“The first name that the white man gave us described an animal or rather a horse. This name was “savage”. They also called us “Indian” and this name is still used today. As for me, I don’t like when they call us “savage” or “Indian”. Now, since we have been baptized, they give us the name "Montagnais"…and for some time there are others who call us “Amerindians”. They give us these names without caring about our real name, which is INNU.”

William-Mathieu Mark, Innu. 1993
Les Indiens Montagnais du Québec, Entre Deux Mondes,
Éditions Séphia, Musée de l’Homme, 1995

Today, living in eleven different communities, of which two are located in Labrador, Utshimassit and Sheshatshit, the total population of this nation continues to grow and is estimated to have reached 15,000 people. The communities of Essipit, Pessamit, Uashat mak Mani-utenam, Ekuanitshit, Nutashkuan, Unamen Shipi and Pakua Shipu border, from south to north, the shores of the Saint Lawrence River in Québec. Mashteuiatsh, for its part, occupies a territory at the heart of the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region. Matimekush-Lac John, is the northernmost community located near the Labrador border, neighbour of the Naskapi Nation. There are more than 750 Innu in this community. It is this community that provides the gateway to your adventure in the Mushuau-nipi.

See map of the Innu Nation Communities
PDF Document: carte_nation_innue.pdf

Originally nomadic hunters roaming the territory of the Nitassinan, the Innu are today still deeply influenced by the traditional ways of their ancestors. Traditional practices remain a daily part of their lives.

Their mother tongue is very much alive, but the majority among them speak French as their second language.