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Pre-history:
The Benoit Lnu'k/Mi'kmaq Community traces its history back to the Chego/Chegau/Shegone family, to Francois Benoit and Anne L'Official, Luc Benoit and brothers and to a number of other Lnu'k/Mi'kmaq families who are the ancestors to most of the Benoit family of Lnu'k/Mi'kmaq in Taqamkuk. We are proud Benoit (eagle-Kitpu) clan. Other prominent family names in our community include Benoit, Young, Jesso, and Marche. Some of us are status Indians under the provincial Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Band.
Lnu'k/Mi'kmaq have always had a prominent presence in St. George's Bay (Baie St-George) and on Payun Aqq Payunji'j (the Port au Port Peninsula). Many of our Lnu'k/Mi'kmaq ancestors came from around Pitu'pa'q (Bras d'Or lakes) in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick with many distant relatives now living on Reserves there. We also have Beothuk connections. As a result of being pencilled out of the 1949 confederation with Canada, the M'kmaq were not registered and without official rights, the Native peoples of Newfoundland and Labrador came together to protect their rights and heritage.
On February 2, 1972 a province wide organization called the Native Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (NANL) and representing the Innu, Inuit and Mi’kmaq was established to seek better collective rights for all three groups.
Shortly after that time the Cape St. George Indian Band was formed and under the umbrella group of the Federation of Newfoundland and Labrador Indians (previously the NANL), Elder Edna Benoit was the secretary of the band at that time. Adolph Benoit from Marches Point was the Chief. The organization would later become the Federation of Newfoundland Indians (FNI) in 1984 after many of its Inuit and Innu members broke away from the group to form the Labrador Inuit Association and Naskapi Montagnais Innu Association (today the Innu Nation), respectively. Conne River also went their separate way. After Chief Adolph left the Cape St. George Indian Band, the band ceased to function. The FNI then became available only for exclusive areas and the region west on the Port au port Peninsula was shut out (west of Abrahams Cove) until pressured by Mi'kmaq activists including Benoit 1st Nation Chief Jasen Benwah in 2000 to include them. The FNI did so only after being told to do so by Aboriginal Affairs in 2008 - as was promised to us by the Feds that we would be included. In 2009 many of our families were registered and received our status cards as founding members of the Qalipu First Nation Mi'kmaq Band. The Benoit 1st Nation Mi'kmaw Band formed on September 15, 2015 and recognizes the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Saqamaw as our Taqamkuk Chief of the Taqamkukewa'q (Newfoundland Mi'kmaq) outside of Conne River. However Saqamaw Misel Joe of Conne River remains as our traditional Chief of all of Newfoundland.
Disclaimer: Although we are supportive of regional cooperation, involvement, interaction, communication, sharing, and partnerships Benoit 1st Nation is a totally independant regional Mi'kmaq.
Our Mandate:
We will work to build our community and educate our children exposing them to our true history. "Glooscap and the great Creator teaches us to stay humble. Let them give you the wisdom of the ages and guide you on the path of respect and humility."
Saqamaw Jes'n Penwa'
We are a Regional Indigenous Cultural and Language Band. Our focus is cultural programming for our people.
