Chapter 1

1. Chapter 1 Aboriginal Societies

2. Diversity • Canada’s first people were both very similar, and very different from each other • Each had a set of core values: ideas or beliefs about how people should live • Core values created their world view: a set of values relating to • nature • other people • their Creator

3. Canada’s first people are indigenous: they are the original people of this land • They passed beliefs through traditional teachings, which explained the relationship among plants, animals, land, people, and the spirit world • P. 9 of the textbook

4. Keepers of Knowledge • Traditionally teaching were passed orally (spoken) through generations through Elders • Elders passed most of their knowledge through stories • P. 11 of the textbook

5. What’s In A Name? • When Christopher Columbus arrived in North America, he referred to the people here as “Indians,” because he thought he was in India • Today, that word is not used because it does not respect who the first people really are

6. Europeans had an ethnocentric view of indigenous people, which means they did not respect other cultures than their own. • Often, they gave their own names to the indigenous people they met (p. 13)

7. Proper Terms • First Nations: the original inhabitants of the land. • Inuit: the original inhabitants of the Northern parts of Canada • Métis: French word meaning “mixed blood.” The Métis are the descendants of First Nations women and European fur traders

8. The Mi’kmaq • One of the first groups to meet Europeans • Live in Eastern Canada • They were hunter-gatherers • Lived in small villages called clans

9. Connection to Nature • Close connection with nature, which they called “Mother Earth.” • Their creator was Kisulk • Humans were equal to everything in nature, so they respected it

10. Government • Government: the way people organize themselves to choose leaders and make decisions • Each clan had a local leader called a sagamaw • They also created a Sante Mawiomi (Grand Council) to solve problems between all the Mi’kmaq clans

11. Leaders came to decisions by listening to everyone’s opinion and would not do anything until everyone agreed. This is called decision making by consensus.

12. The Role of Women • Very important and respected • Raise children • Took care of homes • Collected food and small animals for food and clothing • Voiced their concern in all matters

13. The Haudenosaunee • Lived along the St. Lawrence River • A group of 6 First Nations: • Mohawk • Oneida • Onondaga • Cayuga • Seneca • Tuscarora

14. World View • Always considered what would be best for future generations • Decision making by consensus • Shared labour • Duty to family and each other • Equality for everyone

15. Became one of Canada’s first farmers • They called their 3 most important crops the “Three Sisters”: corn, beans, squash • These 3 crops, when planted together, helped each other grow • Also grew tobacco, cucumbers, melons, potatoes, turnips • Everyone shared the harvest

16. Role of Women • Matrilineal: the head of each longhouse was a woman, called the clan mother • after a marriage, the husband went to live in the wife’s longhouse • Women owned all the possessions in a house • Members of a clan could not marry one another

17. The women were life givers • Some other decisions women made: • Location of a new village • What crops should be planted • When men should make war or peace • Who should be allowed to join their community • Making sure rituals were performed correctly • Helping troubled people and teaching children

18. Government • Their gov’t was an alliance (a union) called the Iroquois Confederacy • The confederacy had a “Great Law of Peace,” which was a set of laws explaining how people should behave in society

19. The Anishinabe • Lived in the wooded areas of north/central Ontario and southern Manitoba • “Anishinabe” means “the people.” • Europeans called them the “Ojibway” or “Saulteaux”

20. World View • The Anishinabe had 7 main values • Wisdom: cherish knowledge • Love: know peace • Respect: honour all of Creation • Bravery: face your foes • Honesty: face the situation • Humility: know yourself • Truth: know all these things

21. One of the only groups of First Nations in the east who grew wild rice, which they called “mamomin.” • The rice was essential to the Anishinabe society

22. Role of Women • Men and women were equal in society • Looked after children and the home • Hunted smaller animals • Harvested berries, nuts, roots, rice, and fruit

23. Making Decisions / Solving Problems • They organized their clans named after 7 animals. Each clan had a responsibility to the community (p. 25) • Each clan had a leader Complete the table at the bottom of p. 25

24. Economies and Resources • Every culture has its own economy: the way its people meet their basic needs • Hunter-Gatherers -the people gathered plants, hunted, and fished according to the seasons -food was preserved and stored for the winter -they moved their camps as the seasons changed, and followed the migration patterns of animals

25. Farmers -they did not move around much – only when it was necessary -they had more time to create art, perform ceremonies, and recreation -traded with other groups