Saint Augustine River

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1 Village of Saint Augustine River
2 Photos
3 St.Augustine An Historical Metis Inuit Community
4 Historical brochure
5 Lodging, Restaurants, and Bars
6 Stores
7 Government
8 Health
9 Airport Ferry
10 Internet Resources For Persons with a disabiliy

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Village of Saint Augustine River

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Photos

St.Augustine River Taken by Dwight Bilodeau while flying down the coast. )

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St.Augustine An Historical Metis Inuit Community

Submitted by Nicholas.....

St.Augustine is a very unique and diverse place, it is an area on the Lower North Shore that is quite different from any other village. 70 km of coast From Fecteau to Baie des Roches is traditionally occupied by the residents of St.Augustine.In St.Augustine there are 6 rivers that flow into the gulf of St.Lawrence, the Kecarpoui River, the North West River, the Big River, the Coxcipi River, the Checatica River, and the Napetipi River. These rivers are home to many species of fish like the Atlantic salmon, Sea trout and sturgeon that migrate to the gulf annually.There are approximately 100 islands in front of our village ranging in size from 100 square meters to 50 square kilometers and 40 of these islands are inhabited by the people of St.Augustine.These islands and the waters around these islands are teaming with life. It acts as a feeding ground for all types of animals and sea creatures.It is the only location on this coast that has such a large variety of life underneath and above the sea. The commercial fishery in the St.Augustine area is almost non exsistant and is playing a large role in the return of the fish to our waters. With so many sheltered bays,coves and passages it's an outdoor enthuisists dream.

In Jacques Cartier first voyage of 1534 he planted his first cross at Port St. Sevarn (Baie des Roches) and then passed the Napetipi river and went to what he described as the greatest harbour in the world known as the Cumberland Harbour all three locations are located in St.Augustine. History plays a large part of what we have to offer also. Many people don't know that the inuit were and are still present on the Lower North Shore. 
                                                                 
In the early 1800's some of the Inuit married European men and women and settled permanently in this area. Three of these Inuit people Louis Louis Esquimaux,Catherine Louis and Catherine Welchir married Europeans and settled in St.Augustine. Louis Louis Esquimaux married Marie Belvin, Catherine Louis married Peter Leon and Catherine Welchir married Andrew Kennedy. Out of these three families evolved our Metis Inuit community who number more than 2000 descendants residing in St.Augustine, the Lower North Shore and across Canada.

The Metis Inuit of our community are dependant on the land and the sea for subsistance. The fishing and gathering of sea food, the hunting of big and small game, the picking of wild berries and the cutting of wood for heating, cooking and construction material is rooted strong in our culture. A people that are well guided in conservation and take only what is necessary to sustain the community as our ancestors the Inuit have done for centuries. The Inuit were once numerious on the Lower North Shore until the arrival of the Europeans. Life changed drastically for the Inuit people at this time, with the Europeans wanting to control the valuable fishing industry it seemed as if there was no room for the Inuit on this coast. Jesuit priest Father Baird wrote in 1614 " Certain tribes are now our implacable enemies, such as the Excommuniquois who inhabit the northern coast of the great Gulf of the St.Lawrence and do us a great deal of harm. The warfare was begun (so they say) when certain Basque tried to commit a certain outrage." Early cartographers usually referred to the Lower North Shore as "Costes des Esquimaux" or "Eskimo Coast". After the wars that were imposed on the Inuit the majority were forced to leave this coast. The history of the Inuit on the Lower North Shore is virtually unknown and not reconized by everyone. Samuel de Champlain in 1625 wrote " Un nation de sauvages qui habitent ces pays, qui s'appellent Exquimaux." The country that he was refering to was the Lower North Shore. Historian Benjamin Sulte wrote that Jacques Cartier in his 1534 voyage noted that he saw the Eskimo's between Napetipi and Chicatica. One of the last References to the Eskimo existing on or in the Gulf of the St.Lawrence was a letter dated January 24th 1879 from Sir John A. McDonald Deputy Superintendent General of Indian Affairs." The enclosed letter from the very Reverend Edmond Langevin Vicar General of Rimouski calls my attention to the position of the Montagnais and Esquimaux Indians of the north coast of the St.Lawrence, below the Saguenay." The direct descendants of the Inuit, the Metis Inuit have a large role to play in the survival of our history and culture. We will do our ancestors proud.

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