Mi’ kmaq Peoples of the East Coast

The First Nations People of Nova Scotia

Habitat Appalachian Region Large variety of deciduous

and coniferous trees Many rivers Dry areas have red oak,

red pine and white pine Wet areas have red maple,

white cedar and black ash Other small fruit trees (ex.

blueberries, black huckleberry, teaberry, bryophytes)

Climate has wide temperature variations depending on season

Usually cool and wet for most of the year

Homes

• They live in Wigwams• The largest conical

wigwams sheltered 12-15 people, for bigger families

• The basic structure of the wigwam was five spruce poles, lashed together at the top and spread out at the bottom

• Birchbark sheets were laid over the poles like shingles, starting from the bottom and overlapping until reaching the top

Tools and Weapons• Tools and equipment made

from animal bone, ivory, teeth, claws, hair, feathers, fur, leather, quills, shells, clay, native copper, stone, wood, roots and bark

• Theses made axes, adzes, gouges, spears, knives, arrow points, scrapers, bone fish spears, awls, painting tools and sewing needles

• They had many different uses for each tool. But most were used for hunting, carving and other ways to build structures

Subsistence

• Summer-harvest sea food

• Winter-move inland and hunt.

• Hunt mostly moose, but also deer, caribou, bear, porcupine, rabbit, and beaver.

Kinship

• The Grand Chiefs eldest son became the next Grand Chief.

• The land was held together by common kinship.

ArtifactsArtifacts

The history of the Mi’ The history of the Mi’ kmaq People has been kmaq People has been preserved and preserved and expressed through the expressed through the spoken word and spoken word and hieroglyphic writing. hieroglyphic writing. They have also They have also contributed to the contributed to the Great Exhibition in Great Exhibition in London in 1851London in 1851 with with baskets, mats, a baskets, mats, a canoe, paddles, a canoe, paddles, a cradle, chairs, hoods, cradle, chairs, hoods, moccasins, a dress, moccasins, a dress, fans, purses and cigar fans, purses and cigar cases.cases.

Social OrganizationSocial Organization

There were many There were many different different subdivisions in subdivisions in the Mi’ kmaq the Mi’ kmaq Area. List in Area. List in next slidesnext slides

Community    Community     Province/State Province/State       

Town/Reserve    Town/Reserve     Est. Est. Pop.    Pop.    

Míkmaq name    Míkmaq name    

AbegweitAbegweit First Nation First Nation          Prince Edward IslandPrince Edward Island

ScotchfortScotchfort, , Rocky PointRocky Point, , MorellMorell

396396 EpekwitkEpekwitk

AcadiaAcadia          Nova ScotiaNova Scotia YarmouthYarmouth 996996 MalikiaqMalikiaq

Annapolis ValleyAnnapolis Valley          Nova ScotiaNova Scotia Cambridge StationCambridge Station 219219 KampalijekKampalijek

Aroostook Band of Aroostook Band of MicmacMicmac

         MaineMaine Presque IslePresque Isle 920920 UlustukUlustuk

Bear River First NationBear River First Nation          Nova ScotiaNova Scotia Bear RiverBear River 272272 LsetkukLsetkuk

Buctouche First NationBuctouche First Nation          New BrunswickNew Brunswick BuctoucheBuctouche 8080 PuktuskPuktusk

Burnt Church First NatioBurnt Church First Nationn

         New BrunswickNew Brunswick Burnt Church 14Burnt Church 14 1,4881,488 EskinuopitijkEskinuopitijk

Chapel Island First Chapel Island First NationNation

         Nova ScotiaNova Scotia Chapel IslandChapel Island 576576 PotlotekPotlotek

Eel Ground First NationEel Ground First Nation          New BrunswickNew Brunswick Eel GroundEel Ground 844844 NatuaqanekNatuaqanek

Eel River Bar First Eel River Bar First NationNation

         New BrunswickNew Brunswick Eel River BarEel River Bar 589589 Ugpi'gangijUgpi'gangij

ElsipogtogElsipogtog First Nation First Nation          New BrunswickNew Brunswick Big CoveBig Cove 3000+3000+ LsipuktukLsipuktuk

EskasoniEskasoni First Nation First Nation          Nova ScotiaNova Scotia EskasoniEskasoni 3,800+3,800+ WékistoqnikWékistoqnik

Fort Folly First NationFort Folly First Nation          New BrunswickNew Brunswick DorchesterDorchester 105105 Amlamkuk Amlamkuk KwesawékKwesawék

Micmacs of Micmacs of GesgapegiagGesgapegiag

         QuebecQuebec GesgapegiagGesgapegiag 1,1741,174 KeskapekiaqKeskapekiaq

Nation Micmac de Nation Micmac de GespegGespeg

         QuebecQuebec FontenelleFontenelle 490490 KespékKespék

Glooscap First NationGlooscap First Nation          Nova ScotiaNova Scotia HantsportHantsport 360360 PesikitkPesikitk

Indian Island First NationIndian Island First Nation          New BrunswickNew Brunswick Indian IslandIndian Island 145145 Lnui MenikukLnui Menikuk

Lennox Island First NationLennox Island First Nation          Prince Edward IslandPrince Edward Island Lennox IslandLennox Island 700700 Lnui MnikukLnui Mnikuk

ListugujListuguj Mi'gmaqMi'gmaq First Nation First Nation

         QuebecQuebec ListugujListuguj Mi'gmaqMi'gmaq First Nation First Nation

3,163,1666

ListikujkListikujk

MembertouMembertou First Nation First Nation          Nova ScotiaNova Scotia SydneySydney 1,051,0511

MaupeltukMaupeltuk

MetepenagiagMetepenagiag Mi'kmaqMi'kmaq Nation Nation

         New BrunswickNew Brunswick Red BankRed Bank 527527 MetepnákiaqMetepnákiaq

MiawpukekMiawpukek First Nation First Nation          Newfoundland and LabradorNewfoundland and Labrador

ConneConne River River 2,362,3666

MiawpukwekMiawpukwek

Millbrook First NationMillbrook First Nation          Nova ScotiaNova Scotia TruroTruro 14014000

WékopekwitkWékopekwitk

Pabineau First NationPabineau First Nation          New BrunswickNew Brunswick BathurstBathurst 214214 KékwapskukKékwapskuk

Paq’tnkek First NationPaq’tnkek First Nation          Nova ScotiaNova Scotia AftonAfton 500500 PaqtnkekPaqtnkek

Pictou Landing First NationPictou Landing First Nation          Nova ScotiaNova Scotia TrentonTrenton 547547 PuksaqtéknékatPuksaqtéknékatikik

Indian Brook First NationIndian Brook First Nation          Nova ScotiaNova Scotia Indian BrookIndian Brook ( (ShubenacadieShubenacadie))

2,122,1200

SipekníkatikSipekníkatik

Wagmatcook First NationWagmatcook First Nation          Nova ScotiaNova Scotia WagmatcookWagmatcook 623623 WaqmitkukWaqmitkuk

Waycobah First NationWaycobah First Nation          Nova ScotiaNova Scotia WhycocomaghWhycocomagh 900900 WékoqmáqWékoqmáq

Clothing Of The Mi’ kmaqClothing Of The Mi’ kmaq Clothing is made of animal Clothing is made of animal

skinsskins Animal brains, oil, and Animal brains, oil, and

smoking techniques were smoking techniques were used to tan the skinsused to tan the skins

Mens ClothingMens Clothing

Men’s garments include loose Men’s garments include loose robes of fur robes of fur

Leggings of moose, caribou Leggings of moose, caribou and seal hides at the hip to a and seal hides at the hip to a leather girdleleather girdle

Moccasins were made of seal Moccasins were made of seal and moose skinsand moose skins

Men had accessories such as Men had accessories such as a tobacco pouch and others a tobacco pouch and others to complete the outfitto complete the outfit

They had various designs of They had various designs of birds, beasts and humans on birds, beasts and humans on their robestheir robes

Clothing Of The Mi’ kmaqClothing Of The Mi’ kmaq Womens’ ClothingWomens’ Clothing The Robes that the women The Robes that the women

wore were similar to the wore were similar to the mensmens

They were belted to the They were belted to the waist, and dropped to below waist, and dropped to below the kneesthe knees

The women had straps on The women had straps on their shoulders that acted as their shoulders that acted as suspenderssuspenders

They had various designs of They had various designs of birds, beasts and humans on birds, beasts and humans on their robestheir robes

Many animal teeth and other Many animal teeth and other animal parts were included animal parts were included on the robes and body for on the robes and body for decoration decoration

Leadership and Leadership and GovernmentGovernment

The Mi’ kmaq people were The Mi’ kmaq people were ruled by the Chief – ruled by the Chief – hereditory cheifs were not hereditory cheifs were not part of the Mi’ kmaq part of the Mi’ kmaq societysociety

The Mi’ kmaw territory was The Mi’ kmaw territory was divided into 7 districtsdivided into 7 districts

The council members were The council members were elders, band chiefs and elders, band chiefs and other community leadersother community leaders

The Grand Chief was a title The Grand Chief was a title given to one of the district given to one of the district chiefschiefs

The grand chief was very The grand chief was very high up in statushigh up in status

ReferencesReferences Map of regions. [Online image] Available, Map of regions. [Online image] Available,

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9_EhdMbdI4E/ScmUXieg4uI/AAAAAAAAACU/Eu7uhttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9_EhdMbdI4E/ScmUXieg4uI/AAAAAAAAACU/Eu7uFc2rrv4/s400/regions.gifFc2rrv4/s400/regions.gif May 27, 2011. May 27, 2011.

Mi’kmaq information. [Online] Available Mi’kmaq information. [Online] Available http://museum.gov.ns.ca/arch/infos/mikmaq1.htm http://museum.gov.ns.ca/arch/infos/mikmaq1.htm

May 27, 2011May 27, 2011 AppalachianAppalachian Region. [Online] Available, Region. [Online] Available,

http://ss9geography.wikispaces.com/Appalachian+Regionhttp://ss9geography.wikispaces.com/Appalachian+Region May 27,2011. May 27,2011. Wigwam. [Online image] Available, Wigwam. [Online image] Available,

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/13964245.jpghttp://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/13964245.jpg May 28, 2011May 28, 2011 Wigwam. [Online image] Available, Wigwam. [Online image] Available,

http://www.manataka.org/images/Micmacwigwam1.jpg http://www.manataka.org/images/Micmacwigwam1.jpg May 28, 2011 May 28, 2011 Arrow head.Arrow head. [Online image] Available, [Online image] Available,

http://www.ancientresource.com/images/native-american-indian/arrowheadhttp://www.ancientresource.com/images/native-american-indian/arrowhead-grand701.jpg-grand701.jpg May 28, 2011May 28, 2011

Bone Awls. [Online image] Available, Bone Awls. [Online image] Available, http://millenniareproductions.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/al37.55http://millenniareproductions.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/al37.5593532.jpg93532.jpg May 28, 2011May 28, 2011

A chief. [Online image] Available, A chief. [Online image] Available, http://gov.ns.ca/nsarm/share.asp?url=/nsarm/images/NSIS&path=02731http://gov.ns.ca/nsarm/share.asp?url=/nsarm/images/NSIS&path=02731 , , June 1, 2011June 1, 2011