Micmac (Mi'kmaq)
Location: Northeast Canada: Nova Scotia,
Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec, Prince Edward Island, east New Brunswick and
parts of southwest Newfoundland.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 the
dominant Euro-American society while retaining
their cultural roots.Traditions: 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 traditional 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.
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.
The Micmacs shared with other Algonquian tribes a belief
in a supreme being. History: 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.
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 web address of this page.
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/
Resources
1500s - The Micmac
http://www.magi.com/~westdunn/1755Mcma.html- no longer up
Sultzman, Lee. "Micmac History." Electronic document http://www.dickshovel.com/mic.html Accessed July 2009
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