Exodus of the Innu
Click images to enlarge
In December 2002, a small community of Innu, a once nomadic indigenous people in Labrador, Canada, moved from a squalid settlement called Davis Inlet to a brand new, purpose-built town called Natuashish.

Davis Inlet lacked running water and sanitation and for 35 years had been the backdrop to the Innu’s painful and, for the most part, involuntary adjustment to the "modern" world. Alcoholism, violence, abuse and suicide became part of life for the Innu when they lived in Davis, and while the community’s dysfunction was emphasised rather than caused by the poor living conditions, many see a new town as an opportunity for a new beginning. No-one is expecting that the move alone will solve the Innu’s problems. Some even believe that the new town, which is a model modern suburb set in the Labradorian wilderness, will further separate the Innu from their history, culture and traditions.

Click here to see the second part of this story