Innu Nation of Matimekush-Lac John facts for kids
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| People | Innu |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Schefferville |
| Province | Quebec |
| Land | |
| Main reserve | Matimekosh |
| Other reserve(s) | |
| Land area | 0.889 km2 |
| Population (October 2019) | |
| On reserve | 851 |
| On other land | 60 |
| Off reserve | 127 |
| Total population | 1038 |
| Government | |
| Chief | Réal McKenzie |
| Council |
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| Tribal Council | |
| Mamuitun Tribal Council | |
| Website | |
| Matimekush.com | |
The Innu Nation of Matimekush-Lac John (also known as La Nation Innu Matimekush-Lac John in French) is a First Nation community in Quebec, Canada. They are based near Schefferville. The people in this community are Innu people. They speak the Innu language, which is part of the larger Algonquian language family. This language is similar to Cree and Naskapi.
Contents
Where is Matimekush-Lac John Located?
The community of Schefferville is in northern Quebec. It is less than 2 kilometers (about 1.2 miles) from the border with Labrador. This area is part of the Côte-Nord (North Coast) region of Quebec.
The Reserves of the Nation
The Innu Nation of Matimekush-Lac John manages two special areas called Indian reserves:
- Matimekosh 3 is a small area of about 65.4 hectares (161.6 acres). It is located right in the middle of the town of Schefferville.
- Lac-John is about 23.5 hectares (58 acres) in size. It is located about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) north of Schefferville.
How to Get There
Schefferville and its reserves are not connected to the main highway system. You can reach the community in two ways:
- By Air: Through the Schefferville Airport.
- By Rail: Using the Tshiuetin Rail Transportation train line. The Innu Nation of Matimekush-Lac John partly owns this railway.
How Many People Live Here?
As of October 2019, the Nation had 1,038 registered members. Out of these, 851 people lived on the two reserves.
Population Growth
According to Statistics Canada's 2016 Canadian Census:
- Matimekosh had 613 residents. This was an increase of 13.5% from 540 residents in 2011.
- Lac-John had 33 residents. This was a big increase of 57.1% from 21 residents in 2011.
Languages Spoken
In the 2016 Census, most people in the community spoke an Indigenous language at home (94.6%). For 86.8% of the people, an Indigenous language was the first language they learned.
- 7.0% of the people could speak only English.
- 54.3% could speak only French.
- 27.9% could speak both English and French.
- 10.9% could not speak either of Canada's official languages.
How the Nation is Governed
The Innu Nation of Matimekush-Lac John has a council that leads the community. This council has five members:
- A chief.
- Four councilors.
For the years 2019 to 2022, Réal McKenzie was the chief.
