Social life Social life in the Algonquin tribe was a lot different than today. For example; hunting territories were handed down father to son. It was a patriarchal society. The woman (once they got married) would leave their family to go and live with their husbands family. HOW THE CHEIF WAS CHOSEN: Some may think that the chief was elected, but he wasn't! He inherited the position from his father. If the father didn't have a son and he (the chief) passed away, the position went to his first son in law. The chief was referred as ogima or ogema.
During the summer season, many families would gather for weddings and other celebrations. When the weather was warm the Algonquin would stay in one spot or around the same area. They would gather food for winter. They would dry and gather fruit, and also farm and find medicine plants. The food would then be used when they were travelled to their hunting grounds and for when the winter season would start. When fall arrived the Algonquin would divide into smaller groups of no more than 30 people. Why? Each family's hunting territory was not very big. Any larger group would not have survived from the available resources. |
Activities |
Women gathered herbs, berries, and nuts, took care of the children and the house, and cooked all the food. Only men were allowed to hunt animals, to fight and protect the tribe, and negotiate with the other tribes. When the Algonquin didn't fight with the Iroquois, they traded with them. They exchanged animal skins for tobacco and corn. This was an important relationship because the Algonquin tribe didn't grow many crops themselves.
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