Final+Native+American+Project+for+S.S.

Nanci Honyotski 4-12-2010 Blueberry

I researched the Algonquin Tribe and here are some interesting things I thought I would share with you. Let me start off with telling you some things about the history of the Algonquians. Did you know that the word Algonquin is the French word for tribe? Now I never knew that. At the time the French were saying this word they were probally in a battle because the French were trying to pronounce elehgumoqik, which means allies. The Algonquin Tribe call themselves Anishnabe, which means “original person.” This tribe also uses the word Anishnabek to refer to other Indians. When they are specifically referring to their tribe, they usually use “Algonquins” or “Algonkins” to distinguish themselves. These few things played a big part in the naming of the tribe. The Algonquins are original natives of Southern Quebec and Eastern Ontario, Canada. Today only nine communities live in Quebec and only one lived in Ontario. Each Algonquin community lives on its own reserve, or reservation. Reserves are land that belong to the tribe and is legally under their control. Algonquin tribe is known as a band or First Nation in Canada. The tribe is politically independent and has their own leadership. First Nations have their own government, laws, police, and services, just like any small countries do. Algonquins are also Canadian citizens and must obey Canadian law. The leader of each band is called an “ogime” or “ogema”, translated to chief in English. An ogima used to be chosen by tribal council members, often from the last chief’s son(s), nephews, or son-in-law. Today ogimas are elected by the Algonquins, just like governors or mayors. These are a few things I thought you should know before I go on to tell you about the rest of my tribe. I am now going to tell a couple things about the Algonquins religion/ cultural background. Every six months or so the members of the tribe come together for a powwow, as known as a meeting in English. Each tribe brought their chief to represent them in the powwow council. Powwow was an occasion for feasting and dancing. Arguments groups were settled, alliances were formed, and trading was completed during these powwows. Some men also made canoes, traps, utensils, and weapons at these meetings. The spears they made helped them catch fish and eels from their canoes. The Algonquins hung dreamcatches from cradleboards to protect babies. They also believed dreamcatchers catch bad dreams and allow good dreams to pass thought the web design at the top of a dreamcatcher. These things were a part of their religion. Now I would like to tell you about some art the Algonquin Tribe made. To make their art they used natural objects as models for their artwork. Somethings they stitched into their bags and cothing were flowers, leaves, and stems. Brichbark is a type of wood that they make most of their canoes out of. The outer bark of the canoe is a type of brichbark, that is a kind of white paper, used for building canoes and they also use them for the outer covering of wigwams, which are their homes. THe hunting and fish gear, arm guards and quivers where made from brichbark. Brichbark was also used to make containers. The containers were used to collect, store, cook, and even serve food or other products. Native Americans gathered bark from fallen trees all year long. Bark was thickest in spring. Also in spring bark is easy to peel itself from the trees. Handles of containers were constructed with willow or other branches. Native Americans also created dreamcatchers. Algonquin artist are known for their beadwork and basketry. Allgonquins also crafted wampums out of white and purple shell beads. Wampum beads were traded as a kind of currency, but the beads were more culturally important as an art material. Designs and pictures on wampum belts often told a story or represented a person's family life. Today, Algonquin people also created contemporary art like, oil paintings. The language that the Algonquin tribes speak at least three different languages. Some bands are English speaking, others are French speaking. About half the Algonquin tribe population also speak their their own nativec Algonquin language. The Algonquin language is a musical language, that has complicated verbs with many parts. Some words they say are "kwey," which means hi in English. Also "meegwetch," which means thank you in English. Certains group such as the Europeans effected the Native Americans socially by trading with the Native Americans. Also by going to powwows/ meetings with eachother, celebrating holidays with eachother, and hanging outings with eachother. Socialy they have showed the Natives how to interact with other people they come across. Mentaly they have helped the Natives how to talk to people when they moved to different areas of Canada. The Europeans also showed the Natives how to grow things that they didn't know how to grow before. Mentally they could trust eachother with things because they would trsde things with eachother that each of them needed. Both groups would trade/ sshare food, clothing, and shelter with eachother. All these things I just told you are things I learned about the Algonquin tribe.