The Cree and the Haida
...t the winter, a stronger home was built of layers of thick furs sewn together. It still housed one family with 3-5 other families living nearby. The Haida lived in permanent villages because they were surrounded by an abundance of resources which created stability. They built plank houses from western red cedar trees. These homes housed 10-12 families (up to 30 people). The largest house could hold up to 600 people. Each Haida home had a huge totem pole (a carved and painted cedar tree with emblems of the tribe) that was situated in the front of their house facing the beach. There were usually only two rows of houses in a village (http://www.civilization.ca/aborig/haida/havindxe.html ). The high rafters of these large homes were used to hang salmon to dry. The Haida were inaccessible to most land animals because of their location therefore they were dependent on the many sea animals such as sea otters, seals, salmon, halibut and especially shellfish. They also enjoyed rich crops and berries (Mac Donald, p. 42). Religion influenced Cree hunting practices immensely. The hunter was taught to respect the animal he was hunting and treat it as a “gift”. The animal would not allow its species to be caught again if the kill was not treated with gratitude and respect. In addition ate some roots, berries and other animals like elk and deer. Spiritual beliefs of the Cree were that there was one creator whom they called Gitchi Manitou (or Great Spirit). This spiritual being was so powerful that it was understood that communication had to be indirect. Prayers and messages were sent through living and non-living creations of Gitchi Manitou as well as through the spirits of deceased ancestors known as the Grandfathers and Grandmothers. This was done through ceremonies and rituals respecting and acknowledging all four directions including earth, wind, fire and water (which are the sustenance of all living things with most respect given to Mother Earth). Mother Earth was the bearer of life given by the Creator (Diane Lavallee, Interview July 4, 2005). The Cree also endured the Sundance and the Sweat Bath made efforts to cleanse their minds and bodies as a way of healing themselves. The young Cree people sought spirituality by spending long periods fasting in solitude. The Shaman (medicine man) was common to both nations. The Haida believed in Super Natural ocean beings that disguised themselves as fish and other sea creatures. They borrowed a lot of their beliefs such as ceremonies and myths from neighboring tribes; the Tlingit and Tsimshin. Previously told myths by these neighboring tribes were adapted to fit their needs. The totem pole marked the graves of deceased loved ones which were buried nearby (Margaret Blackman page 22). The most important ceremony of the Haida was the Potlatch. The Potlatch was an event that was hosted by the Haida. It was essentially a way of showing how many gifts (crafts, blankets, foods, and other necessities) one was able to give away. The more gifts given away by an individual gave them prestige amongst the community. The summer months were spent preparing for these events. These events (contests) were held to honor the giving of names, marriages communication with the dead and deaths. Potlatches were accompanied by feasts and usually occurred in the colder months. These potlatches were indicators of social classes. The Haida were divided into two social groups, called Raven and Eagle. The Raven group was subdivided into twenty-two families, and the Eagle group into twenty-three. The groups were not separated into clans. In historic times, all villages contained representatives of several groups and most contained members of different social groups. Children followed the group of their mother (http://www.civilization.ca/aborig/haida/hapso01e.html). Social classes of the Cree weren’t evident according as the Cree were small groups of nomadic people and had little time to develop social classes. As for government of the Cree, Chieftainship and band organization was accused of being loose little coordinated units with consideration of the geographical location. A chief was a skilled warrior and a trustworthy individual and was chosen by the surrounding families (Mandelbaum, p. 290). In the Haida villages there were usually no real chiefs. Instead there was one man who was richer than others therefore he was respected and everyone followed his lead. With wealth on the island there were also social classes that included slaves (Lions, p. 38) The economy of the Cree depended on the area. The Cree lived in a harsher environment than the west coast peoples. In connection to their economy and livelihood, in the summer they gathered in larger groups for the buffalo hunt. The buffalo was...