Native American
Societies
No one is sure how Native peoples got
to the Americas
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Land Bridge- Maybe they crossed the gap between
Siberia (Russia) and Alaska
Pacific Route- Maybe they “island-hopped” from
Polynesia across the Pacific Ocean
Atlantic Route- Maybe they crossed the Atlantic
(either via Iceland-Greenland, or Spain/Africa)
Combination- Maybe it was a combination of the
above
Pre-Contact Societies
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What we know for sure is Natives got here somehow
There were a great number of diverse cultures
among the Native Americans
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Different languages
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Different religious practices
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Different lands
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Different lifestyles
Settlement
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We know that the earliest Natives were here at least
13,500 years ago
By 3000 years ago (1000-500 BCE) most of Canada
had been settled
Of course this wasn't known as “Canada” at the
time, and many of the cultures stretched across the
US/Canada border
Each of these societies were distinct and we should
not confuse them as “one group”
Language Divisions
Mi'kmaq
Mi'kmaq
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Indigenous to Canada's Atlantic provinces and New
England states
Their territory was divided into seven different
districts, each with it's own government
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The governments consisted of Chiefs and councils
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Were an Algonquin-language nation
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Their summers were mostly spent near the coasts
fishing and gathering other types of seafood
Mi'kmaq Cont...
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Winters were mostly spent inland hunting wild game
Their main hunting weapon was the bow made from
maple trees
Moose was the main target for hunters
They would use bows, spears and dogs to hunt
moose
3-5 Men would try to lure the moose close to camp
for the kill and then women would drag it back for
cleaning and preparing
Moose provided clothing, food, and shelter
Beothuk
Beothuk
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From Newfoundland
Nomadic: followed migration of salmon, caribou
and seals
Harsh climate required many useful food
preservation techniques (drying, smoking)
Large game animals were scarce. Had to rely on
smaller game
Ate a lot of roots, nuts and berries
Algonquin
Algonquin
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From the Atlantic coast
Not one group, but several different groups all
speaking the same language.
Ranged all the way across southern Ontario and
down into Detroit
Had a well developed canoe technology
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traveled through waterways of the St. Lawrence
and surrounding areas
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traded heavily all across the continent
In the winter they traveled by toboggan and snowshoes
Algonquin Cont...
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Their semi-permanent shelters were known as
wigwams
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these would be made of animal skins and birch
bark
Their society was patriarchal (men held most of the
power)
Shamans held a very influential role. They could
heal the sick and speak with spirits
Would not reveal their real names to strangers for
fear of having evil spirits used against them
Iroquois
Iroquois
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The Iroquois lived near upstate New York and
southern Ontario as far back as 1000 BCE. (3000
years ago)
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A confederacy of 5 nations. (Not one group)
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Warred amongst themselves for a great many years.
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Sometime around 1450 CE the different groups
joined the Iroquois league to bring peace.
Two men Deganawida and Hiawatha are credited
with bringing this peace
Iroquois Cont...
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After peace, the Iroquois became one of the great
powers on the continent
lived in Long Houses. (Long single-room houses for
many related families to sleep)
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Often warred with the Algonquin
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Farmed
Blackfoot
Blackfoot
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Natives of Saskatchewan, Alberta and Montana
areas
Warrior culture
Communities consisted of 10-30 lodges housing 80250 people
People could leave and join other communities as
they wanted
This provided a great deal of flexibility
Communities were large enough to defend
themselves, yet small enough to maneuver
Blackfoot Cont...
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In the winter people would stay in camps and live
off of winter stores
In the summer they followed the Buffalo herds
The major groups would meet annually in
midsummer for reunions
Communal Buffalo hunts were of major significance
Haida
Haida
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From the Pacific Northwest
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Credited with creating the totem pole
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Totem poles have many meanings and uses ranging
from stories, family histories and art
Were excellent sailors
They crafted vessels that could carry more than 60
people (made from a single redwood tree)
Haida Cont...
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Much of their diet was seafood
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Used dip nets and weirs for fishing
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Weirs are long nets that stretch across an area of
water in which fish get caught
Their social structure included nobles, commoners
and slaves
Slaves were prisoners of war. They were always
male and were always released once they completed
their task.
Inuit
Inuit
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Natives of northern Canada, Alaska, and Greenland
Considered a distinct culture. (Not First Nations, or
Metis)
Prey included whales, walrus, caribou, seal, polar
bears, muskoxen, birds and fox
Their diet was mostly protein and fat. This helped
them survive in the harsh climate
Inuit Cont...
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Travelled in qajaq (covered seal skin canoes) Today
we have modern versions called kayaks
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Also used larger flat-bottomed boats called umaiq
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Sled dogs were also integral for overland travel
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Sleds would be made of wood or large animal bones
(whales)
Because landmarks are scarce in the Arctic the Inuit
navigated using stars
They would also built their own landmarks out of
rocks (Inukshuk)
And Many More...
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There were over 200 distinct Native societies before
European contact
This has been a brief overview of some of the major
groups in Canada
The main purpose was to give you an idea of how
different these cultures were from one another