Canada/Montagnais boulevard renamed in honor of Innu pioneer

The Uashat mak Mani-utenam Band Council officially renamed boulevard des Montagnais to boulevard Daniel Vachon on Wednesday, during an inaugural ceremony at the Shaputuan Museum. The change pays tribute to a leading member of the community and fervent defender of Innu culture.

Present at the ceremony, Uashat mak Mani-utenam Chief Jonathan Shetush spoke of the importance of this event and the pride it brings.

I didn't know him as a chief, I knew him as my friends' grandfather," shares Mr. Shetush. He recognizes the importance of Daniel Vachon's work for Innu communities.

I was walking with my cousin one day in Uashat and we passed by Tamien Pashau Street, the Innu translation of Daniel Vachon, and he told me that his father always said this street was too small for all he did for the community.

An honour worthy of him

Former AFNQL Chief Ghislain Picard also attended the inauguration. He acknowledges that Daniel Vachon has left an important mark on his person.

For me, Daniel Vachon represents a time when the Innu were Montagnais, but it's also a time when Daniel himself helped shape the person I've become," he admits. It's an honor worthy of the person and the man he represented.

The boulevard André Vachon runs through both Uashat and Sept-Îles. According to Sept-Îles mayor Denis Miousse, the change is an important symbol of reconciliation and joint cooperation for both communities.

"This name change is simply a continuation of what we want to do, we at the City of Sept-Îles with the ITUM Band Council, so it's collaboration that continues.

The man behind the boulevard

Daniel Vachon is an important figure for the Innu of Uashat mak Mani-utenam. Born in Lake Menihek, Newfoundland and Labrador in 1926, he became chief of Uashat mak Mani-utenam in 1964, after the first of nine election campaigns.

Among his many accomplishments, he helped found the Quebec Indian Association and the Conseil Attikamek-Montagnais. Daniel Vachon is responsible for negotiations with the federal government on Innu land claims. He also founded Traductions montagnaises Sept-Îles enr.

Throughout his life, Daniel Vachon has promoted the importance of the Innu-aimun language. In 1980, he published Apprenons le montagnais, which remains the only fundamental tool available to the general public for learning Innu-aimun, both written and spoken.

In 1985, he founded Éditions Innu and, the same year, launched L'histoire montagnaise de Sept-Îles. He also set up a committee of eight Montagnais elders to write a book on traditional knowledge, which was published in 1996.

He translates films by Arthur Lamothe, works by An Antane Kaspesh, children's stories and various government publications.

Source: ici.radio-canada.ca/