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