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Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples

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Some terms…

  • Originally, mistakenly called “Indians”. Why did we call them this?
  • Today, they are more correctly called:
    • Native people
    • First Nations people
    • Inuit
    • …

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3 main groups

  • For legal purposes, the Canadian government divides Native people into 3 groups:
    1. Inuit
    2. First Nations
    3. Metis

Who is this?

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Inuit

  • Formerly called “eskimos”
  • Live in the northern parts of Canada, as well as Alaska, Greenland, Scandinavia, and Russia
  • What are some of the challenges that the Inuit face?

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First Nations

  • Comprised of the native peoples that live south of the Inuit (the rest of Canada)
  • Some of the (many) First Nations groups are: Cree, Ojibwa, Iroquois, and Haida

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Metis

  • These are people who are of mixed Aboriginal and European descent
  • Some of the original European explorers married First Nations people
  • Their descendants have a long history and are considered a separate group, called the Metis
  • The Metis are found all over Canada, but especially in the western provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta
  • Video: What is a metis?

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A brief history

  • Native peoples came from Asia over 25,000 years ago
  • At that time, North America and Asia were attached by a “land bridge”
  • Most likely, these original immigrants were hunters pursuing prey (i.e. caribou)
  • They may have also been seeking new land to settle due to population pressures in Asia
  • Video: Bering Land Bridge

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A brief history

  • Over the course of thousands of years, these new arrivals to North America increased in population and spread all over North and South America, forming various tribes
  • Each tribe developed their own language, beliefs, and culture
  • Nearby tribes interacted with each other, sometimes peacefully (i.e. trading goods) and sometimes not (i.e. fighting for territory)

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West Coast

  • Northwest Coast region: Haida, Bella Coola, Nanaimo, Nootka, Tahltan, Chilcotin
  • One room cedar lodge = 40-60 people
  • Depended on fishing and whaling
  • Generally, were the only settled aboriginals in Canada because of an abundant food supply from rivers and the ocean

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Interior Plains

  • Piegan, Sioux, Plains Cree, Nahani
  • Lived in portable teepees, because they followed the buffalo herds
  • Note: they did NOT have horses until Europeans arrived

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Eastern Canada

  • Cree, Ojibwa, Algonkian, Naskapi, Huron, Iroquois
  • Were also nomadic – they followed their prey (i.e. moose and deer)
  • Lived in longhouses
  • Travelled by foot or by canoe

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The Arctic

  • Some Inuit groups: Mackenzie, Copper, Caribou, Netsilik, Iglulik, Labrador
  • Live in a very harsh climate
  • Lived in igloos
  • Travelled by dog sled and kayak
  • Hunted caribou, whale, and seal

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What are Canadian Native known for?

  • For fun…
    • Lacrosse
  • Dances for many reasons…
    • Religious
    • Celebrations
    • Prepare for war
  • Crops…
    • Maize, squash, cotton, tobacco

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Some more answers

  • Paint…
    • Made from natural sources such as charcoal, clam shells, and ochre (clay)
  • Head dress…
    • Some tribes wore feathers
    • Feathers earned for bravery
  • Origin of word “Canada”…
    • From the Iroquoian word meaning “village,” “settlement,” or “land”

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VIDEO: History of Natives in Canada and the Residential School System (20 min.)