Mushuau Innu First Nation facts for kids

The Mushuau Innu First Nation is a First Nations group in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. They have a special land area called a reserve. Since 2002, this reserve has been near the community of Natuashish. Before that, it was in Davis Inlet. The reserve is about 44 square kilometres (11,000 acres) in size.

The Mushuau Innu and the Naskapi people were once the same group. They spoke the same language and used a special writing system called syllabics. Over time, they separated and moved to Eastern Labrador, likely to find enough food and resources. Today, very few Mushuau Innu can write in syllabics. Most of the community follows the Catholic faith and use the Montagnais Bible, which does not use syllabics.

The leader of this First Nation is Chief John Nui. As of October 2019^[update], there are 1072 registered people in the Nation. About 991 of them live on the reserve. In 2021, the population of Natuashish was 856 people.

History of the Mushuau Innu

The Naskapi people traditionally lived in the inner parts of Labrador and Quebec. In the 1830s, the Hudson's Bay Company set up trading posts. One was at Fort Chimo in 1830, and another at Davis Inlet in Labrador in 1831.

Changes to Traditional Life

Around 1916, the Naskapi's traditional way of life became difficult. This was because the caribou herds, which they relied on for food, became too small. In the same year, a Naskapi settlement was noted at "Old Davis Inlet." This was on the mainland of Labrador.

In 1942, the government took control of the trading post at Davis Inlet. A few years later, in 1945, a Catholic missionary started a church in the community. The 1945 census showed a large Innu community at Davis Inlet. Some residents used the surname "Rich," but most did not use a last name. A small Innu group also lived in Nain.

Community Moves and Challenges

In 1948, the government moved 74 Innu people from Davis Inlet to Nutak. Nutak was an Inuit community in the north that is now empty. The Innu were not asked if they wanted to move. After one year, they walked back to Davis Inlet. It is not clear why they were moved in the first place.

After Newfoundland and Labrador joined Canada in 1949, the Indian Act was not applied to the Innu. This was because Indigenous people in Labrador could vote before joining Canada, while status Indians in other parts of Canada could not vote at that time. Many Innu did not know about the Indian Act or its benefits until 1969. They felt that the governments had ignored them.

In 1967, "Old Davis Inlet" was left behind. The Innu moved to the modern settlement of Davis Inlet on Iluikoyak Island. The government hoped to help the Innu's economy by getting them involved in fishing. They also provided ferry service to connect Davis Inlet to the rest of Labrador and Newfoundland. The Innu were promised good new homes. However, these houses were not built well. Some did not have running water in winter, and others had no running water at all. The land made it hard to build basements or a proper sewage system. A sad event happened in 1992 when a house fire took the lives of six children.

Working for Rights

In December 1993, the Mushuau Innu Band Council asked a judge and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to leave their community. This was because the Innu were not happy with how Canadian laws were being used for their people. They also felt the RCMP did not have power in their community. This disagreement lasted until March 1995. Then, an agreement was signed to have Indigenous police officers work with the RCMP.

In February 1995, the Mushuau Innu also took action regarding a mining project at Voisey's Bay. They arrived at the mining camp to show their concerns. About 80 Innu were at the site, and some equipment was damaged. The RCMP sent officers to keep order. The situation was resolved when the mining company agreed to involve the Innu in the planning of the project.

In November 1999, an organization called Survival International released a report about the Labrador Innu.

The Innu wanted to move to the mainland for better housing and to help with community issues. The government agreed to build a new community called Natuashish at Sango Pond. In the 1999 provincial election, Simeon Tshakapesh became the first Innu person to run for election in the province.

The challenges faced by the Davis Inlet community were shown in the 1996 documentary film Utshimassits: Place of the Boss.

Current Situation

The Mushuau Innu gained official recognition under the Indian Act in 2002. Natuashish became a federal Indian reserve in 2003. The new community has better homes than the old settlement at Davis Inlet. It is also easier for the Innu to reach their traditional hunting grounds from Natuashish.

A ferry service, the MV Kamutik W, travels from Happy Valley-Goose Bay to several communities, including Natuashish, every summer. Natuashish can also be reached by air through the Natuashish Airport.

The Innu Nation works to support its people. As of 2020, Natuashish and Sheshatshiu have a combined population of about 3,000 people, with about half being young people. The Innu Nation works with families and services to support the well-being of their children and youth.

After several years of having their money managed by others, the Mushuau Innu First Nation took full control of its finances in 2019. This was a big step for the community.