Abenaki Migrations to New France (1675-1748)

In the late 17th century, when Indigenous nations were engaged in a conflict with the colonies of New England, the Abenaki poured into New France, seeking refuge and security. Three intensive waves of migration followed between 1675 and 1748. The settlements of Saint-François (Odanak) and Bécancour (Wôlinak) became places of refuge for hundreds of Abenaki who, in exchange for help and protection, became valuable allies of the French.

Having already developed trade relations with the French, the Abenaki gravitated toward them for safety. Leaving their ancestral lands, they settled in the vicinity of Lake Champlain, Lake Megantic, Chambly, along the Bécancour, Chaudière and Saint-François rivers, as well as on the shores of the St. Lawrence at Sillery where they could survive by engaging in traditional hunting and fishing. In the early 18th century, land was ceded to them for permanent settlements at Saint-François (Odanak) and Bécancour (Wôlinak).

The forming of closer ties was also beneficial to the French, who were joined by the Abenaki on a number of incursions against enemy tribes and English settlements. The villages of Saint-François (Odanak) and Bécancour (Wôlinak), located at the heart of the French colony, became bases from which to launch military expeditions into New England. They also helped to defend the French colony.

After the defeat of the French in 1760, the Abenaki accepted an offer of neutrality by the British, but they lost their lands in New England, since they were considered “Canadian Indians.” The Saint-François (Odanak) and Bécancour (Wôlinak) settlements allowed the Abenaki to retain a portion of their land base.

The Abenaki migrations ensured the survival of populations that settled at the heart of the French colony when they were driven from their ancestral lands between 1675 and 1748. Under the Franco-Abenaki alliance, these migrations strengthened the defence of the French colony and contributed to its survival. By establishing and sustaining two Abenaki communities in Quebec, these migrations also helped preserve the Abenaki identity and culture to the present day.

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