Haudenosaunee and Inuit Culture

The Haudenosaunee

• The Haudenosaunee had a matrilineal clan system.
• The Clan Mother headed the longhouse, inhabited by related females and their families.
• Men were responsible for hunting and building.
• Women were responsible for planting, harvesting, and meal preparation.
• They lived in longhouses constructed with wooden frames and bark coverings.
• Villages accommodated hundreds of residents and were fortified with protective walls.
• Relocation occurred when farmland lost its fertility.
• They cultivated corn, beans, and squash, known as the "three sisters".
• They gathered berries and nuts and hunted and fished.
• They believed in living in harmony with nature and in values and traditions gifted by the Creator.
• Their spiritual practices included ceremonies involving prayer, dance, stories, and songs, expressing gratitude to the Creator and the natural world.

The Inuit

• In summer, they lived in small family groups in animal skin tents.
• They hunted on land and water using kayaks during the summer.
• In winter, they formed larger settlements and lived in igloos or turf homes.
• They traveled by dog sleds and relied on ice fishing in winter.
• Snow igloos were used as temporary housing in winter.
• Animal skin tents were used as temporary housing in summer.
• Seasonal hunting patterns followed animal migrations.
• Summer hunting focused on caribou, seals, and walrus.
• Winter hunting focused on ice fishing and beaver.
• Specialized tools such as harpoons and kayaks were used.
• Family units consisted of 5-6 people.
• Resource sharing was community-based.
• Food was considered communal property.
• They had a collaborative work ethic.
• Dog sleds or foot travel were used in winter.
• Walking was used in summer.
• Kayaks were used for individual water travel in summer.
• Umiaks, large hide boats, were used for group water travel in the summer.
• They lived in the Northern Regions of Canada.
• Their homeland was called Inuit Nanangat, which included the land, water, and ice surrounding their territories.
• Economic activities were highly community-focused.
• Hunting and Fishing were primary economic activities.
• They traded with European explorers.
• They believed that all things (living and non-living) possess a spirit.
• Spirits existed in people, animals, inanimate objects, and natural forces.
• Afterlife was seen as a transition, not an end.
• Ceremonial practices included using a one-sided drum, singing, and storytelling through dance.
• Major festivals occurred during total darkness periods.

The Metis

• The Métis Nation are people of both First Nations and European heritage.
• This name was given to children born to European men (like explorers, fur traders, and settlers) and Indigenous women.
• Some lived in cabins and farmed.
• Others had a nomadic lifestyle, living in tents and following buffalo herds.
• They used dogs, horses, and oxen to pull carts, wagons, and sleds.
• They combined European and Indigenous customs.
• Their cooking and sewing skills ensured their survival in harsh winters.
• Métis communities were located along fur trading routes.
• These areas were in the Red River area (Manitoba), Saskatchewan and Alberta, around the Great Lakes (Ontario, Quebec), and near the Mackenzie River in British Columbia and the Northwest Territories.
• They played a significant role in fur trading, selling furs and getting European materials in return.
• They contributed to the North West Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company.
• They farmed and gathered food such as bannock, berries, and pemmican (a mix of buffalo meat, fat, and berries).
• They combined Christian beliefs (Protestant and Catholic) with traditional Indigenous spirituality.
• Fiddle music and intricate dancing were vital parts of their culture.

How Indigenous People Were Affected by European Settlers

• Europeans took land from Indigenous peoples for their own settlements.
• Taking land made it harder for them to hunt, fish, gather food, and maintain traditions.
• European settlers brought new diseases like smallpox and scurvy to which Indigenous peoples had no immunity.
• These diseases caused many deaths.
• Indigenous peoples' traditional ways of life were disrupted.
• They were forced to change their culture, language, and practices to survive.
• Indigenous children were forcibly taken from their families and sent to schools.
• In these schools, they were forced to abandon their languages and cultures, causing pain and trauma.
• Some children died, barely escaped, or were left with major injuries.
• Europeans took many resources from the Indigenous Peoples, such as furs and forests.
• Europeans taking resources affected Indigenous peoples' livelihoods and trade, as they depended on these resources for survival.

Medical Care in the 1700s

• Early explorers relied on First Nations knowledge for medical care.
• Indigenous medicine was passed down through generations.
• Settlers often suffered from Scurvy (a lack of Vitamin C).
• First Nations communities brewed tea from White Spruce twigs and bark to combat scurvy.
• Indigenous people created remedies using plants, making teas, poultices, and other drinks.
• Settlers adopted these practices to survive in North America.
• Hospitals emerged in cities like Quebec City, Montreal, and Toronto as populations grew.
• Many hospitals were established by Catholic missionaries and nuns.
• Poor individuals could visit hospitals for free care, while wealthier citizens opted for private doctors.