Manawan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Manawan
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 Manawan
Location in Central Quebec
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| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Quebec |
| Region | Lanaudière |
| Regional county | none |
| Settled | 1870 |
| Founded | August 29, 1906 (reserve) |
| Area | |
| • Land | 8.03 km2 (3.10 sq mi) |
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 2,000 |
| • Density | 249.2/km2 (645/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Postal Code |
J0K 1M0
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| Area code(s) | 819 |
| Website | www.manawan.com |
Manawan (pronounced Mah-nah-wahn) is a special place in Quebec, Canada. It is an First Nations reserve located on the southwestern shore of Lake Métabeskéga. This community is home to the Atikamekw of Manawan band, part of the larger Atikamekw Nation.
The reserve used to be called Manouane until 1991. It is about 5 kilometers (3 miles) long and 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) wide. Manawan is surrounded by an unorganized territory called Baie-Atibenne. It is about 72 kilometers (45 miles) north of Saint-Michel-des-Saints and can be reached by a gravel road.
The name Manawan comes from the nearby Manouane River. In the Atikamekw language, Manawan means "place where they gather eggs."
Contents
What's in a Name? The Meaning of Manawan
The name "Manawan" means "place where we gather eggs" in the Atikamekw language. The original name for the village's location was Metapeckeka. This means "where swamps emerge" or "savannah that emerges from a bay."
Where is Manawan Located?
Manawan is an Indian Reserve found within the Baie-Atibenne unorganized territory. This area is in the Lanaudière region of Quebec. It is about 113 kilometers (70 miles) northeast of Mont-Laurier. The reserve covers an area of about 774 hectares (1,913 acres).
Manawan is connected by a gravel road to Saint-Michel-des-Saints, which is to the south. Saint-Michel-des-Saints is the closest town where people can find services. The biggest city closest to Manawan is Montreal.
Manawan's Past: A Brief History
For a long time, even before 1850, the shores of Lake Métabeskéga were a meeting spot for Atikamekw families. These families came from Wemotaci. This area was close to their winter hunting grounds. In the 1800s, it was known as Metapeckeka. This name described how the lake often had floating plant pieces blown from the banks.
Around 1870, logging companies started working in the area. This led several families to settle permanently in this spot. A year later, the Hudson's Bay Company opened a trading post there. However, in the early 1900s, dams were built on Kempt, Manawan, and Châteauvert Lakes. This caused the old village to flood. So, a new village was built downstream, where Manawan is today.
It was not easy for the Atikamekw people to get a reserve for themselves. Chief Louis Néwashish asked the Canadian Government many times for this part of their land. But his requests were turned down. The government said that the Maniwaki reserve, created in 1850, was for them. The Atikamekw refused to live there. The government still said no, arguing that Wemotaci was also for them.
After many years of letters and trips by birch-bark canoe to Ottawa, and long talks, the government finally agreed. On August 29, 1906, the Manouane Reserve was officially created. It had about 771 hectares (1,906 acres) of land and around 50 people living there.
The Hudson's Bay Company store closed around 1941. The village grew more in the 1950s. This happened as more families moved there because of more logging and the building of large dams. In 1973, Manawan was finally connected by road to Saint-Michel-des-Saints.
How Manawan's Land Was Set Aside
- 1861: An act was passed to set aside land for Indigenous peoples.
- 1906: Land was surveyed for the Manawan reserve. It was about 771.32 hectares (1,906 acres).
- August 29, 1906: The management of this land was officially transferred from the Government of Quebec to the Government of Canada.
Today, the land remains undivided. It was set aside under the 1861 Act and transferred in 1906.
People of Manawan: Population and Language
Manawan has seen its population grow over the years. Here's a look at how many people have lived there:
- Population in 2021: 2000
- Population in 2016: 2060
- Population in 2011: 2073
- Population in 2001: 1646
- Population in 1996: 1416
- Population in 1991: 1224
Most people in Manawan speak the Atikamekw language.
- Atikamekw: 97.1%
- French: 2.4%
- English: 0.2%
- Other languages: 0.2%
Learning in Manawan: Schools
There are two schools in the Manawan reserve:
- École Simon P. Ottawa (Simon P. Ottawa School): This school teaches children from pre-kindergarten up to Elementary grade 6.
- École secondaire Otapi (Otapi High School): This school is for older students, from Secondary 1 to Secondary 5.
