| Coucoucache | |
| Settlement Type: | Native reserve |
| Flag Size: | 120x100px |
| Mapsize: | 200px |
| Pushpin Map: | Canada Central Quebec#Canada Quebec |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 220 |
| Pushpin Label Position: | top |
| Subdivision Type2: | Region |
| Subdivision Type3: | Census division |
| Established Title: | Settled |
| Established Date: | 1823 (trading post) |
| Established Title1: | Founded |
| Established Date1: | 1853 (reserve) |
| Established Title2: | Dissolved |
| Established Date2: | January 2, 2010 |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] |
| Leader Title: | Chief |
| Leader Name: | n/a |
| Leader Title1: | Federal riding |
| Leader Title2: | Prov. riding |
| Area Land Km2: | 0.11 |
| Area Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population As Of: | 2006 |
| Population Total: | 0 |
| Population Density Km2: | 0.0 |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Coordinates: | 47.7522°N -73.2306°W |
Coucoucache (in French pronounced as /kukukaʃ/; officially designated as Coucoucache 24A) was a tiny First Nation reserve, in Cloutier Township, on the north shore of Reservoir Blanc on the Saint-Maurice River in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada. It belonged to the Atikamekw First Nation of Wemotaci but had no permanent population in recent decades.[3]
The reserve was an enclave within the City of La Tuque, approximately 48km (30miles) north-west of La Tuque's town centre, but it was dissolved on January 2, 2010, and added to the city.[4]
In 1806, explorer Jean-Baptiste Perrault reported on "the small Kôukôukache River that flows by a rocky mountain where there are 11 portages to get to the Grand Kôukôukache." This name came from the word kôkôkachi, meaning "owl". It was also the name of the former Coucoucache Lake, where the Hudson's Bay Company had maintained a trading post, called Coocoocache, since at least 1823 (closed circa 1913). Coucoucache Lake, part of a chain of lakes on the Saint-Maurice River, may have been named after a small mountain in the shape of an owl that was situated at the eastern end of the lake. However, legend has it that a fight developed between the Atikamekw and the Iroquois at this lake, and when the Atikamekw imitated an owl's cry, they sprung on the Iroquois and massacred them.[5] In 1851, the Government enacted the allotment of 230000acres of land as reserves for the use and benefit of the "Indian" tribes residing in Lower Canada. Two years later, these lands were distributed among the Atikamekw, Algonquins, and Abenakis by John Rolph, Commissioner of Crown Lands. On August 9, 1853, the reserves, including Coucoucache, were approved by the Governor General in Council. In 1895, the original Coucoucache Reserve was surveyed and covered 380acres.[6]
In 1932, the Rapide-Blanc Dam was constructed, leading to the formation of the Reservoir Blanc that inundated Coucoucache Lake and Reserve. The new Coucoucache Reserve on the north shore of the reservoir replaced the old one but was only 12acres in size. For the loss of land, the Shawinigan Water & Power Company paid the Canadian government the amount of $380.[5] [6]
Current situation:
Population trend:[8]