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, reaching 2,101 members today. In addition, just under 400 Abenakis live in the two (2) communities, which cover a total area of just under seven square kilometers.
Odanak and Wôlinak are residential communities located near Sorel and Trois-Rivières. The development of tourism projects allows the Abenaki people to boost their economy while preserving their culture and traditions. For example, since 1960, the Odanak Historical Society has managed one of the largest and first Indigenous museums in Quebec, located a few kilometers from the Quebec City-Montreal axis. The Abenaki Museum welcomes over 5,000 visitors each year.
Several Abenaki businesses are very successful: Wôlinak, the company Général Fibre de Verre Enr. employs a dozen Indigenous people and has annual sales of over $3 million. In Odanak, Transport DSD Inc. is active in the transportation and distribution sector. Other notable businesses include Le Calumet restaurant, Dépan-O-gaz convenience store, Odanak cheese factory, etc. Well-known Abenaki personalities include filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin (NFB), singer Sylvie Bernard, and former Radio-Canada host Jean-Paul Nolet.