« Il fut l’ami du pauvre » : Endettement, crédit et transactions foncières chez les Abénakis d’Odanak, 1830-1865

Abstract

In the mid-nineteenth century, the Abenaki of Odanak, a First Nation community located on the east bank of the Saint-François River, were integrated into the local and regional credit networks of rural merchants that were developing in the Laurentian Valley. Using notarial archives, this article explores the credit relationships forged between the W8banakiak and Ignace Gill, a rural merchant linked to this community through his great-grandparents’ adoption. In analyzing how these credit relationships led to the appropriation of Abenaki land, resources and labour, the case of this merchant provides an insight into the interactions between capitalism and colonialism in the Lower Canada colony.