The Weskarini Algonquin First Nation, also known as Wàwàckeciriniwak ("people of the deer

clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, a clan may claim descent from a founding member or apical ancestor who serves as a symbol of the clan's unity. Many societie ...

), the Algonquian Proper, La Petite Nation, Little Nation, Ouaouechkairini, Ouassouarini, Ouescharini, Ouionontateronon (Wyandot language), or Petite Nation, are a group of

indigenous peoples in Canada Indigenous peoples in Canada (also known as Aboriginals) are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples within the boundaries of Canada. They comprise the First Nations in Canada, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis#Métis people in ...

. They have been confused with the

Petun The Petun (from ), also known as the Tobacco people or Tionontati (Dionnontate, Etionontate, Etionnontateronnon, Tuinontatek, Dionondadie, or Khionotaterrhonon) ("People among the hills/mountains"), were an indigenous Iroquoian people of the w ...

in some writings, but are in fact a separate group. Their traditional homeland is located on the north side of the

Ottawa River The Ottawa River (, ) is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is named after the Algonquin word "to trade", as it was the major trade route of Eastern Canada at the time. For most of its length, it defines the border betw ...

along the Lievre River and the Rouge River in Quebec. They also lived near Petite-Nation River which is so named in reference to the Weskarini. The Weskarini had good trade relations with the

Wyandot Wyandot may refer to: Native American ethnography * Wyandot people, who have been called Wyandotte, Huron, Wendat and Quendat * Wyandot language, an Iroquoian language * Wyandot Nation of Kansas, an unrecognized tribe and nonprofit organization ...

(which are mistaken for the Wendat Huron People) in their region before and during the early colonial period.

Relations with the French

At the time of first contact with French settlers, the Weskarini traded at the mouths of the

St. Maurice Maurice (also Moritz, Morris, Maurits, or Mauritius; ) was an Egyptian military leader who headed the legendary Theban Legion of Rome in the 3rd century, and is one of the favourite and most widely venerated saints of that martyred group. He is t ...

, Dumoine, and

Gatineau Gatineau ( ; ) is a city in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It is located on the northern bank of the Ottawa River, directly across from Ottawa, Ontario. Gatineau is the largest city in the Outaouais administrative region of Quebec and is also p ...

Rivers. Initially allied with the French during the early colonial period, many Weskarini intermarried with French settlers.

Conflicts and the Scattering of the People

The Weskarini were also allied with the Arendahronon (Rock Tribe/Clan) Huron. These groups often wintered together, and both groups engaged in conflicts with the

Iroquois The Iroquois ( ), also known as the Five Nations, and later as the Six Nations from 1722 onwards; alternatively referred to by the Endonym and exonym, endonym Haudenosaunee ( ; ) are an Iroquoian languages, Iroquoian-speaking Confederation#Ind ...

. Many Weskarini eventually moved to

Trois-Rivières Trois-Rivières (, ; ) is a city in the Mauricie administrative region of Quebec, Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice River, Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence River, Saint Lawrence rivers, on the north shore of the Sain ...

to seek help from the Jesuits. The Jesuits offered protection only to those who converted to

Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

. During a major Iroquois offensive in 1652, the main band of Weskarini fled north from the Ottawa River. Many were massacred near their sacred

Mont Tremblant Mont Tremblant () is a mountain of the Laurentian Mountains, reaching an altitude of 932 metres. It is located in the province of Quebec, Canada, in Mont-Tremblant National Park, about 15 km northeast of the town of Mont-Tremblant and east ...

, deep inside their ancestral territory.

Sacred Places

''Manitonga Soutana'': Known as Mont Tremblant, this contemporary French name references the sacred mountain known as Manitou Ewitchi Saga, the mountain of the great god, or Manitonga Soutana, the mountain of the spirits. This sacred place trembles when humans make too many changes to the natural order of things. ''Migizi Kiishkaabikaan'': Also known as Oiseau Rock or Bird Rock. This rock, located in Oiseau Bay, is covered with many

petroglyph A petroglyph is an image created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading, as a form of rock art. Outside North America, scholars often use terms such as "carving", "engraving", or other descriptions ...

Contemporary Weskarini

Today, many Weskarini descendants (some of whom primarily consider themselves “mixed,” which is better known in Canada as one of their three official Indigenous peoples - that being “Métis.” Whereas there are other direct blood descendants who identify solely as Algonquin “Weskarini”) work to rebuild their knowledge of the

Algonquin language Algonquin (also spelled Algonkin; in Algonquin: or ) is either a distinct Algonquian languages, Algonquian language closely related to the Ojibwe language or a particularly divergent Ojibwe language dialects, Ojibwe dialect. It is spoken, alon ...

and shared cultural identity. Some contemporary Weskarini express concerns over the ongoing development of sacred Manitonga Soutana, the destruction of land and water in unceded territory, and the appropriation and trademarking of the Weskarini name by developers in the area.

References

{{authority control First Nations in Quebec Algonquin