Relationship Between Acadians & Aboriginals

1. Relationship Between Acadians & Aboriginals By: Alex Gault Joshua Kurylo Connor Dunn

2. Questioning Activity What is the significance of this photo?

3. Exchanges Aboriginals taught Acadians how to hunt and in exchange for this close service they were provided with diseases such as small pox and alcohol. The pandemics resulted in a decrease of Aboriginal populations from the 16th century, where there were approximately 10 000-15 000 Aboriginals until the 17th century where the numbers depleted to 2 000- 3 000.

4. Aboriginal Skill Developed Aboriginals in Acadia area (Mi’kmaq and Maliseet) became skilled at French shallops and English schooners.

5. Allies These groups remained allied with the Acadians throughout the years after Champlain’s arrival.

6. Trade The two separate communities had a very trade oriented relationship. Furs and skills were exchanged for various French goods and the two groups shared tasks and Aboriginals even became educated in the Catholic Faith.

7. Military Alliance Without the support of French troops, Acadians depended on their Aboriginal allies’ military and guerrilla war fare tactics.

8. Loss of Tradition Although Mi’kmap and Maliseet had not lost their land to the French, through close contact with Europeans, they had lost their old ways of life.

9. Aboriginal Integration Aboriginals began to change their ways of like by forming Acadian habits and becoming more in depth with their trades; clothes and toys were being given to the Aboriginals instead of just the tools that they could not make for themselves. Because of this, Aboriginal mother’s stopped passing on their traditional skills to their daughters.

10. Living with Acadians As well as losing their ways of life, over hunting depleted resources and Aboriginals were forced to move closer to the Acadian settlements and began to eat their foods and lose the appreciation they had for the animals.