Algonquin People

1. Algonquin People

2. Creation Story - Summary • The Creator sent bolt of lightning to create earth and Kluscap. • The Creator sent a second bolt which made vegetation and the animals and gave Kluscap human form. • Kluscap honored the 6 directions: The Sun, Earth, north, south, east and west. • 3 family members were then created. • Grandmother from rock, nephew from the sea and mother from a leaf.

3. Creation Story – Summary (cont.) • Kluscap got the calling to go north with Grandmother. • He told his family of the Great Council Fire that would send out 7 sparks that become men, then 7 more that become women. • This formed 7 families, who would each go in a separate direction. • Like the lightning bolts, the sparks also contained powers that gave life to humans. • Kluscap became known as the “Teacher-Creator”, as the people came to him with their questions.

4. Map

5. Language/Population • At first contact with Europeans, population as high as 35 000 • Algonkians were well off and knew how to meet their needs -Dialect of Ojibwa called “Algonkian”, spoken 2500 to 3000 years ago. -An almost extinct eastern Algonquin language is Abenaki Kwey= HiMegwetch = Thank youPijashig= BienvenueMadjashin = goodbyeSigwan= springNibin= summerTagwagi= autumnPibon= winter • Effect of European influence reduced the population to about 3 000 after a few generations (since initial meeting with the Europeans)

6. Diet “Semi-Nomadic Hunter-Gatherers” Hunted, Trapped, Fished MEATS – Deer(white-tailed) black bear, moose, fish, rabbits • Boiled or roasted for immediate consumption or smoke dried for future use • Fish could also be used to fertilize corn fields CROPS-3 Sisters: beans, squash, cultivated corn, also potatoes and peppers. FORAGING- wild plants, roots, berries, wild rice, nuts, seeds *Always kept food in plentiful amounts as winter was survival and subsisting season

7. Political Structure PATRIARCHAL DOMESTIC-LIKE SOCIETY: every member was allowed to express his/her opinions Chiefs Common People Selected from the last chiefs male relatives (or in-laws) to take charge of villages and/or hunting territories. Slaves

8. Work Males Hunted fished participated in war raids manufactured and repaired equipment made their own bows arrows Females Chorded snow shoes Transported household goods when they transferred camps Set up and maintained the camps clubs wooden items built canoes snow shoe frames spears

9. Inventions / Contributions Toboggan- comes from Algonquin word “odaboggan” first built made of bark to carry hunted game over the snow Birchbark Canoes Wigwams -means “home” in Algonquin language made of trees as base and birchbark sections that cover the frame Snow Shoes, Dog Sleds, Bow and Arrow, Spears

10. Economy • Well off in comparison to other Aboriginal peoples • Poverty virtually unknown, as everyone in a tribe shared with one another • Not wealthy enough for many hunters to own slaves • Active trading with early French arrivals • Mi'kmaq had developed a hunting lifestyle in order to exchange furs for other necessities from the Europeans

11. Important Events • 1726 Treaty- 2 documents signed by the Mi'kmaq, Maliseet, and Passamaquoddy communities.- Meant to harmonize Mi'kmaq and Maliseet tribes and wean them away from French alliance • Treaty Day (Oct. 1st) - Marks the start of Mi'kmaq History Month in Nova Scotia