Slavery in New France

This article presents a new history of Indigenous slavery in New France by tracing the experiences of enslaved Labrador Inuit and by examining Inuit resistance in response to European aggression. In addition to known literature, there are archival sources, baptismal records, and hospital records that allow further understanding of Inuit captivity. This study examines oft-wary economic encounters between Inuit and European traders, resulting conflicts, and treaty making with colonial officials. Examining enslaved Labrador Inuit experiences during the 18th century demonstrates Labrador’s ties with the French Atlantic slave trade and confronts the silencing of Inuit captivity in historical narratives, providing Inuit ancestors with a voice in these events

Captivity · Colonialism · Indigenous · Resistance (ecology) · Treaty · Canadian Identity and History · Historical Studies and Socio-cultural Analysis · Indigenous Studies and Ecology