Donnacona

Donnacona
Meeting of Jacques Cartier and Donnacona. Postcard of butter sculpture tableau, Franco-British Exhibition, London, 1908.
Born	Canada
Died	c. 1539 France
Cause of death	Scurvy
Other names	Chief of Stadacona
Known for	First Nations chief being taken to France by Jacques Cartier

Chief Donnacona (died c. 1539 in France) was the chief of the village of Stadacona, located at the present site of Quebec City, Canada. French explorer Jacques Cartier, concluding his second voyage to what is now Canada, returned to France with Donnacona. Donnacona was treated well in France but died there. Later Cartier would make a third voyage to the same area.

Jacques Cartier made three voyages to the land now called Canada, in 1534, 1535 and 1541. In late July 1534, in the course of his first voyage, he and his men encountered two hundred people fishing near Gaspé Bay. Cartier's men erected a "thirty foote" cross which provoked a reaction from the leader of this fishing party. After some presentation of gifts to the people there, he left the area the next day, with two men on board, Domagaya and Taignoagny, from the fishing party. He returned to France with them, concluding his first voyage in September 1534. Some sources say that these men were the sons of Donnacona and the fishing party's leader was Donnacona himself, although the original 16th-century report does not mention this.

Upon the 25 of the month, we caused a faire high Crosse to be made of the height of thirty feet, [...] in the top was carved in the wood with Anticke letters this posie, Vive le Roi de France. [...] And after we were returned to our ships, their Captain clad with an old Bears skin, with three of his sons, and a brother of his with him, came unto us in one of their boats, but they came not so near us as they were want to do so : there he made a long Oration unto us, showing us the cross we had set up, and making a cross with two fingers, then did he showed us all the Country about us, [...]. One of our fellowes that was in our boat, tooke hold on theirs, and suddenly leapt into it, with two or three more, who enforced them to enter into our ships, whereat they were greatly astonished. But our Captain did straight- waies assure them, that they should have no harme, nor any injurie offred them at all, and entertained them very friendly, making them eate and drinke. Then did we shew them with signes, that the crosse was but onely set up to be as a light and leader which wayes to enter into the port, and that wee would shortly come againe, and bring good store of iron wares and other things, but that we would take two of his children with us, and afterward bring them to the sayd port againe: and. so wee clothed two of them in shirts, and coloured coates [...] we gave to each one.of those three that went backe, a hatchet, and some knives, which made them very glad. After these were gone, and had told the newes unto their fellowes, in the afternoone there came to our ships sixe boates of them, with sixe men in every one, to take their f arewels of those two we had detained to take with us [...] How after we were departed from the sayd porte, following our voyage along the sayd coast, we went to discover the land lying Southeast, and Northwest. The next day, being the 25 of the moneth, we had faire weather, and went from the said port : and being out of the river, we sailed Eastnortheast, for after the entrance into the said river[...]