Aboriginal Peoples in Canada
When European settlers first arrived in Canada, they mistakenly referred to the Indigenous peoples as “Indians,” believing they had reached the East Indies. The Indigenous groups in Canada had diverse ways of life, including farming, hunting, and gathering, depending on the region.
- Hunter-Gatherers: The Cree and Dene of the Northwest practiced hunting and gathering.
- Farmers and Hunters: The Huron-Wendat and Iroquois of the Great Lakes region relied on both agriculture and hunting.
- Arctic Subsistence: The Inuit survived mainly by hunting Arctic fauna, such as seals and whales.
- Nomadic Hunters: The Sioux followed bison herds across the plains.
- West Coast Tribes: Indigenous groups on the West Coast preserved fish by smoking and drying.
Aboriginal communities often engaged in conflicts with neighboring tribes to secure resources, land, and status. However, the arrival of Europeans would drastically alter their way of life, starting with the introduction of new diseases, for which Indigenous peoples had no immunity. Despite these challenges, Indigenous peoples and Europeans formed strong military, religious, and economic relationships over the first 200 years, which played a crucial role in the formation of Canada.