IMPACT OF EUROPEAN CONTACT

ACCULTURATION   A process that occurs when individuals from different backgrounds get acquainted and share their cultures.   As a result, each side may choose to incorporate some aspects of the other group into its own ways of being.

The Europeans came to the New World to acquire land and goods. In the process, they brought about changes to the lives and cultures of Aboriginal peoples. European cultures, traditions and ways of living were imposed on them, often by force. The above is referred to as assimilation.  a process in which a cultural group is absorbed by another and takes on its cultural traditions.

1600’s Fur Trading Begins One of the earliest groups to become acculturated were known as Coureurs De Bois. They were fur traders who travelled north and west to buy furs directly from the Aboriginal peoples. They made friends with the Aboriginal people.

In the beginning when the fur trade first began, First Nations and Inuit people brought the furs to the trading posts. They would arrive by canoe. The furs would be unloaded and traded for goods such as muskets, axes, knives, pots, Whiskey, and blankets. It was not long before some of the men at the trading posts decided they would go inland and get the fur themselves. These were the people known as the Coureurs De Bois.

They adopted Aboriginal modes of transportation and ways for dressing for the climate. They learned to speak Aboriginal languages and sometimes married and raised families with Aboriginal women. By doing this, the Coureurs De Bois were able to survive in a difficult environment, develop commercial contacts, and be accepted by Aboriginal groups.

Coureurs De Bois Way of Life The silver birch tree was the most important resource for life in the woods. It was used to build and repair canoes on the journey. Shelters were built with the branches and the bark. The bark was also good for drawing maps on and for writing messages. The bark could even be eaten if there was no other food!

Coureurs De Bois Way of Life The Coureurs De Bois traveled long distances. They left their homes in the spring with their canoes loaded with supplies and goods for trading. They traveled down the Ottawa River to Lake Huron. From there it took another month of paddling more than 12 hours a day to reach their destination. Some of the Coureurs De Bois traveled as far as 2000 kilometers, or more, from home.

Coureurs De Bois Way of Life It was dangerous work, so the Coureurs De Bois sometimes traveled together in groups. They needed each other to help paddle, set up shelter and keep watch for enemies at night. They also had to catch their own food. They would hunt and fish for food along the way.

Coureurs De Bois Way of Life It was also hard work. The Coureur De Bois often had to portage their canoes. In the summer mosquitoes and other insects bothered them. They had to hang their food up high away from animals. In the winter they had to keep warm at night. They would dig holes in the snow and line them with cedar branches.

Bay Leaf

Bloodroot plant

THE BRITISH AND FRENCH The French and British were the main European influences in North America. They competed for dominance by establishing settlements. They also established two companies that competed with each other: La Compagnie Du Nord and the Hudson’s Bay Company. Each company fought for the rights to purchase furs from specific Aboriginal groups and to claim territory for hunting and trapping.

THE BRITISH AND FRENCH Legal documents were drawn up to reinforce these rights. The charter granted to the Hudson’s Bay Company by the king of England in 1670 gave the company complete control over the territory drained by the rivers flowing into Hudson Bay. This charter is just one example of a European’s government claim to territories and the natural resources located within those territories. This area became known as Rupert’s Land.

THE BRITISH AND FRENCH The two fur trading companies competed for control of trade – first in Hudson Bay and the surrounding area, and then inland. They each formed a loose association with hunters and trappers from various Aboriginal groups. Both companies built forts to establish their claim to specific fur trading routes and lands.

BRITAIN AND FRANCE AT WAR A conflict broke between Britain and France in 1702 and lasted until It was the first of several wars fought between Britain and France for control of North America. The two countries fought battles with each other on both sides of the ocean. During the Seven Years War ( ), the French and the British enlisted Aboriginal groups as allies.

BRITAIN AND FRANCE AT WAR In 1763 the French were defeated in both Europe and North America. They had to give up their claims to North American lands and their rights to trade within specific waterways. After 1763, British and American fur traders began to assume control over canoe routes previously held by the French. They also began to compete with the HBC by offering more goods to Aboriginals in exchange for furs.

BRITAIN AND FRANCE AT WAR In 1763, Britain drew up an important piece of legislation called The Royal Proclamation. One of the intents of this document was to Reserve a large piece of land for Aboriginal occupation and use only.

MEDICINE AND HEALTH Traditionally, Native people have thought of well being as a combination of a healthy body, mind and spirit. Traditional Native remedies for diseases and other ailments are combinations of natural medicine and spiritual treatments. They used holistic medicine which focuses on healing the whole person, instead of just the sickness or disease.

NATURAL MEDICINES Europeans learned that Native people knew a lot about the plants and other natural materials in their territories. Many Europeans were cured of illnesses by the Native medicines. Native people used plants such as witch hazel, ginseng, cranberry and palmetto as medicines. Today, more than 170 medicines are made from plants that were used by Native people.

Witch Hazel

BATHING AND HYGIENE Native people had different ideas about bathing than did the Europeans. People of most Native nations bathed frequently, often every day. They believed bathing was a way of purifying themselves spiritually. Native people used soaps, shampoos, and hair conditioners made from ingredients that came from plants and animals.

BATHING AND HYGIENE Natives cleaned their teeth by chewing resin from trees and plants such as the Ragged Cup. They also rubbed their teeth with white clay or scrubbed them with frayed twigs. The early Europeans believed that bathing was unhealthy. Most bathed once or twice a year, if at all, and they rarely cleaned their teeth.

Jojoba a plant Native people have used for centuries to soften skin and hair, is still a common ingredient in shampoos, conditioners and skin creams.