ALGONQUIN INDIANS

THIS TRIBE IS ACTUALLY MANY TRIBES THAT ARE FOUND IN NEW ENGLAND AND THE GREAT LAKES. THE STATES THEY OCCUPIED INCLUDED NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, NEW JERSEY, AND DELAWARE. THEY LIVED IN MANY VILLAGES WHICH ACTUALLY HAD 900 INDIANS EACH. THEY BUILT DOME SHAPED WIGWAMS, FROM SAPLINGS COVERED WITH BIRTH BARK, CHESTNUT, OAK OR ELM. THEY ALSO PLACED BARK OVER THEIR WIGWAMS. THEY WOVE MATS OUT OF RUSH AND CEDAR BRANCHES. BEDS WERE MADE FROM SPRUCE BOUGHS COVERED WITH SKINS. THEY SAT ON ROLLED UP SKINS AND HIDES.

MANY VILLAGES WERE STAKES WITH PALISADES. THEY MADE MOST OF THEIR CLOTHING FROM ELK AND DEER HIDES. THEY DECORATED THEIR OUTFITS WITH SHELLS, STONES, PAINT AND PORCUPINE QUILLS. MEN WORE BREECH CLOTH AND THE WOMEN WORE WRAP AROUND SKIRTS, LEGGINGS, AND MOCCASINS. THEY WOVE TURKEY DOWN ROBES.

THEY WERE MAINLY HUNTERS AND DID SOME FARMING USING FISH TO FERTILIZE CORN FIELDS. ON THE COAST THEY COLLECTED CLAMS, OYSTERS, LOBSTERS, MUSSELS AND OTHER SHELLFISH. THEY WRAPPED FISH IN SEAWEED THEN COOKED IT IN A PIT DUG IN THE EARTH. THEY WERE EXCELLENT HUNTERS, FISHERS, AND FOOD GATHERERS. THEY HUNTED MOOSE, CARIBOU, AND BEAVER AND OTHER ANIMALS.

THEY HAD BIG POWWOWS EVERY SIX MONTHS. EACH TRIBE BROUGHT IT'S CHIEF TO THE POWWOW COUNCIL. IT WAS AN OCCASION FOR FEASTING AND DANCING. ARGUMENTS BETWEEN GROUPS WERE SETTLED, AND TRADING WAS COMPLETED.

THEIR MEN MADE CANOES AND MADE WEAPONS . THEY USED SPEARS TO CATCH FISH. THE WOMEN WOVE FISHNETS, MATS, AND BARK CONTAINERS. THEY MADE BIRCH BARK BOXES AND DECORATED THEM WITH PORCUPINE QUILLS. THEIR ART INCLUDED ALSO STITCHED BAGS AND CLOTHING OF DEER HIDE EMBROIDERED WITH FLORAL PATTERNS. THEY USED BIRCH BARK TO MAKE MANY ITEMS SUCH AS CANOES AND WIGWAM GIFT ITEMS.

THE SNOW SNAKE WAS A GAME PLAYED BY TRIBES OF THE GREAT LAKES. A SNOWSNAKE WAS A LONG STICK OF MAPLEWOOD. ONE END WAS CARVED TO LOOK LIKE A SNAKE'S HEAD. THEY PACKED DOWN SNOW ON A LONG, LEVEL STRIP OF GROUND. EACH PLAYER SLID THE STICK AROUND THE GROUND. THE ONE WHO SLID THE STICK AROUND THEW FARTHEST WON.

ON THE EAST COAST THERE WERE MANY TRIBES THAT LOST 75% OF THEIR PEOPLE AFTER MEETING THE EUROPEANS - THEY GOT SMALLPOX AND MEASLES. TODAY THEIR ARE MORE THAN 1/2 MILLION ALGONQUIN TRIBES IN THE REGION OF NORTHEAST AMERICA.



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