Odanak lies near the confluence of the Saint François River and the Lawrence River in the province Quebec.
In Odanak, also called Saint Francis, a small group of about two hundred real Abanakis live on an area of 5.7 km ². Real Abanakis are those where both parents are Abanaki. The name Odanak comes from the language of the Abanaki and means “in the village”.
The residents, officially called St. Francis Abenaki of the Odanak Reserve, had conserved their old Abenaki church and have built a museum in order to preserve and show at least a part of their culture. Their story is probably typical for many Canadian Indigenous Nations.
First, the French came, proselytized the Abanakis and traded with fur. The British attacked their village several times and burned the church. Later, in wars between the French and British, they were abused as a buffer between the front lines.
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Only the association of several tribes in today’s eastern Canada secured their survival. Today they are integrated into the daily life and it is hard to recognize their Indian ancestry.
In a side room of the museum, a multimedia show give the visitors an understanding of the natural religion of the Indians.
The church has many Indian motifs. One of the last Abanaki women explains the meaning of the individual objects with pride and passion.
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