Settlement
The Mi'kmaq were a Native group of eastern Canada. They lived near the sea which was very important for their livelihood. It provided food and many of the things they needed for their daily lives. The Mikmaq chose the sites for their villages with care. A village was usually located at the mouth of a river. The river provided fresh water and a travel route. The Mi'kmaq traveled by birch bark canoe [kwitn] along the coast to other villages.
A chief called the Saqamaw, ruled over the Mi'kmaq people. The people looked up to the Saqamaw for leadership and advice. He led them in battle, provided necessities for hunting, canoes for transportation and food, in times of bad weather and famine.The chief was the most respected man in the Mi'kmaq community.
The Mi'kmaq were hunters and gatherers. In the spring they turned to the resources of the sea, rivers, and streams for their livelihood. The summer was a time of plenty. The Mi'kmaq harvested wild fruits, berries and other plants. Some berries were enjoyed fresh, others were dried and set aside for the winter. Roots and leaves of plants were gathered as food and for medicines.
September, was a month for feasts of eels. Eel, was a favorite food of
the Mi'kmaq. In the late fall and winter the Mi'kmaq went beaver hunting. The pelts could
be fashioned into robes for the winter or made into blankets. The sharp teeth of the
beaver were fastened onto sticks and made into tools for cutting and gouging.
As winter came on, the Mi'kmaq hunted bear, moose and caribou. They hunted with bows and arrows and lances or trapped animals with snares or traps. They also knew other ways to lure game. They fashioned "moose calls" out of bichbark to attract curious moose. In deep snow the Mi'kmaq hunters had an advantage. The heavy animals were slowed down by the snowdrifts while the Mi'kmaq skimmed quickly over the surface on snowshoes.
While the men hunted the woman prepared the food and made the clothing. It was the women who went in search of the wood that is burned. And it was the women who skinned and cleaned the hides of animals after a successful hunt.
Few Canadians today live off
the land. For most of us, getting food means going to the supermarket. We would not think
of the land providing almost as much variety in food as a store. Yet when the Mi'kmaq
first arrived in Newfoundland they were quick to comment on the plentiful food the land
offered.
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