Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve of Canada
People of the Coast
Among the treasures of this beautiful region, some of the most precious doubtless rest in the recollections of the men and women who, simply stated, shaped the history of this special place. Getting to know something of the lives of people here is to touch upon the strength and dignity of their ancestors, who lived in a close relationship with the forest and the sea, in a state of mutual respect, aid and sharing with their fellow man.
Cod at Havre-Saint-Pierre, c. 1923
© ANQ-Côte-Nord, fonds société historique de Havre-Saint-Pierre /
Q 05 241
The Paspéyas Longue-Pointe
A fisherman, Thaddé Leblanc, from l'Anse du Cap, in the Gaspé Peninsula, founded Longue-Pointe.
He settled there in 1849, even though it was forbidden to take up residence on the North Shore, which at the time
was entirely controlled by the Hudson Bay Company and used for fur trading. In the succeeding years, others followed
suit and soon a whole segment of Baie des Chaleurs had settled in this North Shore village.
So what attracted those « Paspéyas » (the inhabitants of the Paspébiac region in
Baie des Chaleurs)? Above all, cod fishing.
Fish stocks were diminishing in Gaspesia and the fishing companies were looking for new, more productive shoals.
The consequence was the development on the North Shore of major companies, like Robin and Le Bouthillier, that
exported cured codfish. The North Shore became a source of wealth and guaranteed employment for the inhabitants of
Gaspesia.
Today, less than 150 years later, the archipelago still numbers descendants of the Gaspé Peninsula settlers
with their colourful accents who, over the years, have managed to make a living from these apparently inhospitable
shores
Mingan Innu
© Parks Canada /
M. Lachance / 2000
Well Before the Europeans. the Innu (Montagnais)
EKUANTSHIT. This is the name given to the Mingan village in Montagnais. And the Montagnais, as we call them,
refer to themselves as « Innu ». This word means « human being »,
and, indeed, they are the only human beings who lived on the North Shore before the coming of the Europeans.
This nomad tribe had already visited this territory over a period of thousands of years prior to the arrival of Europeans in America. But it was only in 1963 that the Mingan Reserve officially became the property of the Montagnais. Well before the reserve was set up, the Mingan Montagnais used this part of the territory as a summer site. After spending the winter in the northern interior, they would come downstream in the springtime to what is now a village. The spring season was devoted to hunting migrating birds. Then came the summer, a period of abundant natural resources Fishing and gathering activities built up the reserve that the Innu would take northward in the fall when they left for a new season of caribou hunting.
When the Europeans arrived on the North Shore, the traditional activities of the Montagnais were disrupted. Fur trading, which was carried out mainly by the Hudson Bay Company, was the basic factor in upsetting the Mingan Innu nomadic lifestyle. The Innu began to deal with the Mingan trading post and as they discovered the advantages of possessing firearms, of being able to purchase provisions and clothes, they gradually became dependent on the Mingan general store run by the Hudson Bay Company. The consequence was a barter system which allowed the company to make their profits by reselling furs. The Innu concentrated their energy on catching fur-bearing animals and little by little abandoned their other activities.
Finally, in this period, the Oblates arrived and began to convert the Montagnais. Today, religion is an important part of Mingan Innu life. The chapel, decorated in traditional manner, bears abundant witness to the mixing of the two cultures. Like many native communities, the Montagnais of Mingan have been more and more involved in the organization of their community, through managing the natural and economic resources of their region themselves.
« Cayens » Right up to the Pointe
To be « Cayen » means that one comes from the Îles-de-la-Madeleine. And this explains the unique accent and the tricolour flag that blows in the wind all over the village of Havre-Saint-Pierre.
On June 10, 1857, six families from Havre-aux-Maisons on the Îles-de-la-Madeleine landed at Pointe-aux-Esquimaux (Havre-Saint-Pierre) in their schooner « Mariner ». Their names were Cormier, Boudreau, Landry and Petitpas and they disembarked on the North Shore to take up residence. The reasons for this massive migration of fisherpeople to the North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence were bad fishing seasons, competition between the fishermen and the depradations of the administrators of the Coffin seigneurie. Migration continued until 1880 when the village reached a total of about 70 families.
The village of Havre-Saint-Pierre was called Pointe-aux-Esquimaux until 1927, when the name « Pointe » was replaced by « Havre » probably to remind the place of origin of the people (Havre-aux-Maisons, Iles-de-la Madeleine). Of course, the second part of the name, « Saint-Pierre », is due to the fact that St. Peter is the patron saint of fishermen.
The "chateau" of Johan Beetz
© Parks Canada / Eric Le Bel 1998 / O 02 03 196
In Memory of Johan Beetz
Surrounded by such lovely scenery, it is easy to understand why Johan Beetz, straight from Belgium, would choose
to make this village his home.
Fishermen from "la Côte du Sud" and from Iles-de-la-Madeleine had been coming to the future site of
Baie Johan Beetz since 1850. In 1862, after having fished for salmon countless times in the area, Joseph Tanguay and
his family settled for good on the shores of the river Piashti. With his two sons, Sébastien and Cyprien, Joseph
Tanguay's days were filled with fishing for salmon and hunting seal. His sons later developed a lobster factory.
Cod fishing and trapping also formed part of Tanguay's subsistence activities. Many new arrivals from the Magdalen
Islands later followed the Tanguays.
Clearly the most outstanding of these new arrivals was Johan Beetz. The descendant of an aristocratic Belgian family,
he arrived in the village in 1897, and soon became interested in rearing foxes. His studies in medicine and the
natural sciences were very useful to him in his work. An avid huntsman and fisherman, he rapidly became established
in Piashte Bay and in 1899 built a house befitting his social standing. A man dedicated to whatever he undertook, he
brought much to his adopted country. In 1918, the Piashte Bay was the only village in Quebec to withstand the Spanish
flu. Johan Beetz set up a quarantine to save others from being afflicted by this scourge. Acting as community doctor,
he supplied free medicine and cared for the sick. In addition to these charitable activities, his skill in rearing foxes
and his knowledge of fauna benefited the community members and surrounding villages, allowing them to earn a decent
living. Above all a naturalist but, equally, a shrewd businessman, he succeeded in raising the price of furs.
It was with great regret that Johan Beetz left the village in 1922 to move to the city, where his children could
receive a proper education. The local residents were greatly saddened by his departure. In memory of the man and
what he brought to the community, the village was renamed Baie Johan Beetz in 1929 and the "chateau"
proclaimed a historic monument in 1979.
Aguanish River
© Parks Canada / Eric Le Bel 1997 / E 02 03 16
Aguanish
The village of Aguanish, previously named Goynish, was founded in 1849 by Xavier Rochette. A native of Québec
City, he and his brother Olivier had encountered two young ladies on a voyage at sea while employed by a Jerseyan
company. Upon returning to Québec, they decided to head for the North Coast, where the weddings were celebrated
soon after.
The brothers first settled in Itamamiou, to the east of Natashquan, but salmon fishing lured Xavier Rochette and his
family to the shores of the river Aguanus: the Hudson's Bay Company having relinquished its fishing rights, they
were therefore accessible to all. The two brothers applied to the government for permission to fish salmon commercially.
Xavier chose the river Aguanus and Olivier, the river Nabisipi. In 1875, Olivier once again joined his brother in
Aguanish. Over the years, other fishermen from the Magdalen Islands established themselves in the area.
Many changes over the years have brought Aguanish into the present. Today, this community has 153 years of history
behind it along with a host of magnificent landscapes, yours to discover.