The Algonquian Tribe

Who were the Algonquians? The Algonquian people were made up of several different tribes : the Adirondecks, Mahicans, Delewares, Wappingers, and Montauks They are the most populous and most widespread North American native groups. The number of tribes were usually in the hundreds , and within these tribes they spoke several related dialects.

Where did they live? The Algonquian People inhabited most of the canadian region south of Hudson bay, between the rockies and the Atlantic ocean.

The Algonquian houses The algonquians lived in what were called round houses. The base of the round houses were made out of wood, then covered with bark, and lastly a layer of thatch or dried grass was added. There was a small hole at the top which allowed smoke from their fires to escape. There was only one opening at the front of the round house, and only one family lived in each one.

Traveling In winter, the Algonquians used snow shoes and tobaggans to travel. From spring through fall, they used birchbark canoes and traveled by foot.

Clothing The Algonquins’ clothing was very simple but sturdy. In the summer the men wore only a deerskin loincloth. The women wore an apron or a long wraparound skirt made of the same material. Beautifully beaded soft sole moccasins completed the outfit. When the weather was colder they added skin shirts, fur robes, leggings and feather cloaks decorated with porcupine quills and seashells over the loincloth.

Culture Wampum belts and necklaces were made from wampum beads. These beads were actually white and purple shells. Wampum was used as money between white men and Indians. Wampum belts were used as a form of communication between Indian tribes. Indians created Wampum belts with pictures showing the reason it was made. Indian messengers carried wampum belts when going to other tribes.

Religious Practises The Algonquians believed in witchcraft . They embraced in witchcraft to explain many of the illnesses that had come to their land. The Algonquians would dance around a great fire, to perform this ritual. The Algonquians believed that the suffering and misfortune were caused by spirits who were invoked for destructive ends by evil-intentioned people. This ritual would help the Algonquians cope with cultural disorientation, social stress, and widespread suffereing and death caused by colonization

References Location Algonquians About Algonquians Clothing Wampum Travel Witchcraft Picture Groups Canoe picture