Wôlinak, Quebec

Wôlinak is an Indian reservation in the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the urban area of ​​Becancour. The almost 0.5 km ² reserve Wôlinak No. 11 had in 2006, 168 residents of Indian descent, mostly Eastern Abenaki.

History

The first inhabitants of Wôlinak were Indian families from strains of the Western and Eastern Abenaki. They came at the beginning of the 17th century and settled on Puante River, which was later renamed after the French Baron Becancour Becancour in Riviere. The area was known to the Indians Namesokântsik, that is where there are many fish and which is known under the name Mégantic today. In its heyday Wôlinak had more than 600 residents, but the number declined sharply as a result of a series of wars and epidemics. The presence of French settlers and the Jesuit who fought the widespread alcohol abuse among the Indians, drove some Abenaki family from Wôlinak.

Wôlinak was founded in 1704 as an Indian reservation for living in Maine Abenaki who were considered allies of the French colonial power. From here, the warriors moved in small groups across the border and attacked the British settlements in New England. Two permanent Abenaki communities had in the meantime developed in Québec: Wôlinak or Becancour near Trois- Rivières, which consisted mainly of Eastern Abenaki from southern Maine and Odanak or St. Francois, about 45 km southwest of the of a mixture was inhabited from the Western Abenaki, Penacook and New England Algonquin. In 1735 Wôlinak - Abenaki attracted to the place where their descendants are still to be found. Meanwhile, converted to Christianity, they built a wooden church here of around 20 meters long and 10 meters wide. The Jesuit Father Eustace Lesueur held the service, which was also attended by the white inhabitants Bécancours.

In the British -American War of 1812, the residents fought on the side of the British. They had to find on their return that white settlers had occupied a large part of their reserve. Enraged, they put some of the white houses on fire and called back their land, but got only a fraction of their former significantly larger reserve authority.

Current situation

The official name of the reserve residents called Waban - Aki Nation, which include a total of 311 people. The 0.49 km ² large reserve is approximately 168 (2006) permanent residents who also all mastered their traditional tribal language other than French. Every two years, elected the members of the Tribal Council, which consists of a chairman and four consultants. In a new building from 1998 is the health area and the administrative Wôlinaks.