The Algonquians made their clothes from the materials they found around them. Most of their clothes were made from the skins and fur of the animals they hunted, like beaver, black squirrel, otter, moose, caribou and fox. To make the clothing strong, the skins were cleaned to remove any remaining flesh or fat, and then sewn together using moose or caribou sinew.
Practical clothing
The clothes worn by the Algonquian people were very practical because they kept them warm and lasted a long time. When it was very cold, the Algonquians wore a “long capot” which was a long coat made of seven or eight beaver pelts. Men and women’s clothes were very similar and it was not uncommon for them to swap clothes.
Tools and weapons
The Algonquian people made everything they needed using the materials around them. Tools and weapons (spears, knives and needles, for example) were made of wood, stone, bone and bark. The blades they make for their weapons were as effective as metal blades!
Author: Alexandre Lanoix
See also: Traces of the Past — A new discovery
Important concepts and big ideas:
Habitation, nomadA nomad is a member of a community of people who live in different locations, moving from one place to another in search of grasslands for their animals. More, SubsistenceSubsistence means the minimal resources that are necessary for survival. A subsistence economy relies on hunting and cultivation for food and surrounding trees for building shelter. More, resourcesResources are anything taken from the earth or nature that people need, use, and are "valued". For example, a country that is rich in resources is one with good land, minerals that can be mined, seas or rivers that are plentiful and can be used for food and other uses. Les ressources sont tout ce qui provient de la terre ou de la nature dont les gens ont besoin, qu'ils utilisent et qui est "valorisé". Par exemple, un pays riche en ressources est un pays qui possède de bonnes terres, des minéraux qui peuvent être exploités, des mers ou des rivières qui sont abondantes et qui peuvent être utilisées pour l'alimentation et d'autres usages. More
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[glossary slug=’subsistence’]