La Romaine, Quebec
Encyclopedia
La Romaine, also known as Unamenshipit in Innu-aimun
, is an Innu
First Nations reserve
in the Côte-Nord
region of Quebec
, Canada, at the mouth of the Olomane River on the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
. It belongs to the Innu
band of Unamen Shipu. Being an enclave within the Municipality of Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent
, it is geographically within Le Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent Regional County Municipality
but administratively not part of it. Directly adjacent to the reserve is the community of La Romaine consisting of a small French-speaking population.
La Romaine is only accessible by boat or via the La Romaine Airport
. It is serviced by a nursing station, community radio station, arena, community and recreation centre, municipal water and sewer system, fire station, and an aboriginal police force.
The name La Romaine is the French adaptation of the word Ulaman. Before its spelling was standardized, the place has also been called in times past: Fort Romaine, Olomanshibu, Olomenachibou, Ulimine, Ouromane, Olomanoshibou, Olomano, Romaine, La Romaine, Grande-Romaine, Gethsémani-d'Olumen, Gethsémani, Uanaman Hipiht, Ulamen Shipit, and Ulaman Shipu. These names applied sometimes to the old post, sometimes the village or the reserve, or sometimes to the river that flows through the place. Except for Gethsémani, all these variations have the same source: Unaman Shipu, from unaman meaning "vermilion" or "red ochre
", and shipu meaning "river". Deposits of this material are found on the banks of the Olomane River.
indigenous people would leave their inland winter hunting grounds to gather at the mouth of the Olomane River during the summer. Circa 1710, the French set up a fishing and trading post there that was taken over by the Labrador Company in 1780, followed by the Hudson's Bay Company
in 1822. Around 1850, French Canadians from elsewhere in Quebec began to settle the area, and gradually concentrating in La Romaine when several smaller outposts were abandoned. In 1886, the local post office opened.
The trading post was closed in 1925. The Innu of the Lower North Shore were one of the last nomadic Aboriginal groups in North America, and were known for their birchbark canoes and traditional travel by canoe or snowshoe. But contact with white settlers and the market economy led to the permanent settlement of the Innu.
On March 11, 1955, the Government of Québec sold 100 acres (40.5 ha) of land to the federal government and on May 31, 1956, the Romaine reserve was established. It was expaneded in 2001 with lands bought in 1993.
Population trend:
Innu-aimun
Innu-aimun or Montagnais is an Algonquian language spoken by over 11,000 people, called the Innu, in Labrador and Quebec in Eastern Canada...
, is an Innu
Innu
The Innu are the indigenous inhabitants of an area they refer to as Nitassinan , which comprises most of the northeastern portions of the provinces of Quebec and some western portions of Labrador...
First Nations reserve
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
in the Côte-Nord
Côte-Nord
Côte-Nord is the second largest administrative region by land area in Quebec, Canada, after Nord-du-Québec...
region of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada, at the mouth of the Olomane River on the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
Gulf of Saint Lawrence
The Gulf of Saint Lawrence , the world's largest estuary, is the outlet of North America's Great Lakes via the Saint Lawrence River into the Atlantic Ocean...
. It belongs to the Innu
Innu
The Innu are the indigenous inhabitants of an area they refer to as Nitassinan , which comprises most of the northeastern portions of the provinces of Quebec and some western portions of Labrador...
band of Unamen Shipu. Being an enclave within the Municipality of Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent
Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent, Quebec
Côte-Nord-du-Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent is a municipality in the Côte-Nord region of the province of Quebec in Canada. The municipality consists of two non-contiguous areas, both along the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The larger main part stretches from the Natashquan River to the Big Mecatina...
, it is geographically within Le Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent Regional County Municipality
Le Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent Regional County Municipality, Quebec
Le Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent is a Regional county municipality in the Côte-Nord region of far-eastern Quebec, Canada. It includes all the communities along the Gulf of Saint Lawrence between the Natashquan River and the Newfoundland and Labrador border...
but administratively not part of it. Directly adjacent to the reserve is the community of La Romaine consisting of a small French-speaking population.
La Romaine is only accessible by boat or via the La Romaine Airport
La Romaine Airport
La Romaine Airport, , is located north of La Romaine, Quebec, Canada.-Airlines and destinations:...
. It is serviced by a nursing station, community radio station, arena, community and recreation centre, municipal water and sewer system, fire station, and an aboriginal police force.
The name La Romaine is the French adaptation of the word Ulaman. Before its spelling was standardized, the place has also been called in times past: Fort Romaine, Olomanshibu, Olomenachibou, Ulimine, Ouromane, Olomanoshibou, Olomano, Romaine, La Romaine, Grande-Romaine, Gethsémani-d'Olumen, Gethsémani, Uanaman Hipiht, Ulamen Shipit, and Ulaman Shipu. These names applied sometimes to the old post, sometimes the village or the reserve, or sometimes to the river that flows through the place. Except for Gethsémani, all these variations have the same source: Unaman Shipu, from unaman meaning "vermilion" or "red ochre
Ochre
Ochre is the term for both a golden-yellow or light yellow brown color and for a form of earth pigment which produces the color. The pigment can also be used to create a reddish tint known as "red ochre". The more rarely used terms "purple ochre" and "brown ochre" also exist for variant hues...
", and shipu meaning "river". Deposits of this material are found on the banks of the Olomane River.
History
Since time immemorial, the InnuInnu
The Innu are the indigenous inhabitants of an area they refer to as Nitassinan , which comprises most of the northeastern portions of the provinces of Quebec and some western portions of Labrador...
indigenous people would leave their inland winter hunting grounds to gather at the mouth of the Olomane River during the summer. Circa 1710, the French set up a fishing and trading post there that was taken over by the Labrador Company in 1780, followed by the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
in 1822. Around 1850, French Canadians from elsewhere in Quebec began to settle the area, and gradually concentrating in La Romaine when several smaller outposts were abandoned. In 1886, the local post office opened.
The trading post was closed in 1925. The Innu of the Lower North Shore were one of the last nomadic Aboriginal groups in North America, and were known for their birchbark canoes and traditional travel by canoe or snowshoe. But contact with white settlers and the market economy led to the permanent settlement of the Innu.
On March 11, 1955, the Government of Québec sold 100 acres (40.5 ha) of land to the federal government and on May 31, 1956, the Romaine reserve was established. It was expaneded in 2001 with lands bought in 1993.
Demographics
As of December 2009, the band counted 1088 members, of which 1036 persons are living in the community. The number of private dwellings occupied by usual residents are 217 out of a total of 243. Mother tongues of the residents on the reserve are:- English as first language: 0 %
- French as first language: 1.6 %
- English and French as first language: 0 %
- Other as first language: 98.4 %
Population trend:
- Population in 2006: 926 (2001 to 2006 population change: -1.9 %)
- Population in 2001: 944
- Population in 1996: 833
- Population in 1991: 758