Location/Language
The Algonquin tribe, also known as Algonkin, Anishnabe, and Anishnabeg Tribe, originated in Canada with 9 inhabited groups in southern Quebec and 1 group in eastern Ontario. English is the main language spoken, but French and Algonquian were still frequently used.
Life Style
Unlike other Native American tribes, the Algonquins did NOT live in tepees. The Algonquins lived in Wigwams , which are 8-10 feet dome-shaped
structure's made out of large sheets of birchbark, wood frames, and woven mats and held together by ropes and left over wood strips. Each group of Algonquin's (in this case, 10 groups) live on their own reservation. Reservations are sections of land that act as territory to the Algonquins. The Algonquin's alone have smaller forms of leadership and government, called, First Nation or band. Within every First Nation or band, there are sets of laws, that are decided and governed by ogima (ogema), also known as chief, who are voted by tribe members. Even though they are a very different people group, with their own rules, they are still obligated to follow the laws in Canada. Because the Algonquins lived so far North, they lived a semi-nomadic lifestyle, only moving temporarily for hunting and gathering.
The Algonquin tribe, also known as Algonkin, Anishnabe, and Anishnabeg Tribe, originated in Canada with 9 inhabited groups in southern Quebec and 1 group in eastern Ontario. English is the main language spoken, but French and Algonquian were still frequently used.
Life Style
Unlike other Native American tribes, the Algonquins did NOT live in tepees. The Algonquins lived in Wigwams , which are 8-10 feet dome-shaped
structure's made out of large sheets of birchbark, wood frames, and woven mats and held together by ropes and left over wood strips. Each group of Algonquin's (in this case, 10 groups) live on their own reservation. Reservations are sections of land that act as territory to the Algonquins. The Algonquin's alone have smaller forms of leadership and government, called, First Nation or band. Within every First Nation or band, there are sets of laws, that are decided and governed by ogima (ogema), also known as chief, who are voted by tribe members. Even though they are a very different people group, with their own rules, they are still obligated to follow the laws in Canada. Because the Algonquins lived so far North, they lived a semi-nomadic lifestyle, only moving temporarily for hunting and gathering.
Religion
The Algonquin's believed that everything was divine, all creatures and objects. They believed that they had two souls, that were judged by a higher one they called, Minitou. Their "creation" story came from the "Great Hare", Michabou, who created the world and universe as well as everything in it.
The passage below was taken from Nicolas Perrot, a French Fur trader who spent time with the Algonquin tribe, below he describes how the Algonquins (as well as the Ottawa tribes) thought the earth was created.
"They believe that before the earth was created there was nothing but water; that upon this vast extent of water floated a great wooden raft, upon which were all the animals of various kinds, which exist on earth; and the chief of these, they say was the Great Hare.
According to the legend the Hare sent these animals to search for the sea bottom. The beaver and the otter failed, but the muskrat brought up a grain of sand. The Great Hare caused this particle to grow and grow and thus the earth was created."
Along with creation, the Algonquins believed in a life after death, a place where their two spirits would go to undertake a dead animal body. Unlike hell, in Christianity, the Algonquins didn't believe in any eternal punishment, but they did believe in and had a huge fear of witchcraft and spiritual power. Not only did witchcraft scare the Algonquins their beliefs on it were also split along many Native American Tribes.
The Algonquin's believed that everything was divine, all creatures and objects. They believed that they had two souls, that were judged by a higher one they called, Minitou. Their "creation" story came from the "Great Hare", Michabou, who created the world and universe as well as everything in it.
The passage below was taken from Nicolas Perrot, a French Fur trader who spent time with the Algonquin tribe, below he describes how the Algonquins (as well as the Ottawa tribes) thought the earth was created.
"They believe that before the earth was created there was nothing but water; that upon this vast extent of water floated a great wooden raft, upon which were all the animals of various kinds, which exist on earth; and the chief of these, they say was the Great Hare.
According to the legend the Hare sent these animals to search for the sea bottom. The beaver and the otter failed, but the muskrat brought up a grain of sand. The Great Hare caused this particle to grow and grow and thus the earth was created."
Along with creation, the Algonquins believed in a life after death, a place where their two spirits would go to undertake a dead animal body. Unlike hell, in Christianity, the Algonquins didn't believe in any eternal punishment, but they did believe in and had a huge fear of witchcraft and spiritual power. Not only did witchcraft scare the Algonquins their beliefs on it were also split along many Native American Tribes.
Culture, products, and environment
The women within the Algonquin tribe were the cookers, cleaners, and they dealt with the children. While men had a more dominant role in the tribe; they were the hunter- gatherers. Additionally men were the ones who would go and fight in wars, and could also be voted on for chief. However, both men and women played an important part in their culture: they were artists, musicians, as well as, story-tellers. For the Algonquins, art wasn't painting, it was basket weaving and beaded work. The Algonquins created necklaces, bracelets, and belts from white and purple shell beads, they called them wampum. Not only were wampum's used in the arts, they were also a form of currency, but are mostly used for art.
Because the Algonquins lived so far north, they had access to and produced wild rice in the wild rice region, which was a key part in their diet, as well as the diet to other Native American tribes. Along with rice, the Algonquins relied on hunting along the Ottawa River, using their famous 'birchbark' canoes to stabilize them through long distance traveling in the harsh conditions of Canada. The Algonquins were very strategic when it came to hunting. They made many weapons including: bows and arrows, spears, hooks, clubs, and tomahawks to catch their prey. They also built many traps to catch land animals such as deer, squirrel, and really anything else they saw moving.
Relationship with others
The Algonquins were very good hunters, which got the attention of many French traders, allowing them to have relationships with many Europeans. For the most part they traded fur, which was an easy task for the Algonquins because of their hunting strategy. At one point, the Algonquins got so good at catching and trading with their contacts in Europe, other Native American Indian tribes go jealous. The Iroquois declared war with the Algonquins many times and failed, being pushed back as far as modern New York City. The Algonquins dominated the Iroquois in just about every war, gaining more and more land south of Canada, forcing the French traders to form alliances with the Algonquins, giving them steel, hard metals, knives, and other weapons for their personal use (and for fighting the Iroquois). Eventually the Iroquois defeated the Algonquins and the French-Algonquin alliance was cut off. Around the 1800's British invaded Algonquin territory and cut down their trees, forcing the Algonquins to move to smaller reservation areas due to lack of hunting ground. Even though the Algonquins hit heads with the Iroquois, the Algonquins allied with the Ojibway and Ottawa tribes, who were allies with the Huron tribe. They traded along the Ottawa River, as well as shared stories and art with each other.
Most fascinating information
The most fascinating thing about the Algonquins is that their tribe is still alive today! Unfortunately, many of their unique traditions and cultural aspects have been lost. Things such as their housing and government have been switched out by modern takes for housing, rather than Wigwams, they now live in modern day family houses. Thanks to some of the 8,000 Algonquins alive today who created the program "Plants that Heal" to protect the huge jump between the traditional way of living and the modern, 21st century way of living. They hope to continue the tradition that their ancestors had started!
The women within the Algonquin tribe were the cookers, cleaners, and they dealt with the children. While men had a more dominant role in the tribe; they were the hunter- gatherers. Additionally men were the ones who would go and fight in wars, and could also be voted on for chief. However, both men and women played an important part in their culture: they were artists, musicians, as well as, story-tellers. For the Algonquins, art wasn't painting, it was basket weaving and beaded work. The Algonquins created necklaces, bracelets, and belts from white and purple shell beads, they called them wampum. Not only were wampum's used in the arts, they were also a form of currency, but are mostly used for art.
Because the Algonquins lived so far north, they had access to and produced wild rice in the wild rice region, which was a key part in their diet, as well as the diet to other Native American tribes. Along with rice, the Algonquins relied on hunting along the Ottawa River, using their famous 'birchbark' canoes to stabilize them through long distance traveling in the harsh conditions of Canada. The Algonquins were very strategic when it came to hunting. They made many weapons including: bows and arrows, spears, hooks, clubs, and tomahawks to catch their prey. They also built many traps to catch land animals such as deer, squirrel, and really anything else they saw moving.
Relationship with others
The Algonquins were very good hunters, which got the attention of many French traders, allowing them to have relationships with many Europeans. For the most part they traded fur, which was an easy task for the Algonquins because of their hunting strategy. At one point, the Algonquins got so good at catching and trading with their contacts in Europe, other Native American Indian tribes go jealous. The Iroquois declared war with the Algonquins many times and failed, being pushed back as far as modern New York City. The Algonquins dominated the Iroquois in just about every war, gaining more and more land south of Canada, forcing the French traders to form alliances with the Algonquins, giving them steel, hard metals, knives, and other weapons for their personal use (and for fighting the Iroquois). Eventually the Iroquois defeated the Algonquins and the French-Algonquin alliance was cut off. Around the 1800's British invaded Algonquin territory and cut down their trees, forcing the Algonquins to move to smaller reservation areas due to lack of hunting ground. Even though the Algonquins hit heads with the Iroquois, the Algonquins allied with the Ojibway and Ottawa tribes, who were allies with the Huron tribe. They traded along the Ottawa River, as well as shared stories and art with each other.
Most fascinating information
The most fascinating thing about the Algonquins is that their tribe is still alive today! Unfortunately, many of their unique traditions and cultural aspects have been lost. Things such as their housing and government have been switched out by modern takes for housing, rather than Wigwams, they now live in modern day family houses. Thanks to some of the 8,000 Algonquins alive today who created the program "Plants that Heal" to protect the huge jump between the traditional way of living and the modern, 21st century way of living. They hope to continue the tradition that their ancestors had started!
*Bibliography is under "More" in the "Bibliography" section.*