Alberta

My direct ancestor, Louis.

He came from a long line of Métis. From East to West, uniting Indigenous Peoples.

From the union of our earlier ancestor, French Settler Jean (1636-1671) and Catherine Anenonta (1649-1709), Attignawantan – People of the Bear, comes a long line of Métis.

For over 100 years, each generation explored the waterways West of  Kahnawáʼkye – Big Waterway.

Born in Berthier in Lanaudière, Louis, like his father, grandfather and great-grandfather before him, traveled to and from the Western part of Gichi gumi – Lake Superior.

In the 1784 to 1801, Louis took three contracts with McTavish Frobisher & Co. – which later became the North West Company. to Gichi-onigamiing – Grand Portage.

 

In 1803, he would take contract to travel further West to Gojiji-zaaga’igan – Lac à la Pluie

 

In a book by Joachim Fromhold titled: Pakisimotan Wi Iniwak – The Western Cree, a written history of Jacques Cardinal – one of the first of the famed Mountain Men of the West, we find several passages referring to Louis.

It appears from these memoirs that Louis traveled to Iyaghchi Eennu Sipi – Lesser Slave River and Atikameg – Tête-Blanche – Whitefish:

The name-place Atikameg hit me like a jolt. I have other ancestors from Atikamekw communities in Tapiskwan Sipi –  Mauricie and Lanaudière.

Niw’hk’m’kanak – All Our Relations.