The Algonquians (or Algonkians) are a group of Native American tribes that all spoke similar languages and had similar ways of life. The Cree, Mahican, Delaware (Lenni Lenape), Menominee, Ojibwa, Shawnee, Algonquin, Arapaho, and Cheyenne are just a few of the many Algonquian tribes.
The Algonquians probably once lived in southern Canada in the area north of the St. Lawrence River. Over time they spread out, eventually occupying a large portion of what are now the United States and Canada. Their territory included New England, the Atlantic coast, the Great Lakes region, and lands on the Great Plains.
Society and culture
Traditionally, most Algonquians spent much of the year in their villages, which they usually built alongside rivers. Surrounding each village was a wall of upright stakes, designed to protect the inhabitants from enemies. Nearby were fields and gardens, which were tended by the women of the tribe. Corn was the most important crop, but they also grew beans and squash.
In the winter, the Algonquians broke up into small groups and headed for their hunting camps in the forests. They generally hunted deer, rabbits, and beavers, though the Algonquians living far to the north also stalked larger game animals, such as elk and moose. For the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and other Algonquian peoples living on the Great Plains, the buffalo was the most important prey.
Many Algonquian tribes added to their food supply by fishing. They built light canoes out of birch bark for traveling the rivers and lakes. The Algonquians also gathered wild plant foods, including berries, roots, and nuts. For some Algonquian tribes of the Great Lakes region, wild rice was a large part of the diet.
The majority of the Algonquian peoples build dome-shaped houses called wigwams. They were made from a frame of poles covered with bark or grass mats. Some tribes constructed longhouses of wood and bark that were large enough to house several families. The westernmost Algonquians lived in cone-shaped tepees like other Indians of the Great Plains.
Much of the Algonquians' clothing was made of animal hides, especially deerskin. They often decorated their garments with colorful patterns made from dyed porcupine quills. Many also crafted containers out of birch bark and wood and wove baskets for cooking and storing food.
Religious practices varied among the Algonquian peoples, but most shared a belief in a great spirit called Manitou. They believed that Manitou was present in all things on earth. All Algonquians performed ceremonies, often to give thanks, to prepare for war, or to ensure success on the hunt.
History
The Algonquians living along the Atlantic coast were among the first Indian peoples to come in contact with non-Indians. The Indians who greeted the Pilgrims and the Jamestown settlers in the early 17th century were members of Algonquian tribes.
Soon after the arrival of non-Indians in their lands, many Algonquians died from European diseases such as smallpox and measles. As more whites came, the Indians were often pushed out of their territory. By the mid-19th century most Algonquians had lost their traditional homelands and were confined to reservations. Several tribes, such as the Shawnee and the Delaware, were relocated to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). Many thousands of people of Algonquian heritage still live in the United States and Canada.