Title

Ninawit : Fort Témiscamingue

Creator

Minwashin

Language

eng

fra

Spatial Coverage

Timiskaming (Témiscamingue) - Notre-Dame-du-Nord

Description

00:00:00 – 00:01:47 – Millennia-long Indigenous presence
The Algonquins have occupied the Abitibi-Témiscamingue territory for 6,000 to 8,000 years, as confirmed by archaeological evidence. This territory was a place of spirituality and gathering, gradually abandoned due to colonization.

00:01:48 – 00:06:17 – Colonization and trading posts
French and English colonization transformed the territory with the establishment of forts, notably at Lake Témiscamingue, a strategic point for the fur trade. Religious missions and exchanges altered Indigenous ways of life.

00:06:36 – 00:14:34 – Intermarriage and social life
Marriages between Hudson’s Bay Company employees and Algonquin women fostered commercial alliances and gave rise to Métis families. The trading post became a social hub, leading to a transition toward sedentarization.

00:14:59 – 00:17:48 – Trade, food, and economy
The introduction of salt for preserving meat and the exchange of goods transformed dietary and economic habits. The Algonquins were skilled negotiators.

00:17:57 – 00:21:54 – Heritage recognition and historical issues
The Fort Témiscamingue site was recognized as a National Historic Site in the 1970s. The discovery of an Indigenous cemetery renewed Algonquin involvement, leading to an agreement with Parks Canada for shared site management.

00:22:06 – 00:27:51 – Cultural transmission and celebration
Today, the site serves as a gathering and celebration place where the Témiscamingue First Nation community shares its culture, language, and traditions with visitors. Activities like birchbark canoe making, dances, and traditional foods strengthen pride and intergenerational knowledge transmission.

Format

Video recording

Étendue

28 min.

Date Created

2019

Date Modified

29-10-2025

Access Rights

Open access

License

Protected by copyrights

Identifier

minwashin-ninawit-video-002