Nistam

Nistam, meaning “the first lake” in Cree, lies in the forested country east of James Bay. The nearby Rupert River winds through lakes and rapids on its way west to the bay, where it reaches Waskaganish. In the seventeenth century a trading post was established at the river mouth, drawing Cree hunters and traders into new exchanges while the waterways continued to connect the coast with the interior.