1. Three of Canada’s First Nations
Mi’kmaq
Haudenosaunee
Anishinabe
Chapter One 1

2. Questions to Look At:
What were the different ways in which Mi’kmaq, Haudenosaunee and Anishinabe societies structured?
How do environment and geography affect culture and identity?
How can connections to the past be important to identity? 2

3. Why these groups?
These were some of the first groups to have contact with the European colonists; they were very affected by them! 3

4. Focus Area 4

5. Mi’kmaq Society
A look into how their tribe is set up! 5

6. Seasonal Movement
Lived close to coast in summer, in the forest in the winter
Made best use of resources of the land
Fit their way of life to suit the land 6

7. Mi’ kmaq Society: Economic Structure
Identify examples of how the society used the land
Dug large round ponds for farming freshwater fish
Hunted the land
Used resources from the land to build homes (poles/sheets of bark)
Gathered fruit, wild vegetables, bark and roots for food and medicines
Farmed land
Did not change the land to suit their needs; they fit their way of life to the opportunities the land afforded 7

8. Mi’kmaq: Economic Structure continued
Identify examples of technologies the society used
Split-wood baskets
Snowshoes
Toboggans
Wigwam (portable home)
Canoes for river and ocean travel 4m long
Wove mattresses from evergreen branches
Harpoons
Mikmaq boxes – used porcupine needles to help make it.

9. Mi’kmaq: Social Structure - making decisions
Identify examples of how the society made decisions
Identify examples of the role of women in decision making
Identify examples of the role of men in decision making
Community held meetings
Saqamaw – a leader in Mikmaq society. Chosen and advised by councils of Elders to represent its district. When all districts met they made up the Grand Council
Grand Council advised communities how to live, also managed relations with other First Nations
Women allowed to sit in on meetings, but had no say in the outcome
Men made up the Grand Council, and the Saqamaw

10. Seven Districts Each district sends a rep to a Grand Council
The Grand Council meets once a year
Advises where to hunt, fish, set up camps
Manage relations with other First Nations 10

11. Mi’kmaq Cont’d
Used all the resources around them (using evergreen branches to make mattresses)
Had mass amounts of respect for each district and would help each other out
Were religious – prayed and believe in the Creator
Men and women had different roles
All roles were viewed as important because it contributed to the whole
Sharing and support were extremely important 11

12. 12

13. Anishinabe (Ojibwa)
A look into their society! 13

14. Anishinabe Society Believe in respect for all living things
Used different camps between Summer and Winter
Gather together to meet/make friends, exchange goods and food, do sports/ceremonies, and arrange marriages with different tribes
Men hunt, women would garden and cook
Ogimauh is the leader of the Anishnabe-Decided by consensus 14

15. Anishinabe Cont’d Decisions were made by being voted on
Would make alliances by arranged marriages
Have councils which discuss and make decisions
Respect creation because thought that the Creator was present in everything
Do not accumulate wealth, they take what they need
Had special buildings for meetings; men and women were at them, sat in a circle 15

16. Anishinabe: Economic Structure
Identify examples of how the society used the land.
Fished
Collected berries
Farmed the land
Grew wild rice in marshes
Hunted the land
Made Maple syrup

17. Anishinabe: Economic Structure continued
Identify examples of technologies the society used
Snowshoes
Had tools to collect and skim maple syrup
Canoes built for speed (long & narrow)
Fire to bend/shape arrows
Harpoons
Nets for fishing
Tobaggans
Tools to get the wild rice (wooden rods)
Moccasins

18. Dodems (clans)
Society made up of clans who each had different responsibilities
Clans worked together and provided balance 18

19. Clans/Duties Clan Duty Explanation Crane, Loon Leadership
Provide balanced government. Wouldn’t always agree, so all decisions were made carefully.
Fish
Teaching, scholarship
Taught skills and values, would also help solve fights between the Cranes/Loons.
Bear
Policing
Patrolled villages/camps and would identify useful plants for medicine.
Hoof
Community needs
Made sure there was housing and recreation . Opposed violence, were often poets.
Marten
Defense
Hunters, warriors, and military strategists.
Bird
Spiritual needs
High level of spiritual development and well-being 19

20. 20

21. Anishinabe: Social Structure - making decisions
Role of Women and Men:
They were treated equally. They became members of his or her father’s clan and among the clans they treated each other like brothers and sisters

22. Midewin Society Men AND women who had special spiritual/healing gifts
People respected them
Had eight levels of secret training
Believed in having a good life, healed people, interpreted dreams/visions, and passed on sacred teachings/songs 22

23. Questions How did they make decisions? What is the role of women?
How did geography/environment affect them? 23

24. Anishinabe Oral Tradition 24

25. The Haudenosaunee (Iroquois)25

26. Haudenosaunee: Economic Structure
Identify examples of how the society used the land.
Fished
Collected berries
Farmed the land
Hunted the land
Maple syrup

27. Haudenosaunee Society
Lived in year round settlements in long houses
Several families would live together
Were an agricultural community
Would only move when the land would not produce food 27

28. Longhouse 28

29. The Great Law of Peace
Created a confederacy of six nations; the Cayuga, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, and Tuscarora
Spoke different languages/lived in different areas and had own clans/councils
Set rules of government, each member nation had an equal voice/status 29

30. Commitment to Peace Represents the Great Law of Peace
The branches represent the nations
Roots represent peace and strength
The weapons is buried so there is no hostility among the nations 30

31. Grand Council Made confederacy decisions Were a council of 50 chiefs
Were called the Hoyaneh
Were chosen by the clan mothers
Made decisions like whether to go to war, enter into trade, sign treaties, etc. 31

32. Haudenosaunee Cont’d
The Peacemaker (brought the Great Law of Peace) was deeply respected (taught to respect all things)
Use dreams to help make decisions
Clan mothers bring decisions to the Hoyaneh who then make the final decision
Looked to the tribe to approve big decisions 32

33. Questions How did they make decisions? What is the role of women?
How did geography/environment affect them? 33

34. Haudenosaunee Society 34

35. Examples of How Geography Affected the Identity of the People

36. How Geography Affected the Identity of the People
Mikmaq
Seasonal movement:
Lived close to the coast in summer for fishing and hunting sea mammals and away from coast, in the forest, in the winter to hunt game
Anishinabe
Wild rice is a staple food for them. It grows naturally at the edges of lakes on the Canadian Shield
Traveled by lakes and rivers so they built canoes for speed and easy handling in rough waters
Haudenosaunee
Agricultural people:
the 3 Sisters: corn, bean, squash
Had permanent dwellings
(year round)