WELCOME TO INNU MESHKENU
A 4,000 km walk spanning over five years, this Innu Compostelle is an ambitious and mobilizing project during which the Innu doctor will visit all First Nations communities from Labrador to the southern regions of Quebec.
Dr Stanley Vollant began the walk on October 12 2010 under the Innu Meshkenu project (the Innu path). The 2010 walk started at the Kilometer 0 post of road 138, 20 km East of Natashquan, and went through Baie Johaan Betz, Havre Saint-Pierre, Mingan, Rivière aux Tonnerres, Maliotenam, Uashat, Port Cartier, Baie Trinité, Godbout to the steps of the town of Baie-Comeau on November 2nd, after a "stroll" of 620 km.
Dr Vollant took his pilgrim's staff again on March 7th 2011, accompanied by his first cousin once removed, Eric Hervieux, from Pessamit. It is to be noted that the grand-fathers of the two cousins were hunting and trapping partners. Eric, a police officer in the community of Pessamit, is socially involved and has taken part in Baie-Comeau regional hospital centre's health challenge (a 500 km volunteer bike tour).
This walk started in Vieux Fort, 80 km East of Saint-Augustin (Pakuashipi). The walkers reached Natashquan, 440 km away, on March 25th 2011. They used snowshoes and the Utapanashk, a traditional sled, to visit the communities of Saint-Augustin, Pakuashipi, La Tabatière, Mutton Bay, Tête-à-la-Baleine, Harrington Harbour, Chevery, La Romaine, Kegaska and Natashquan. He put on his walking shoes again in July 2011 to walk with the Wendat people and once more in September of the same year in order to link the Ilnu and Attikamekw territories, walking the 680 kilometers that separates Baie-Comeau and Opitciwan.
For Dr Vollant, the walk is an opportunity to meet with young people to talk about the importance of having dreams and striving towards their realization, to discuss about cultural identity and personal growth. "I hope my own path will inspire them. If I can positively influence the lives of two or three kids in each community, it'll be mission accomplished." The walking doctor will also meet with Elders to learn about traditional medicines from the perspective of a scientifically-trained surgeon. A documentary will be produced after the completion of the walk.
Dr Vollant is the first Native surgeon in Québec and studied at the Faculty of medicine of Université de Montréal. He works at the medical clinic of Pessamit and acts as First Nations health coordinator for the Université de Montréal.
