Sachem of Weskarini Band Charles Pachirini, sachem (Chief)

Biographie

Les Weskarini sont un peuple algonquien vivant au sud-ouest du Québec au Canada. Weskarini voulant dire « gens de la Petite-Nation ». Ils semblent avoir vécu aux abords de la rivière des Outaouais. Une rivière porte leur nom actuellement, la Rivière de la Petite Nation. Au XVIIe siècle, une partie des weskarini, convertie au christianisme et menée par le Chef Charles Pachirini s'est fixée près dufort de Trois-Rivières. Parmi eux, la mère de Kateri Tekakwitha.

Un campement indien installé au sud du fort de Trois-Rivieres, ayant pour sachem Pachirini, chef algonquin.

Charles Pachiriny était un chef algonquin de la région de Trois-Rivières. Le 1er août 1648, le gouverneur de la Nouvelle-France, Charles Huault de Montmagny, agissant au nom de la Compagnie des Cent-Associés, concéda à Charles Pachiriny une terre de près de 1 000 mètres carrés à l'intérieur du bourg de Trois-Rivières. Cette concession, appelée "fief" Pachiriny, avait pour but de protéger les tribus amérindiennes alliées au moment où les Iroquois tentaient de s'emparer du commerce des fourrures et leur livraient une guerre implacable dans la vallée du Saint-Laurent.

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Sachem Charles Pachirini

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PACHIRINI, an Algonquin appears as a young warrior wounded who was cared for by Jeanne MANCE at the Hôtel-Dieu in Montréal in March of 1643. He was baptized 2 Apr 1643 in Montréal by Father Imbert DUPERON. He was given the Christian name of Charles. A witness was Jeanne MANCE. His fellow tribesmen left for Trois-Rivières. Charles lived here for some time with the two Jesuits of the post and led them to explore the shore that was later to become Laprairie (a Jesuit mission). He rejoined his people at Trois-Rivières and, prior to 1648, became the captain of the Christian Algonquins, even duringthe life-time of TESSOUEHAT. Sachem Pachirini was the chief of the Weskarini Band of the Algonkin Tribe. He was given a Fiefdom in Trois-Rivières. Montmagny had actually given him, for the use of theAlgonquins, a plot with a frontage of four perches and a depth of eight, next to that of the Jesuits where the church was to be built. D'Ailleboust enlarged it and the land was called Pachirini's fief, which is now the Place d'Armes. (19)

19) Biographical Dictionary for The Jesuit Missions in Acadia and New France: 1602-1654, Lucien Campeau, S.J., translated by William Lonc, S.J. & George Topp, S.J., summer 2001, p. 334.

Weskarini was an Algonquian tribe that lived on the north side of Ottawa river below Allumettes Island (Morrisson's Island), Québec, with the people of which they appear to be closely associated in the Jesuit Relations. They were known as Petite Nation des Algonquins, Little Nation of the Algonkin." (1)

"The Weskarini Band also known Algonkin Proper, La Petite Nation, Little Nation, Ouaouechkairini, Ouassouarini, Ouescharini, Ouionontateronon (Huron word),Petite Nation were originally localed on thenorth side of the Ottawa River along the Lièvre and the Rouge Rivers in Québec.

Another band was the "Kichesipirini people of the great river was the largest and most powerful group of Algonkin. Known variously as: Algoumequins de l'Isle, Allumette, Big River People, Gens de l'Isle, Honkeronon (Huron word), Island Algonkin, Island Indians, Island Nation, Kichesippiriniwek, Nation de l'Isle, Nation of the Isle, and Savages de l'Isle. Main village was on Morrison's (Allumette)Island." (2)

Pachirini's group was definitely Algonquine/Algonkin. The Jesuit Paul Ragueneau also served at Sainte-Marie-among-the-Hurons, and the Algonquins were involved in the transfer of furs back to the colony from Huronia.

It appears from PRDH (3) documents that Pachirini had two wives. In any case, he fathered several children with two Algonquin women: Marie 8KI8TIABAN8K8E (Oukioutiabanoukoue - French spelling) and SEHAM8 (Sehamou).

(1) Handbook of Indians of Canada, Appendix to the Tenth Report of the Georgraphic Board of Canda, Ottawa, 1913, Page 509, Reproduced on CD15, Quintin Publications, 1998.

(2) The Algonkin People

(3) PRDH - Programme de recherche en démographie historique - University of Montréal.