History
Yesterday
The Abenaki settled in Quebec between 1676 and 1680 in the Sillery region and subsequently lived for some twenty years on the banks of the Chaudière River, near the falls, before settling in Odanak and Wôlinak in the early 18th century. Their original name is derived from the terms w8bAn (light) and aKi (earth), which mean “people of the morning” or “people of the east.”
At that time, the Abenaki practiced a subsistence economy based on hunting, fishing, trapping, gathering berries, and farming corn, beans, squash, potatoes, and tobacco. They made woven baskets from ash and sweetgrass for gathering wild berries and boiled maple sap to make syrup. During the French and Indian Wars, the Abenaki allied themselves with the French. An anecdote from this episode tells the story of a warrior named Nescambuit who defended the Nation from the enemies of King Louis XIV, who knighted him. Basket weaving remains a traditional activity for members of both communities.
TODAY
The Abenaki population has more than doubled over the past decade and now numbers approximately 3,780 members. Of these, just under 600 live in the community of Odanak.
The development of tourism initiatives allows the Abenaki Nation to strengthen its economy while preserving its culture and traditions. Since 1960, for example, the Odanak Historical Society has operated one of Québec’s largest Indigenous museums – and the province’s first Indigenous museum – located just a few kilometres from the Québec City-Montréal corridor. The Musée des Abénakis welcomes more than 5,000 visitors each year.
Several Abenaki-owned businesses have achieved notable success. Well-known Abenaki figures also include filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin (National Film Board of Canada), singer Sylvie Bernard, and former Radio-Canada host Jean-Paul Nolet.