Whapmagoostui
Whapmagoostui ("place of the beluga") is the most northerly Cree village in Quebec. It is located at the mouth of the Great Whale River, which flows into Hudson Bay. The village has a population of approximately 720 while the neighbouring Inuit village of Kuujjuarapik has about 525 people. Whapmagoostui is now the only Cree community without an access road.

View of traditional summer camping site on the south side of the Great Whale River. Village of Whapmagoostui in the background.

Northern Crees traditionally came to the mouth of the Great and Little Whale rivers during the summer to harvest beluga, trade and socialise. They killed beluga for their meat and oil, which they carried inland to supplement their diet of caribou and fish during the winter. In the early 19th century, fur traders found it difficult to get the northern Crees to trap fur bearing animals, as the caribou seemed to fulfil most of their needs. Hudson's Bay Company trading posts were established at Great Whale, beginning in 1813-16, and then in 1856-69 for the purpose of intensive commercial hunting of the beluga, and then continuously from 1878 on. The Anglican Church had a regular presence on the southeastern coast of Hudson Bay beginning in 1876. The late 19th century marked the arrival of arrival of relatively large numbers of Inuit hunters.

For the people of Whapmagoostui, the first few decades of the 20th century were marked by periods of starvation, and epidemics of unparalleled intensity, especially after the caribou they had so much relied upon were no longer available. Until the 1950s, Whapmagoostui was mainly a summer encampment, where people traded, socialise and received religious instruction from the missionaries.

" During the winter months, the Crees were scattered in small groups in their camps in the interior. A permanent settlement was established in 1955 in conjunction with the installation of the Mid-Canada Defence Line. This military base closed in 1964.

"The first school opened in 1958. Twenty years later, the Crees of Whapmagoostui established their own school by virtue of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement.

"The Whapmagoostui people are now the owners of a radio station, a hockey arena, and a day-care centre. The clinic serves as a hybrid facility for both Crees and Inuit. Privately owned Cree businesses include a taxi service, grocery store, business management and consultation service and a small engine repair shop.

The traditional use of the land is still an essential part of the Whapmagoostui Crees' livelihood. Approximately 85% of the people head to their goose camps in the spring and between 25-30 families spend the majority of the year in their bush camps in the interior. Our cultural values as taught by our elders remain the essential focus of our existence."¹

Today, the traditional camping site on the south side of the river is used for community events, in particular the "traditional gathering" which takes place every summer.

For information on cultural programs and activities, contact:

Elizabeth Dick
Cultural coordinator
Whapmagoostui First Nation
Whapmagoostui, QC