Kaypikupau

Kaypikupau is a river in the northern Labrador Peninsula, named in Naskapi for its brushy islands and willows. It flows north from the lake country near Kamusawasich, widening into a lake before joining the Whale River. Rapids and islands mark its lower course; the Naskapi name for the meeting of the rivers, Kanniq, means “the confluence.” These names preserve features of a landscape known to the people who travelled and hunted through the interior.