Waskaganish, Quebec

Waskaganish is a Cree village of about 2000 people on the south-east shore of James Bay in the municipality of Baie-James, Quebec, Canada. It is located at the mouth of the Rupert River. "Waskaganish" means "little house" in Cree.

Waskaganish has had road access to the James Bay Road since 2001. It has two school facilities: Ecole Annie Whiskeychan School (primary) and Ecole Wiinibekuu School (secondary).

History

In 1668, a fort was established here by French explorer, Médard des Groseilliers, known as Rupert House and Fort Rupert. It became the first fur trading post and store of the Hudson's Bay Company.

In 1686 the French captured the fort from the English and not until 1776 did the HBC reestablish a post here. From then on until the early 1900's, Fort Rupert was an important trading location, supplying inland communities and other posts via the Rupert River with regular canoe brigades.

Contemporary

The James Bay Project impacts Waskaganish.

Billy Diamond was the chief of the Waskaganish Cree starting in 1970. cite web |url=http://www.powertochange.ie/changed/bdiamond.html |title=Billy Diamond |accessdate=2008-02-03 |quote=I became chief of our Cree community when I was 21. ... Four years later I became the first Grand Chief of the Cree Grand Council. I used this position to help my people develop. We modernized the villages, built housing and schools and encouraged health and economic development. I was very successful in this position. But like all successes, it had it's drawbacks, especially in my personal life. |publisher=Power To Change ]

References

External links

* [http://www.waskaganish.ca/ Official website]
*http://www.ottertooth.com/Native_K/waskaganish.htm
*http://www.cpcml.ca/Tmld2002/D32027.htm