What does the word "Algonquin" mean?
"Algonquin" was the French name for the tribe. The French were probably trying to pronounce elehgumoqik, the Maliseet word for "our allies." The Algonquins call themselves Anishnabe, which means "original person." However, Algonquins use Anishnabek to refer to other Indians also. So when they are specifically referring to their tribe, they usually use "Algonquins" to distinguish themselves.
What were Algonquin homes like in the past?
The Algonquins didn't live in tepees. For most of the year they lived in settled villages of birch bark houses, called wigwams. During the winter, the village split up to go to hunting camps, and each Algonquin family built a smaller cone-shaped wigwam for their camp, also made from birch bark.
Today, Native Americans only build a birch bark home for fun or to connect with their heritage. Most Algonquin people live in modern houses and apartment buildings.
"Algonquin" was the French name for the tribe. The French were probably trying to pronounce elehgumoqik, the Maliseet word for "our allies." The Algonquins call themselves Anishnabe, which means "original person." However, Algonquins use Anishnabek to refer to other Indians also. So when they are specifically referring to their tribe, they usually use "Algonquins" to distinguish themselves.
What were Algonquin homes like in the past?
The Algonquins didn't live in tepees. For most of the year they lived in settled villages of birch bark houses, called wigwams. During the winter, the village split up to go to hunting camps, and each Algonquin family built a smaller cone-shaped wigwam for their camp, also made from birch bark.
Today, Native Americans only build a birch bark home for fun or to connect with their heritage. Most Algonquin people live in modern houses and apartment buildings.
Where do the Algonquins live?
The Algonquins are original natives of southern Quebec and eastern Ontario, in Canada. Today they live in nine communities in Quebec and one in Ontario.
The Algonquins are original natives of southern Quebec and eastern Ontario, in Canada. Today they live in nine communities in Quebec and one in Ontario.
What was Algonquin clothing like? Did they wear feather headdresses and face paint?
Algonquin women wore long dresses with removable sleeves and the men wore breech cloths and leggings. Both genders wore moccasins on their feet and cloaks in bad weather. Later, the Algonquins adapted European costume such as cloth blouses and jackets, decorating them with fancy bead work. The Ojibwa chief to the left is wearing the same style of clothing Algonquin men did.
Some Algonquin warriors shaved their heads in the Mohawk style, using grease to stiffen their hair so that it spiked up. Otherwise, Algonquin men and women both wore their hair in long braids. Some men wore a porcupine roach with a feather in it. In the 1800's, some Algonquin chiefs began wearing a feathered headdress like their neighbors the Sioux. The Algonquins painted their faces and arms with bright colors. They used different patterns for war paint and festive decoration. Some Algonquin men also wore elaborate tribal tattoos.
Today, some Algonquin people still wear moccasins or a beaded shirt, but they wear modern clothes like jeans instead of breech cloths and they only wear feathers in their hair on special occasions like a dance.
How do Algonquin Indian children live, and what did they do in the past?
They do the same things all children do, play with each other, go to school and help around the house. Many Algonquin children like to go hunting and fishing with their fathers. In the past, Indian kids had more chores and less time to play, like early colonial children. But they did have toys, games and dolls. Algonquin mothers, like many Native Americans, carried their babies in cradle boards on their backs, which is a custom that many American parents have adopted now.
Information about the Algonquin religion and/or beliefs?
Everything has its purpose and deserves respect just as much as anything else. For that reason only the necessary resources were harvested and offerings were made as a thank you, with tobacco.Another strong element of the belief system is the circle. Everything revolves around a circle. Seasons are going through a circle, life is a circle, etc. This was also reflected on hunting habits. It meant that when families were moving to their winter territories, they would use a different section every year, in rotation, in order to give the forest time to regenerate.
A big significance was also given to dreams and visions. For example, the shaman had visions that permitted him to know where herds would be, therefore where the group should hunt.
That is also why, when they were reaching puberty, each group member had to isolate himself and go on a vision quest where his name, the name of his protecting spirit and his role in life, to become a hunter, a medicine man, etc... would be revealed to him.
Algonquin women wore long dresses with removable sleeves and the men wore breech cloths and leggings. Both genders wore moccasins on their feet and cloaks in bad weather. Later, the Algonquins adapted European costume such as cloth blouses and jackets, decorating them with fancy bead work. The Ojibwa chief to the left is wearing the same style of clothing Algonquin men did.
Some Algonquin warriors shaved their heads in the Mohawk style, using grease to stiffen their hair so that it spiked up. Otherwise, Algonquin men and women both wore their hair in long braids. Some men wore a porcupine roach with a feather in it. In the 1800's, some Algonquin chiefs began wearing a feathered headdress like their neighbors the Sioux. The Algonquins painted their faces and arms with bright colors. They used different patterns for war paint and festive decoration. Some Algonquin men also wore elaborate tribal tattoos.
Today, some Algonquin people still wear moccasins or a beaded shirt, but they wear modern clothes like jeans instead of breech cloths and they only wear feathers in their hair on special occasions like a dance.
How do Algonquin Indian children live, and what did they do in the past?
They do the same things all children do, play with each other, go to school and help around the house. Many Algonquin children like to go hunting and fishing with their fathers. In the past, Indian kids had more chores and less time to play, like early colonial children. But they did have toys, games and dolls. Algonquin mothers, like many Native Americans, carried their babies in cradle boards on their backs, which is a custom that many American parents have adopted now.
Information about the Algonquin religion and/or beliefs?
Everything has its purpose and deserves respect just as much as anything else. For that reason only the necessary resources were harvested and offerings were made as a thank you, with tobacco.Another strong element of the belief system is the circle. Everything revolves around a circle. Seasons are going through a circle, life is a circle, etc. This was also reflected on hunting habits. It meant that when families were moving to their winter territories, they would use a different section every year, in rotation, in order to give the forest time to regenerate.
A big significance was also given to dreams and visions. For example, the shaman had visions that permitted him to know where herds would be, therefore where the group should hunt.
That is also why, when they were reaching puberty, each group member had to isolate himself and go on a vision quest where his name, the name of his protecting spirit and his role in life, to become a hunter, a medicine man, etc... would be revealed to him.
What did the Algonquins hunt for food?
The Algonquin did some farming, but were mainly hunters; they hunted, trapped and fished. The Algonquian lived somewhat outside the wild rice region which provided an important part of the diet for other tribes in the northern Great Lakes. The Algonquian relied heavily on hunting for their food which made them excellent hunters and trappers. They used fish to fertilize their corn fields and tapped maple trees for sap to make their sugar. The Algonquin Indians that lived on the coast. They often had clambakes; a picnic where they ate clams, oysters, lobsters, mussels, and other shellfish. During these clambakes the Indians wrapped fish in seaweed then cooked it in a pit dug in the earth. The Great Lakes Tribes were excellent hunters, farmers, and food gatherers. They ate wild birds, deer, moose, and rabbit and the men hunted moose, caribou, beaver, otter, and other small animals.The women gathered roots, seeds, wild rice, nuts, greens, and berries and grew corn, beans, and squash, which were called "The Three Sisters" two other things they grew were potatoes, peppers. A main food was the wild rice the Indians gathered that grew in the marshlands around the Great Lakes. The Indians of the Great Lakes knocked off the grains with sticks so the rice fell into their canoes.
What would they use for transportation?
Anishinabeg were a hunting Nation which meant that mobility was essential. Material used had to be light and easy to transport. Canoes were made of birch bark, sowed with spruce roots and render waterproof by the application of heated up spruce resin and grease. It was easy to move and the material readily available. During winter, toboggans were used to transport material and people used snowshoes to get around. For babies, takinagan were used to carry them. It was built with wood and covered with an envelope made of leather or material. The baby was standing up with his feet resting on a small board. The mother would then put the takinagan on her back. This allowed the infant to look around and observe his surroundings, therefore start learning how everyday tasks were done.
The Algonquin did some farming, but were mainly hunters; they hunted, trapped and fished. The Algonquian lived somewhat outside the wild rice region which provided an important part of the diet for other tribes in the northern Great Lakes. The Algonquian relied heavily on hunting for their food which made them excellent hunters and trappers. They used fish to fertilize their corn fields and tapped maple trees for sap to make their sugar. The Algonquin Indians that lived on the coast. They often had clambakes; a picnic where they ate clams, oysters, lobsters, mussels, and other shellfish. During these clambakes the Indians wrapped fish in seaweed then cooked it in a pit dug in the earth. The Great Lakes Tribes were excellent hunters, farmers, and food gatherers. They ate wild birds, deer, moose, and rabbit and the men hunted moose, caribou, beaver, otter, and other small animals.The women gathered roots, seeds, wild rice, nuts, greens, and berries and grew corn, beans, and squash, which were called "The Three Sisters" two other things they grew were potatoes, peppers. A main food was the wild rice the Indians gathered that grew in the marshlands around the Great Lakes. The Indians of the Great Lakes knocked off the grains with sticks so the rice fell into their canoes.
What would they use for transportation?
Anishinabeg were a hunting Nation which meant that mobility was essential. Material used had to be light and easy to transport. Canoes were made of birch bark, sowed with spruce roots and render waterproof by the application of heated up spruce resin and grease. It was easy to move and the material readily available. During winter, toboggans were used to transport material and people used snowshoes to get around. For babies, takinagan were used to carry them. It was built with wood and covered with an envelope made of leather or material. The baby was standing up with his feet resting on a small board. The mother would then put the takinagan on her back. This allowed the infant to look around and observe his surroundings, therefore start learning how everyday tasks were done.