Woodland Cree facts for kids
The Sakāwithiniwak, also known as the Woodland Cree, are a group of Cree people. In their own language, they call themselves Nîhithaw. They are the largest Indigenous group living in northern Alberta, Canada. The Woodland Cree are part of the larger Algonquian family.
Before the 1700s, their lands stretched west from Hudson Bay all the way north to Churchill. By the 1700s, they were important traders in western Northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba. They helped trade goods between different Indigenous groups. After they got guns through trading, they expanded their territory a lot. They moved other tribes further west and north. The Rocky Cree, or Asinikaw Īthiniwak, are often seen as part of the Woodland Cree. However, many people think they are a separate group.
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Daily Life and Culture
The homes of the Woodland Cree were made from different materials. This depended on where they lived. In the southern areas, they built wigwams using birch bark. Further north, where birch trees were smaller, they used pine branches and caribou hides. These coverings went over cone-shaped frames.
There was a clear way that jobs were divided between men and women. Men hunted animals and fished for food. They also made canoes, sledges, and tools for hunting. Women gathered plants and snared small mammals like rabbits. They prepared animal hides, cut firewood, and made snowshoes. Women also set up tents, carried wood, wove fishing nets, and made clothes. These clothes were often decorated with quill and beadwork. Coats and blankets were made from woven hare skin or soft caribou fur.
In spring and autumn, the Woodland Cree hunted ducks and geese. In winter, they hunted ptarmigan. Like many other tribes, their food and clothing depended on snowshoe hares. The number of hares would go down every few years. This was especially hard in the ninth and tenth years when hares almost disappeared. Winter was a very tough time for the Woodland Cree.
Trading with Europeans
The Woodland Cree were among the first Indigenous nations west of Hudson Bay to trade with European fur traders. This started as early as the 1600s. They became very involved with the fur trade. They changed their clothing and many parts of their life to fit European ways.
They were known as excellent hunters and trappers. They provided meat and pemmican (a food made from dried meat) to the fur trade posts. They also supplied furs, either directly or by trading with other tribes. Marriages between Cree women and fur traders were very important. These alliances helped with fur trade talks. Because families moved often, women sometimes had their babies while traveling.
The children of these marriages formed a new group of people called the Métis. The Métis often adopted the way of life of their mothers' people or Europeans. Some received education to become clerks and traders for the North West and Hudson's Bay Companies. By 1800, the Cree were well settled in Alberta. Their lands stretched from the Athabasca-Peace delta in the north, along the Peace River, and south to the Saskatchewan River.
Stories and Wisdom
The Woodland Cree use legends to share stories through time. Many legends are about nature and the environment. Examples include "How the raven stole the sun" and "Deawitchita and the fire rock." It is said that those who tell these legends have the most ikanisha. This word means wisdom in the Woodland Cree language.
Woodland Cree Historical Groups
- Rocky Cree / Mountain Cree (Asini Wachi Nīhithawī): These groups lived in the Rocky Mountain area of Alberta. They included people from other nations like Assiniboine, Iroquois, Danezaa, Sekani, Ojibwe, and Secwepemc.
- Nelson River Cree (Nisichawayasi Nehethowak): They lived from the Upper Nelson River west towards the Sturgeon-Weir River. Today's Rocky Cree nations like Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation come from them.
- Churchill River Cree (Minisipi Īthiniwak): Named after the Churchill River (Minnisippi, meaning "large body of water"). Today's Mathias Colomb First Nation are their descendants.
- Cross Lake Cree (Pimicikamāk Iniwak): They lived by Cross Lake and the Upper Nelson River. They are the ancestors of today's Cross Lake First Nation and Pimicikamak Cree Nation.
- Woods Cree / Bush Cree (Sakāwithini(wak)): These groups lived in the woodlands. They included people from Assiniboine, Iroquois, Chipewyan, Dane-zaa, Slavey, and Saulteaux nations. Many First Nations today, like Alexander First Nation and Whitefish Lake First Nation, are their descendants.
- Lesser Slave Lake Cree: These groups are the ancestors of today's Bigstone Cree Nation, Peerless Trout First Nation, and others.
- Athabasca Lake Cree (Āyapāskāwiyiniwak): They lived along Lake Athabasca. Today's Lubicon Lake Nation and Woodland Cree First Nation come from them.
- Beaver Lake Cree (Amisk Sakahikan Wi Iniwak): They lived along Beaver Lake and Lac La Biche. Today's Beaver Lake Cree Nation are their descendants.
- Beaver River Cree (Amisk Sipi Wi Iniwak): They lived along the Beaver River.
- Saki Ta-wa Ininiwak (Sakitawa Wi Iniwak): They lived near Île-à-la-Crosse. Today's Canoe Lake Cree Nation are their descendants.
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