Location: northeast Canada
History: Hunting deer, elk, seal, beaver, otter, moose, bear and caribou and fishing for smelts, herring, sturgeon, salmon, cod and eels were the main activities of Micmac life. They also gathered maple tree sap and did a little farming. They built birch bark covered wigwams and canoes. In winter they traveled through the snow with the aid of snowshoes, sleds and toboggans. In fact, the English word "toboggan" comes from the Micmac "taba'gan." The Micmacs shared with other Algonquian tribes a belief in a supreme being. European contact changed the economy of the Micmac, bringing them European goods like knives and different foods most of which were not as healthy for them as their traditional diet. A lot of native people were killed off by European diseases like smallpox.
Language: Mi'kmaq (Algonquian language group)
Daily Life: The Micmac today continue to celebrate their cultural identity and work together to better the lives of their community. Most Micmac participate in western society while retaining their cultural roots.
Best Known Feature: Most of their domestic tools were made from birch bark, often decorated with porcupine quills. These quilled boxes and baskets are quite distinctive to the Micmac.
Though this page has been carefully researched, the author does not claim expertise on the Micmac.
Please send questions, comments, and corrections to emuseum@mnsu.edu and include the URL.
If you are Micmac, your feedback is much appreciated.
Aroostock Band of Micmacs: http://www.micmac-nsn.gov/
Chapel Island Micmaq First Nation (Nova Scotia) http://potlotek.ca/
Membertou Mi'kmaw First Nation (Nova Scotia) http://www.membertou.ca/
Millbrook Mi'kmaq First Nation (Nova Scotia) http://www.millbrookfirstnation.net/
Big Cove Micmac First Nation (New Brunswick) http://www.bigcoveband.com/
Fort Folly First Nation (New Brunswick) http://www.fortfolly.nb.ca/
Metepenagiag Red Bank Micmac First Nation (New Brunswick) http://www.metepenagiag.com/rbaccueil_en.htm
Listuguj Mi'gmaq (Quebec) http://www.listuguj.ca/
Micmac Nation of Gespeg (Quebec) http://www.gaspesie.com/gespeg/
Gesgapegiag Micmac First Nation (Quebec) http://www.gesgapegiag.com/
Indian Head First Nations (New Foundland) http://www.indianheadfirstnations.com/
Benoit First Nation (New Foundland) http://benoitfirstnation.tripod.com/
Corner Brook Micmac First Nation (New Foundland) http://www.fni.nf.ca/bands/cornerbrook/corner.htm
Abegweit Mi'kmaq First Nation (Prince Edward Island) http://www.abegweitfirstnations.com/
1500s - The Micmac
http://www.magi.com/~westdunn/1755Mcma.html- no longer up