Algonquin, pronounced as Algonkin, refers to predominately a large collective group of Native American tribes situated currently across Quebec and Ontario. Denoting themselves as the Anishnabeg, the Algonquin people are known as well for their expansive language “Algonquian” giving their culture much linguistic division. While the Algonquin peoples are the most populous and widespread of the North American Native groups, , it is unfathomable as to why very few Canadians – if any , have any basic knowledge of them as a whole. As a provincially and federally recognized group of natives by the Canadian Government, it is unquestionable as to why the challenges facing their diverse community remains to be solved. There are many common misconceptions …show more content…
pertaining to Aboriginal culture and society and unfortunately, misperceptions can lead to a lack of considerate and sincere understanding about aboriginal communities. In order to be able to develop a deeper understanding of the Algonquin people, we must first connect with them on a more personal level. This will be explored in this essay by further pursuing the Algonquin people’s historical context, by looking at their contemporary issues, and by providing my own personal reflection. The name “ Algonquin “ was given by the French , it is a shortened version of the outdated word “Algoumequin”, which in itself originates from a Micmac word meaning 'at the place of spearing fish and eels’.
Precisely so, the Algonquin are located in between the major waterways of the St Laurent and Ottawa Rivers. Historically for thousands of years, The Algonquin people were reflected as nomadic people, constantly travelling across the Ottawa Valley, in coordination with the various seasons of the year. Currently however ,with a population of about 8-10 thousand to date there are but only 10 federally recognized Algonquin First Nations communities , nine of which inhabit present day Quebec whereas only one resides within Ontario. In Quebec , the communities recognized included the “Abitibiwinni, Timiskaming, Eagle Village (Kebaouek), Wolf Lake, Long Point(Winneway), Kitcisakik (Grand Lac), Lac Simon, Mitcikinabik Inik (Algonquins of Barriere Lake) and Kitigan Zibi (River Desert) First Nations” whereas in Ontario the “Algonquins of Pikwakanagan (at Golden Lake) First Nation” make up the sole Algonquin group in …show more content…
Ontario. The Algonquin’s seasonal travels during the 17th century were often reliant on wherever hunting herds and other resources were bountiful in specific areas.
An example of such would take place in more humid seasons when the Algonquin gathered in bigger family and band groupings usually at fishing sites at a time where fish swam for breeding season during the summer. Judging by their nomadic nature and the irrefutable point that they lived by travelling within the seasons meant that their possessions and structures were seasonal and short-term. The Algonquin mainly made use of natural and easily available materials such as roots, bark, and wood in their housing structures and more material needs such as birchbark canoes and wigwams. animal hides, skins, bones, feathers, etc ,to make basic necessities such as clothing, snowshoes and wigwams . Most of the traditional clothing was made of moose and deer hide, the most popular being the tunic, loincloth, leggings and moccasins. In winter time bear fur was widely used, especially for capes. For the smaller stuff such as toques and mitts, muskrat and beaver fur tended to be a better
fit. The Algonquins as the original inhabitants of such a rich ecosystem ,have a deep rooted and sacred belief that all living things have spirits and as a result that they should be treated with the upmost respect. As a result of such a belief they would never disproportionately abuse a resource or the environment and would normally only take what they would need for the instant future. A strong belief that many shared is the idea of the circle. Everything revolves around a circle. Seasons are going through a circle, life is a circle, etc. This was also reflected on hunting habits.The Algonquin enjoy to share stories primarily through word of mouth and oftentimes they’re remained the certainty that the underlying spirit or life force in these stories is the Manitou, a otherworldly and essential life force manifesting everywhere and in everything. The Algonquin were a patriarchal society, meaning that many families were often fixed within the father’s side. This meant that clan leadership was passed down from primarily males rather than females . Societies consisted of a chief who ,instead of the commonly held belief of reign, was thee spokesperson of the people. Decisions , ultimately were not passed until an entire agreed concensus could be reached by all indviiduals Compared to First Nations in most other parts of Canada, the ten Algonquin communities have very little reserve land.
Most of the Weskarini Algonquin got baptized in Montréal, and the rest later at Trois-Rivières, as they separated from the rest of the Algonquin who continued up the Ottawa River. They finally settled in Trois-Rivières, setting up their village near the Fort there.
The original Huron settlement was located between Georgian Bay and Lake Simcoe in the southern part of Ontario (1). The tribe was discovered by the French in the year 1610 and the French described the group as the most prosperous native group they had discovered along the St. Lawrence River (1). As it turns out, The Huron actually called themselves Wendat, which means “Dwellers on a Peninsula” (12). The word Huron was given to the group by the French and because the word meant a boar or a hillbilly, the group was offended and did not adopt the name (12). Eventually the Huron were forced to sell their land by the US government in the 1800s. Today, the Huron have reserves in Kansas and Oklahoma as well as Quebec, Canada (Internet Research). Numerous connections could be made between the Huron and the topics we have talked about throughout the semester. The five connections that were talked about most in the book include: horticulture, religion and rituals, kinship and marriage practices, gender role ideol...
Fleras, Augie. “Aboriginal Peoples in Canada: Repairing the Relationship.” Chapter 7 of Unequal Relations: An Introduction to Race, Ethnic and Aboriginal Dynamics in Canada. 6th ed. Toronto: Pearson, 2010. 162-210. Print.
To start off, I’ll be writing about the life of people in British North America and its significance towards unifying Canada, as well as background knowledge of conflicts that existed. Life in British North America was changing at an alarming rate. New technology and services were being introduced such as railways and steamships. Industries such as building, producing and farming were being introduced. This was in part due to the many immigrants from Britain and France who’d settled. This was dreadful for the First Nations as their land had been taken away even more so than before. More resources were needed for the growing crowd so trade agreements were made. As more people came, the First Nations were even more distanced from the Europeans. Meanwhile, the French and the British wanted the other’s culture to be erased from the
When the survey began, friction occurred in those areas where the French specked Metis had. settled along the river, occupying long narrow strips in the common manner. in New France.
(“Métis Culture” para 14). “The Métis had a unique presence in art, music, dances, and storytelling.” (para 7). Their culture was very loud because of all the celebrations and music festivals they had (para 9). Music was a huge part in the culture that was called Red River Jig and it is still known through Canada today (para 10). Woman were talented in their artistic skill so they would make different paintings and sculptures to sell (para 11). They were also known for the beads and jewelry they had on many of the things they wore (para 9). A big part of the culture was their language that was called Michif and was a combination between French nouns and Cree verbs (para
... middle of paper ... ... Regina: Canadian Plains Research Center, University of Regina. Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) (2013).
Steckley, J., & Cummins, B. D. (2008). Full circle: Canada's First Nations (2nd ed.). Toronto:
Canada likes to paint an image of peace, justice and equality for all, when, in reality, the treatment of Aboriginal peoples in our country has been anything but. Laden with incomprehensible assimilation and destruction, the history of Canada is a shameful story of dismantlement of Indian rights, of blatant lies and mistrust, and of complete lack of interest in the well-being of First Nations peoples. Though some breakthroughs were made over the years, the overall arching story fits into Cardinal’s description exactly. “Clearly something must be done,” states Murray Sinclair (p. 184, 1994). And that ‘something’ he refers to is drastic change. It is evident, therefore, that Harold Cardinal’s statement is an accurate summarization of the Indigenous/non-Indigenous relationship in
Throughout the history of Canada the indigenous population of the country have been voiceless. They have been both suppressed and oppressed by the Federal and various Provincial governments within Canada. Many organizations tried to provide a voice for the native population but failed in their attempt. These organizations eventually merged together to become what is now known as The Assembly of First Nations. The Assembly of First Nations gives voice to the issues and problems facing the different components of the aboriginal community in Canada.
MacDougall, Brenda. One of the Family: Metis Culture in Nineteenth-Century Northwestern Saskatchewan. Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 2010.
Across Canada and the United States there are many First Nations languages which are a part of the Algonquian language family, all of which with varying states of health. Although these languages share many characteristics of the Algonquian language family, the cultures, systems of beliefs, and geographic location of their respective Nations differentiate them. In being shaped by the landscape, cultures, and spirituality of the First Nations, the language brings the speakers closer to their land and traditions while reaffirming their identity as First Peoples. Using the Blackfoot Nation to further explore this concept, this paper will show that while language threads together First Nations culture, spirituality, traditions and land, as well as their identity, each of these essential components also maintain and revitalize the language.
In the video “Aboriginal Peoples -- It's time”, the main topic of the video is advocating for equity and justice for the aboriginal people. Aboriginal people is a collective name for the original peoples of North America and their descendants. The Canadian constitution recognizes three groups of Aboriginal peoples: Indians (commonly referred to as First Nations), Métis and Inuit. These are three distinct peoples with unique histories, languages, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs. More than 1.4 million people in Canada identify themselves as an Aboriginal person, according to the 2011
Our government’s predecessors have attempted to eradicate Canada’s first people, which is not only an insult to the indigenous people of the past, but to the present. This country did not start off as a joint endeavor of the two general groups of people that inhabited it during its birth, but decimation and forced assimilation of great traditions and people. The assimilation of a great culture, the destruction of oral histories, and the forced loss of language destroyed the chance trust. Only by teaching disgust towards that type of attitude and action, by not excusing it or attempting to justify, will begin a new age of
the Strait of Belle Isle, and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence; on the south by New