165T Territory

Bringing the Territory to the Museum: Ilnu Perspectives on the Péribonka River and Hydroelectric Development Geographic Categories As (Colonial) Ordering of the World"Fleuve" or "rivière"?In French, the former is defined as a major waterway flowing into the sea, while the latter refers to a waterway of less importance, flowing into a body of water or a larger watercourse.1 In Quebec, these definitions are applied by the Quebec Commission of Toponymy.2 Consequently, only the Saint Lawrence -which the Algonquins called Magtogoek ("the path that walks") -is considered a "fleuve", that is a major river, while many "rivières" are deprived of this designation despite their length and flow, often far more substantial than some "fleuves" in France or Switzerland.3 The implications of this categorization extend beyond linguistics, encompassing cultural and political dimensions that impose an order and hierarchy on the world.Within a context shaped by European colonial legacies, these terms are a further reflection of the colonial power dynamics that obscure Indigenous Peoples' connections to the land.For although the Saint Lawrence is seen as the heart of agricultural colonization and Québécois culture, few Québécois are aware of the cultural and historical significance of these so-called "rivières" for First Nations, especially since their territories were historically viewed by settlers as terra nullius ("land belonging to no one"), a principle in international law that allowed for the appropriation and exploitation of inhabited spaces deemed ungoverned by a state (in the European sense of the word).For nomadic societies who lived by hunting, fishing, and trapping before they gradually adopted a more sedentary life-style in the 19 th and 20 th centuries, waterways were simultaneously inland access routes, spaces of life and subsistence, and the foundations of their material and spiritual culture.They were part of a rela-� In English, both words -"rivière" and "fleuve" -are translated by "river".�

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