Wemotaci, Quebec

Wemotaci
First Nations reserve

Weymontachie, 1913
Wemotaci
Coordinates: 47°54′25″N 73°47′00″W / 47.90694°N 73.78333°W / 47.90694; -73.78333Coordinates: 47°54′25″N 73°47′00″W / 47.90694°N 73.78333°W / 47.90694; -73.78333
Country  Canada
Province  Quebec
Region Mauricie
Census division La Tuque
Settled 1806 (trading post)
Founded 1853 (reserve)
Government[1]
 • Chief David Boivin
 • Federal riding Saint-Maurice—Champlain
 • Prov. riding Laviolette
Area[1][2]
 • Total 33.30 km2 (12.86 sq mi)
 • Land 31.02 km2 (11.98 sq mi)
Population (2011)[2]
 • Total 1,194
 • Density 38.5/km2 (100/sq mi)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
Postal Code G0X 3R0
Area code(s) 819
Website www.wemotaci.com

Wemotaci (designated as Weymontachie 23 until 1997) is a First Nations reserve on the north shore of the Saint-Maurice River at the mouth of the Manouane River (La Tuque) in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada. Together with the Obedjiwan and the Coucoucache Indian Reserve No. 24, it belongs to the Atikamekw First Nation.[3]

The reserve, an enclave within the City of La Tuque, is bordered to the west and south by the Saint-Maurice River, whereas its eastern boundary is about 3.8 kilometres (2.4 mi) long, and its northern boundary is 7.8 kilometres (4.8 mi). It is accessible by gravel road from La Tuque's town centre through the hamlet of Sanmaur that is on the opposite shore of the Saint-Maurice River. Also at this location, the Canadian National Railway crosses the river and has a siding at Sanmaur.

Economy

The local economy is based on the art and craft, shops and services, forestry, trapping, construction, tourism, transport and outfitters.

Etymology

Like many other native names, Wemotaci underwent many spelling variations over time. The oldest reference to the toponym is from 1724. In 1827, it was written as Montachene, and in 1829 as Weymontachinque, in 1830 as Waimootansking, in 1832 as Weymontachingue and Warmontashingen, in 1837 as Warmontaching. The 1932 spelling of Weymontachingue on the map of John Arrowsmith became the most common form until 1986, when it was replaced by Weymontachie, as demanded by the local band council. The standardized writing of the Atikamekw language spells it as Wemotaci, which was made official in March 1997.[4]

History

The area of the upper Saint-Maurice River had long been the homeland and hunting grounds of the Atikamekw indigenous people. Some sources claim that the North West Company had already established a trading post at this place between 1770 and 1780, but this remains doubtful. Confirmation of the existence of a trading post at Wemotaci came in 1806, when Jean-Baptiste Perrault built the first structures for fur trading. In 1821, the post was taken over by the Hudson's Bay Company.[4]

In 1851, the Government enacted the allotment of 230,000 acres (930 km2) of land as reserves for the use and benefit of the "Indian" tribes residing in Lower Canada. Two years later, these lands were distributed among the Atikamekw, Algonquins, and Abenakis by John Rolph, Commissioner of Crown Lands. On August 9, 1853, this was made official by the Governor General in Council.[5]

But the Atikamekw didn't give up their nomadic life and settle on the reserve. And it wasn't until 1895 that the reserve was surveyed. The construction of a dam and the National Transcontinental Railway led to the growth of the Sanmaur settlement, which in turn attracted the Atikamekw to the reserve at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1939 however, the Hudson's Bay Company left Weymontachingue and due to lack of funding for maintenance of the village, its population stopped growing after 1950, when its inhabitants began to leave and settled either in Sanmaur or in other nearby villages.[4]

In the 1970s, the village revitalized. A new village was built closer to its namesake mountain. In 1971, the Federal Government bought the lands of the Hudson's Bay Company and these were subsequently added to the reserve.[4][5]

In May 2010, many residents of Wemotaci were evacuated as a forest fire threatened their homes.[6]

Demographics

Canada census – Wemotaci, Quebec community profile
2011 2006 2001
Population: 1194 (11.3% from 2006) 1073 (3.0% from 2001) 1042 (21.7% from 1996)
Land area: 31.02 km2 (11.98 sq mi) 31.02 km2 (11.98 sq mi) 31.02 km2 (11.98 sq mi)
Population density: 38.5/km2 (100/sq mi) 34.6/km2 (90/sq mi) 33.6/km2 (87/sq mi)
Median age: 20.3 (M: 20.4, F: 20.3) 20.9 (M: 20.8, F: 21.0) 18.1 (M: 19.5, F: 16.7)
Total private dwellings: 347 302 236
Median household income: $38,528 $37,440
References: 2011[7] 2006[8] 2001[9]

Historic populations:[10]

Mother tongue:[2]

Education

There are two schools on the reserve:[3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Wemotaci". Répertoire des municipalités (in French). Ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l'Occupation du territoire. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
  2. 1 2 3 "Wemotaci, Quebec (Code 2490802) and La Tuque, Quebec (Code 2490) (table)". 2011 Census of Population. Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
  3. 1 2 Indian and Northern Affairs Canada - Aboriginal Community profile: Wemotaci First Nation
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Wemotaci (Réserve indienne)" (in French). Commission de toponymie du Québec. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
  5. 1 2 Natural Resources Canada - Legal Surveys Division, Historical Review - Wemotaci
  6. ↑ Quebec forest fire force 1,300 from homes -
  7. ↑ "2011 Community Profiles". Canada 2011 Census. Statistics Canada. July 5, 2013. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
  8. ↑ "2006 Community Profiles". Canada 2006 Census. Statistics Canada. March 30, 2011. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
  9. ↑ "2001 Community Profiles". Canada 2001 Census. Statistics Canada. February 17, 2012. Retrieved 2012-10-26.
  10. ↑ Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001 census
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