NunatuKavummiut facts for kids

The NunatuKavummiut are an Indigenous people who live in Labrador, Canada. They are also known as the people of NunatuKavut. In the past, they were called the Labrador Métis or Inuit-Métis.

These people have both Inuit and European family backgrounds. Most people in NunatuKavut communities today identify as Inuit-Métis. It is important to know they are different from the Métis people of the Red River Colony in Western Canada.

The name Nunatuĸavut or NunatuKavut means "Our ancient land". This comes from the traditional Inuttitut language spoken in central and southern Labrador. The land they claim covers southern Labrador. It stretches from the Churchill River south to Lodge Bay. It also goes west to the border between Quebec and Labrador.

Understanding the NunatuKavummiut Name

The exact name for the NunatuKavut people has changed over time. In the past, people used terms like "half-breeds" or "settlers." Today, common terms include "Métis," "Inuit-Métis," and "Southern Inuit."

A Look at NunatuKavummiut History

Arrival in Southern Labrador

The NunatuKavummiut are believed to be the descendants of the Southern Inuit of Labrador. They have lived in and used this region for nearly a thousand years. This was long before the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador explored the area in the early 1900s.

One idea is that the Inuit first arrived in Labrador in the 1400s. They came from Baffin Island. Old artifacts show they lived as far south as the Sandwich Bay area.

Early Contact with Europeans

The Inuit people had conflicts with Basque and French whalers. These conflicts started in the mid-1500s.

The Treaty of 1765

After France lost the Seven Years' War, Britain took control of Labrador. In 1765, the British governor of Newfoundland, Sir Hugh Palliser, signed a treaty. This agreement was made with the Southern Labrador Inuit.

Marriages Between Europeans and Inuit

During the 1800s, some European men settled in Labrador. They married Inuit women and became part of the local culture. Even with much contact with seasonal workers and traders, their way of life stayed distinctly Inuit.

Where NunatuKavummiut Live

NunatuKavut is a region in southern Labrador. It includes communities from Lodge Bay to the coast of Sandwich Bay. Some of these communities are Paradise River and Cartwright.

Many people with mixed European and Inuit heritage also live in other parts of Labrador. Many Inuit in southern Nunatsiavut are descendants of fur traders. The NunatuKavummiut also have many people living in other parts of Newfoundland and Labrador. This includes communities along the Strait of Belle Isle and on the island of Newfoundland. Some residents of St. Augustine, Quebec, also have Inuit and European backgrounds.

NunatuKavummiut Organization

Today, the NunatuKavummiut are represented by the NunatuKavut Community Council. This group was formed in 2010. It used to be called the Labrador Métis Nation. They are part of the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples. This group works with other Aboriginal groups who are not officially recognized as "Status Indians."

Their Land Claim

The people of NunatuKavut say that NunatuKavut is their homeland. They are working to make an Aboriginal land claim in Canadian courts. This means they are trying to get official recognition for their rights to the land. They are also involved in discussions about the Lower Churchill hydroelectric project. This project includes the dam at Muskrat Falls.

See also

• Nunavik
• Nunavut
• Labrador Inuit Pidgin French