Odanak : Waban-Aki

Odanak is one of the two communities of the Waban-Aki Nation along with Wôlinak. Its name means “in the village” in Abenaki. It is in this community that we find the first museum entirely devoted to Aboriginal culture, the Musée des Abénakis. It is also home to the Kiuna Institute, the first and only CEGEP dedicated to Aboriginal education in Quebec.  The nation owes its name to the word W8ban (Waban) which means “light” and a’Ki which means “land”. Together, the two words mean “people of the morning” or “people of the rising sun” or even “people of the East”. The Abenaki are known for their ash basketry, an art that consists of weaving very thin strips of wood into baskets. Thanks to the development of tourism, Odanak has been able to preserve its traditions and culture while promoting the economic development of the community.