PASSAMAQUODDY INDIANS IN CANADA

PASSAMAQUODDY MEANS "A TRADITIONAL WAY OF CATCHING A POLLACK FISH" USING A SPEAR. THEY WERE PART OF THE WABANAKI CONFEDERACY WHO CONTROLLED NEW ENGLAND THEY WERE PART OF WABANAKI CONFEDERACY WHO NEW ENGLAND CANADIAN MARITIMES. THEY LIVED IN MAINE BEFORE THEY MOVED THEY MOVED TO CANADA. TODAY THEY LIVE ON THE BORDER THEY HAVE ONE TRIBE IN CANADA AND ONE ON A RESERVATION IN MAINE. EACH TRIBE HAS IT'S OWN GOVERNMENT AND THERE IS NO OFFICIAL FIRST NATION IN CANADA. AND THEY DON'T HAVE A GOVERNMENT. MOST OF THIS TRIBE SPEAKS ENGLISH. VERY FEW SPEAK NATIVE LANGUAGE. WHAT WAS THEIR CULTURE LIKE? BOTH MEN AND WOMEN HAD VERY STRICT ROLES. THE CHILDREN PLAYED, WENT TO SCHOOL AND HELPED WITH THE HOUSE. THE BOYS FISH WITH THEIR FATHERS. IN THE PAST THEY HAD MORE CHORES. THAN TOYS. THEY PLAYED A BALL KICKING GAME. THEIR MOMS CARRIED THEIR BABIES IN CRADLEBOARDS.

THEY LIVED IN BIRCHBARK WIGWAMS LONG AGO. TODAY THEY LIVE IN HOUSES. THE WOMEN WORE LONG SKIRTS AND DRESSES WITH REMOVEABLE SLEEVES. THEY MADE DELICATE BEADWORK. THEY DID NOT WEAR LONG FEATHER HEADRESSES. THEY WERE WELL KNOWN FOR THEIR BIRCH BARK CANOES. TODAY FEW PEOPLE MAKE THEIR OWN CANOE.

THEY HAD NO HORSES UNTIL ANGLOS CAME HERE. THEY USED SLEDS AND SNOW SHOES TO VISIT THEIR TRIBES TODAY THEY USE CARS. THEY TRAVELED TO THE COAST IN SUMMER TO FISH, HUNT PORPOISES, AND PLANT CORN. IN WINTER THEY HUNT GAME. FISHING IS IMPORTANT TO THEIR DIET. THEY GATHERED NATIVE PLANTS AND MADE MAPLE SYRUP FROM TREES. THEY USED HARPOONS AND PRONGED SPEARS TO HUNT PORPOISES.

THEIR ARTISTS ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR BASKETWEAVING AND BEAD WORKING. THEY CRAFTED WAMPUM OUT OF WHITE AND PURPLE SHELL BEADS. WAMPUM BEADS WERE TRADED AS A CURRENCY, BUT THEY WERE MORE CULTURALLY IMPORTANT AS AN ART MATERIAL. THEY MADE DESIGNS ON WAMPUM BELTS AND TOLD A STORY.

THEY TRADED WITH NEW ENGLAND TRIBES AND FOUGHT WITH THE IROQUOIS. FIVE TRIBES FORMED AN ALLIANCE CALLED THE WABANSKI. BEFORE THIS ALLIANCE THEY WERE NOT ALWAYS FRIENDS WITH THESE TRIBES. ONCE THEY FORMED THE CONFEDERACY THE TRIBES NEVER FOUGHT EACH OTHER.

IN 1794 THE US SIGNED A TREATY WITH PASSAMAQUODDY PROMISING THEM RIGHTS TO FISH IN THEIR HOMELAND FOREVER. HOWEVER SINCE THEN THEY HAVE GIVEN THEM RESTRICTIONS. PORPOISES ARE ENDANGERED AND THAT IS AN ISSUE THAT IS STILL IN DEBATE..

THEIR RELIGION IS VERY COMPLEX AND SENSITIVE TO THEM. THEIR POPULATION IN MAINE IS ABOUT 2500 FOLKS. THERE IS A VIABLE POPULATION IN CANADA AS WELL. THE BAY OF PASSAMAQQUODDY BAY THAT STRADDLES THE US/CANADA BORDER. WAS NAMED FROM THIS TRIBE.

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