836:
644:English and French as first language: 0.2%
408:'s lease. When the North West Company and
299:
761:"Pessamit (Code 2496802) Census Profile"
755:
753:
751:
749:
686:Développement touristique de Betsiamites
432:
975:
973:
971:
969:
861:
833:
800:
798:
796:
794:
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790:
788:
786:
1558:
699:There are two schools on the reserve:
559:
483:
199:245.19 km (94.67 sq mi)
1390:
1157:
1021:
895:
893:
746:
1242:Innu Takuaikan Uashat makMani-Utenam
1055:
966:
783:
717:
13:
1576:Hudson's Bay Company trading posts
1547:Administrative divisions of Quebec
1424: Administrative divisions of
890:
554:
478:
14:
1592:
1006:
684:, and tourism is promoted by the
1418:
1250:
1120:
1100:
1092:
1075:
872:"Hudson's Bay Company: Bersimis"
66:
65:
58:
45:
25:Indian reserve in Quebec, Canada
1048:Adjacent Municipal Subdivisions
464:Historical census populations –
457:
1444:Regional county municipalities
940:
912:
827:"Grammaire de la langue innue"
819:
647:Other as first language: 86.3%
641:French as first language: 9.8%
1:
1581:1861 establishments in Canada
1237:Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation
1211:Northeastern Quebec Agreement
1121:
1076:
985:Aboriginal Community profiles
806:"Pessamit (Réserve indienne)"
710:
638:English as first language: 0%
340:along the north shore of the
1225:First Nations (Indian bands)
1101:
1093:
727:Répertoire des municipalités
694:
658:On Betsiamites Reserve: 2849
362:
7:
171: • Federal riding
10:
1597:
1566:Innu communities in Quebec
668:
469:
383:
17:
1544:
1494:
1466:Le Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent
1442:
1369:
1303:La Romaine (Unamenshipit)
1259:
1248:
1232:Mushuau Innu First Nation
1224:
1196:
1053:
952:fnp-ppn.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca
769:. Government of Canada -
625:Source: Statistics Canada
624:
496:—
444:Municipality of Colombier
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53:
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37:
30:
1571:Communities in Côte-Nord
729:: Geographic code 96802"
466:Pessamit, Indian reserve
367:In 1931, anthropologist
1336:Natashquan (Nutashkuan)
981:"Pessamit First Nation"
1451:equivalent territories
634:Mother tongue (2021):
438:
220:9.9/km (26/sq mi)
661:On other reserves: 74
436:
377:Henry Wolsey Bayfield
243: • Summer (
1062:Rivière-aux-Outardes
655:Total members: 4,185
410:Hudson's Bay Company
396:on his map of 1632.
394:Sauvages Bersiamiste
352:. It belongs to the
344:at the mouth of the
342:Saint Lawrence River
217: • Density
1323:Mingan (Ekuantshit)
733:www.mamh.gouv.qc.ca
467:
390:Samuel de Champlain
100: /
1526:Havre-Saint-Pierre
1461:La Haute-Côte-Nord
1140:St. Lawrence River
1110:St. Lawrence River
906:2011-07-06 at the
876:pam.minisisinc.com
462:
439:
406:North West Company
354:Pessamit Innu Band
209: • Total
20:Pessamit Innu Band
1553:
1552:
1384:
1383:
1332:
1282:
1151:
1150:
1146:
1145:
771:Statistics Canada
664:Off reserve: 1259
629:
628:
620:
619:
544:
543:
346:Betsiamites River
328:community in the
307:
306:
196: • Land
104:48.950°N 68.650°W
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1378:Category:Naskapi
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989:the original
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276:Area code(s)
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1508:Baie-Comeau
1502:Forestville
1481:Caniapiscau
1471:Manicouagan
1346:Sheshatshiu
1271:(abandoned)
1268:Davis Inlet
1260:Communities
1098:Betsiamites
901:Betsiamites
766:2021 census
369:Frank Speck
338:Baie-Comeau
314:Betsiamites
281:418 and 581
264:Postal Code
175:Manicouagan
107: /
1560:Categories
1351:Pakuashipi
1328:Natuashish
1318:Matimekosh
1308:Maliotenam
1208:Innu music
1205:Nitassinan
995:2010-06-29
854:2010-06-29
812:2010-06-29
776:2024-06-20
739:2024-06-20
711:References
424:John Rolph
312:(formerly
204:Population
166:Government
1515:Sept-Îles
1436: 09)
1426:Côte-Nord
1372:See also:
1331:(Naskapi)
1286:community
1281:(Naskapi)
1215:Côte-Nord
1132:Colombier
1067:Ragueneau
695:Education
428:Ragueneau
363:Etymology
294:.pessamit
226:Time zone
144:Côte-Nord
1486:Minganie
1356:Pessamit
1298:Lac-John
904:Archived
330:Canadian
320:), is a
318:Bersimis
310:Pessamit
130:Province
73:Pessamit
32:Pessamit
1531:Fermont
1275:Essipit
1213:(1978)
1189:Naskapi
958:21 June
882:21 June
669:Economy
384:History
287:Website
269:G0H 1B0
120:Country
95:68°39′W
92:48°57′N
1434:Region
1361:Uashat
1191:people
937:census
572:+12.0%
540:+10.7%
507:+11.2%
334:Quebec
158:Formed
140:Region
134:Quebec
124:Canada
616:+7.6%
613:2,428
610:2021
605:−6.8%
602:2,256
599:2016
594:+2.7%
591:2,420
588:2011
583:+3.0%
580:2,357
577:2006
569:2,288
566:2001
537:2,042
534:1996
529:+5.3%
526:1,844
523:1991
518:−6.6%
515:1,752
512:1986
504:1,875
501:1981
493:1,686
490:1976
316:, or
252:UTC-4
231:UTC-5
212:2,428
1448:and
1187:and
1185:Innu
960:2024
935:2021
931:2016
927:2006
923:2001
919:1996
884:2024
555:Pop.
551:Year
479:Pop.
475:Year
326:Innu
191:Area
153:None
296:.ca
292:www
256:EDT
245:DST
235:EST
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