Mistissini facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mistissini
ᒥᔅᑎᓯᓃ (Mistisinî)
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Terre réservée crie (Cree reserved land)
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 Mistissini
Location in Quebec
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Quebec |
| Region | Nord-du-Québec |
| Territory | Eeyou Istchee |
| Area | |
| • Total | 852.05 km2 (328.98 sq mi) |
| • Land | 807.75 km2 (311.87 sq mi) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 3,731 |
| Website | Mistissini.ca |
Mistissini (Cree: ᒥᔅᑎᓯᓃ, romanized: Mistisinî meaning Big Rock) is a special town for the Cree people in Quebec, Canada. Its name, Mistisinî, means Big Rock in the Cree language. This town is located right on the southeast side of Lake Mistassini, which is the biggest natural lake in Quebec!
Mistissini is part of the Baie-James Municipality. It is the second largest Cree community, with about 3,731 people living there in 2021. The town covers an area of about 807.75 square kilometres (311.87 sq mi).
This community is an important part of the Grand Council of the Crees (Eeyou Istchee) and the Cree Regional Authority. The main offices for the Cree School Board and the Cree Construction Company are located here.
Mistissini is about 90 kilometres (56 mi) northeast of the town of Chibougamau. A paved road connects the two towns. Mistissini also has a fishing lodge with 20 rooms and a restaurant for visitors.
Contents
History of Mistissini
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The Cree people have lived in the area around Lake Mistassini and the Rupert River for hundreds of years. French explorers and traders first came to this region in the 1600s. By the late 1600s, a trading post was set up on Lake Mistassini.
A trading post is a place where people can trade goods, like furs. The location of this trading post changed a few times. In 1821, the Hudson's Bay Company built a trading post exactly where the village is today.
Travel Routes to the Trading Post
Supplies for the trading post used to arrive by canoe. These canoes traveled from Rupert House (now Waskaganish) up the Rupert River. Sometimes, they came through Neoskweskau, which was another Cree site on the Eastmain River.
Later, the travel routes changed. In 1910, when a railroad was built, supplies came through Oskelaneo. After that, the route shifted to the Lac Saint-Jean area. Finally, a road reached Mistissini in 1970, making travel much easier.
Past Names of the Area
Over time, the area of Mistissini and its trading posts were known by different names. Some of these names included "Maison Dorval," "Patagoosh," "Abatagoushe," "Mistassini," and "Baie-du-Poste."
Education in Mistissini
The Cree School Board is in charge of education in Mistissini. They operate two schools in the community. These schools are Voyageur Memorial Elementary School (VMES) and Voyageur Memorial High School (Cree: ᕛᔨᒐᕐ ᑳ ᐃᔥᐹᒡ ᒋᔅᑯᑕᒫᒉᐅᑲᒥᒄ). The Voyageur Memorial School building was first built in 1983.
