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Cree
Native
North American tribe of the Algonquian language family,
and of the Subarctic culture
area.
They
were originally a forest people, hunting rabbit,
deer, beaver, caribou, moose, and bear in the Manitoba
forests. In times of game shortages and ensuing
famine, they practiced cannibalism.
The
Cree traded pelts with the early French and English
fur traders of the region.
Part
of the tribe became allied with the Assiniboine
people of Manitoba, moved southwest into the open
buffalo country, and became known as the Plains
Cree.
Those
who remained in the forest were known as the Woodland
Cree.
The
Cree were organized socially into bands of related
families. In times of warfare, Cree bands formed
larger groupings, waging frequent war with neighboring
groups such as the Blackfoot
and Sioux.
Some
of the Plains Cree intermarried with the French settlers
of the region.
The
Cree currently number about 15,000; most now live
on reservations in Canada, south of the Churchill
River, in the provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
"Cree,"
Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2000 http://encarta.msn.com
© 1997-2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
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Cree
The
French "Cris" include both the prairie and the woodland
tribes, situated to the west of James Bay.
The
English "Cree" include the prairie and woodland tribes;
the Muskegons, the Algonkin
band inhabiting the swampy land around James Bay ("Swampy
Cree"); the Naskapi; the Montagnais-Naskapi
and the Montagnais of the Quebec peninsula.
(DCB
Dictionary of Canadian Biography"," G. Brown"," ed.)
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Métis-Cree
The
Métis-Cree of Canada are the children of the Cree
women and French, Scottish and English fur traders
who were used to form alliances between Native peoples
and trading companies. We, the Métis, are a nation,
sharing the traditions of all our mothers and fathers.
Our stories teach us how to treat our fellow beings.
Stories that are told to entertain rather than to
teach, such as the endless cycles of the superhuman
being Wisakecahk, are forbidden during the summer
months when we must work as hard as possible.
How
the People Hunted the Moose (Short Version)
A
family of moose was sitting in the lodge when a
pipe came floating in through the door, passing
close to each of the Moose People until it reached
the youngest of the young bull moose. He took the
pipe and started to smoke it. The old moose knew
that it was a pipe the human beings were smoking
to ask for success in their hunt. "Now, tomorrow,
they will find us," he said. But the young moose
was not afraid, for he thought he could outrun them.
When the Moose People reached the edge of the forest
the next day, they caught the scent of the hunters.
The thin crust on the snow made it hard for the
moose to move quickly. The young moose was still
sure he could outrun the hunters, but the hunters
were wearing snowshoes. They followed him until
he tired, and then they killed him. They thanked
him for giving himself to them so they could survive.
They treated his body with care, soothing his spirit.
When the young moose woke up in his bed that night,
he said to the others, "Those hunters treated me
with respect. It is right for us to allow the human
beings to catch us." And so it is to this day. Those
hunters who show respect for the moose are always
the ones who are successful when they hunt.
Adapted
from The Native Stories from Keepers of the Animals,
by Joseph Bruchac: (*for the links, please go to
'sources' where you
can find the link to the Canada Museum of Civilization)
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Wood,
sinew, hide, embroidery floss
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Chisasibi
Reserve, Fort George
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Swampy
Cree-Métis (Plains, Red River-type)
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Collected
in Manitoba, 1846-47
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Museum
of Civilization, Ottawa, Canada
PHOTOS
OF CMC ARTIFACTS: Richard Garner, Harry Foster
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Cree
Language
The
Cree language is part of the Algonquian linguistic
group. The Cree in Quebec speak their language and,
with Ojibway and Inuktitit, Cree is among those rare
Native languages in North America with a very good
chance of surviving and even progressing in the future.
The name "Cree" developed out of their experience
of becoming "Christians". In their own language, however,
they are just as likely to use the words "Ayisiyiniwok"
and "lyiniwok", which mean "men", to identify themselves.
Total
Population
The
population of the Cree Nation in Quebec is estimated
at 12,430 people, with more than 10,400 residents
in one or the other of the nine Cree communities in
the province. Other communities are located in Ontario,
Manitoba, and Saskatchewan
Territories
Cree
territories in Quebec are located in the northwestern
and central parts of the province that run inland
from James Bay and Hudson Bay. The Cree have lived
in his region for about 5,000 years. The game, fish
and estuaries of major rivers found in the region
have been at the source of all developments in the
history of this Nation.
From
the first contact with the Europeans, and the creation
of the Hudson's Bay Company in the 1600's, right through
to the building of large-scale hydro-electric projects
in the 1970's, it has been the natural resources of
Cree territories that have had the most influence
on events for this people.
Together
with the Inuit, they undertook
negotiations with the Quebec and Canadian governments
to sign the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement
in 1975. This historic agreement, the first of its
kind between Native and non-Native parties, defines
their territories and the rights attached to them.
Communities
There
are nine communities that make up the Cree Nation
in Quebec. Four are located on the eastern littoral
of James Bay: Chisasibi,
Eastmain,
Waskaganish,
and Wemindji.
Whapmagoostui
is on the coast of Hudson Bay, and the other four,
Mistissini,
Nemiscau,
Oujé-Bougoumou,
and Waswanipi,
are in the interior of the James Bay basin.
Organizations
Each
community has its own band council for the administration
of local affairs. The Grand Council of the Crees of
Quebec represents all communities in terms of political
planning. Programs and services provided to the communities
are coordinated by the Cree Regional Authority with
the collaboration of the Cree Housing Corporation,
the Cree Regional Boards of Health and Social Services,
and the Cree School Board.
First
People, Native Trail (for much more information,
please visit their site!)
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