The Subarctic Natives

The Subarctic Natives

• The subarctic natives were nomads living in a forbidding climate

• they had to endure great famines and some of the coldest winters in Canada

• yet somehow these people survived and adapted to form cultures

Environment

• The environment these people had to endure was incredibly harsh and violent

• winters were extremely cold and windy

• and if that wasn’t enough, food was scarce and they had to follow their pray across the country

Landforms and Vegetation

• No mountains, a flat cold desert

• tundra area with no trees and little vegetation

• Most vegetation is moss, lichens and low-growing shrubs

Animal Habitats and Food

• People often hunted moose because they were plentiful in the Mackenzie river basin

• the caribou however would leave the bushlands inhabited by the Dogrib to go north with the Dogrib in pursuit

• also plentiful were woodland and barren-ground caribou as well as mountain sheep

Tools and Weapons

• A common weapon for hunting was a bow and arrows

• another weapon used was a spear

• the Kutchin bow could fell a target at 30 meters while the hare, Yellowknife and Dogrib used bows of approximately 1.5 meters in length

• some arrows were blunt so as to stun prey

Clothing

• Clothing was usually made of caribou, moose, deer or sheep skin

• it took 10 pelts to make a complete outfit for one man

• men essentially wore wide shirts that hung to the knees and were decorated with rows of fringe

Dwellings

• The homes of the subarctic natives consisted of several large poles laid against each other at equal lengths and covered with hide or birchbark

• in this way a conical or domelike structure is formed

Religions and Beliefs

• The natives believed that their creator Kitche Manito created rock, fire, wind, then water

• And after he had made the stars, planets and other creatures, he made Man

• One time the Earth flooded and Kitche Manito blew on some dirt and the Earth was revived

Burial Customs

• First the body was wrapped in birch bark and placed on a platform for four days

• The body was then buried with its feet pointing west (ningabian)

• A tombstone was then carved with the family symbol and turned upside down to identify that the person was dead

• Then a great feast was held

Shamans and Dreams

• Shamans were people who were in contact with spirits

• It was believed that dreams were advice and knowledge from spiritual guardians in animal form

Politics

• People were organized in two groups: local bands and regional bands

• Local bands consisted of 2 to 12 extended families and contained from 10 to 75 people

• A regional band was made up of two local bands that joined to exploit food or other resources

• There was no political infrastructure except for family organization and earned superiority, though a wise man would in most cases assume a leadership role

Today

• Today, centuries later, there are little or no natives left

• This is because most of them have been forced onto reserves and committed suicide

• A magnificent civilization has drawn to a close

Bibliography

• Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia. Microsoft Corporation, 1997

• http://www.wsd1.org/riverview/students/309/suba.htm

• http://www.cabrillo.cc.ca.us/~crsmith/noamer_subarctic.html

• http://www.batashoemuseum.ca/shoesections/subarctic.html

• http://w1.1546.telia.com/~u154601485/frame_CanadaIndianArts.htm

• http://www.canadianheritage.org/galleries/firstnations0600.htm

• http://www.canadianheritage.org/reproductions/23039.htm