Pakuashipi, Quebec

In the Pakua Shipu or Montagnais de Pakua Shipi is one of the 39 Canadian First Nations who live in the province of Quebec. They live in the east of the province and from the rest, about 16,000 Innu to their tribal group they belong to, as Pakua - shipiunnuat called and are considered the most conservative among the Innu. Only about one in twenty of them speak French, the rest Innu. At the same time, they belong to the existing since 2000 Innu tribal council, the Mamit Innuat, which includes in addition to the Pakua Shipu nor the Ekuanitshit that Nutashkuan and Unamen Shipu.

The more than 300 members scoring ethnic group lives on the west bank of the Rivière St -Augustin 550 km north-east of Sept- Iles. Pakua Shipu is the name of the river in the language of the tribe; he means something, dried out river '. The territory of the Innu tribe can only be reached by plane or by boat. Current chief - the last election took place in 2012 - is Denis Mestenapéo. In December 2011 339 people were registered as members of the tribe, in May 2013 there were 350 of which 26 were living in their own reserve, 8 in other reserves, 313 on its own crown land and 3 outside.

In July 1949, the provincial government offered the tribe a reservation ( reserve ) of 1.3 ha area at, but the government in Ottawa refused to do so, as she held the trunk for too small. To secure a primary care group was resettled in the early 1960s to La Romaine or Unamenshipit and united with the Indians living there. But she returned despite a heavy storm back to their ancestral territory. It was only on June 4, 1971 prompted the provincial government to build houses.

On July 27, 1987, the date Saint Augustine band said strain took the name Pakua Shipi Montagnais on tape. 1991 were counted 211 tribesmen, 1996 242, 2001 there were 228, in 2006 289, in September 2013 353

The only school in the settlement is the École Pakuashipish, which in 2009 had 88 students. It ranges from the manger to the Secondary grade 4