Share on Facebook
Share on X
Share by Email
Share on Google Classroom
The Basques were expert fishermen and sailors from the southeast corner of the Bay of Biscay as early as the 16th century. With the Portuguese, they were early arrivals to Newfoundland's Grand Banks. Attracted by fishing and hunting opportunities, the Basques came back to North America yearly. They notably met the explorer and cartographer Samuel de Champlain, and had good relations with the Indigenous peoples they encountered. Some place names in Eastern Canada, as well as the word orignal (moose), adopted by French Canadians, are of Basque origin.
Early Basque Presence in Canada
Around 1525, the Basques began whaling and fishing for cod off Newfoundland, along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River from the Strait of Belle Isle to the Saguenay River, and in places where similar conditions attracted such northern marine life. The Basques controlled the fishery along la haute main (the northeast coast) for over a century.
Every spring until about 1626 they sailed to their North American whaling stations, where they set up scaffolding to dry codfish and built stone ovens to prepare whale oil, a commodity that was highly prized in Europe. Their encounters with Indigenous peoples, particularly Mi'kmaq, were friendly. In December or January, when ice conditions began to worsen, the Basques returned home.
Basque activities in the St. Lawrence estuary reached a peak between 1550 and 1580. In the early 17th century a combination of factors eventually ended their voyages. These included a decrease in the whale population, a weakening of Spain's influence during its war with France, English-Dutch competition in northern waters, increased Inuit hostility and the growing strength of New France.
Encounter with Samuel de Champlain
Samuel de Champlain encountered Basque fishermen during his early voyages and he benefited from their knowledge of the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. He had close ties with those who came from France, in spite of their protests over the founding of Quebec City.
With Marc Lescarbot, Champlain described the major Basque settlement at Lesquemin (Les Escoumins, Quebec); at Tor Bay, Nova Scotia, he met an experienced Basque fisherman who had come there every year since 1565. He described the Strait of Belle Isle as an area frequented by Spanish Basques.
Traces of Basque Culture in Canada
The Basques left many traces of their presence on our shores, including toponymy, such as Mingan in Quebec and Ingornachoix, Port au Choix and Port au Port in Newfoundland. French Canadians adopted the Basque word orignal for the Canadian moose.
Archaeological work at Red Bay, Newfoundland, has uncovered important evidence of Basque habitation, including an abundance of red roof tiles (used for ballast), pottery, glassware and skeletons. Five Basque shipwrecks have been located in the area; the earliest, the San Juan, dates from 1565.
