First Nations and Inuit of Canada
In 1996, Former Governor General Romeo Leblanc proclaimed June 21st of every year as the National Aboriginal Day. It is the day we celebrate the contribution of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis (mixed blood) peoples to Canada.
When people think of the First Peoples of Canada, they tend to think of it as one ethnicity or at most two, Indians and Inuit. But there were 12 First Nation/Inuit Linguistic Families in Canada prior to the arrival of European explorers: Algonquin, Iroquoian, Inuktitut, Athapascan, Siouan, Kutenaian, Salishan, Wakashan, Tsimshian, Haidan, Tlingit and Beothuk. These are the main languages but each of the nations have their own variation. Comparing each of these linguistic groups is like comparing all European Nations. They are bound together by similar lifestyles but slightly different cultures and are now together in their fight for respect from other Canadians.
The Algonquin linguistic family has its roots mostly in Eastern Canada but extend as west as the Rockies. In the Prairies the Blackfoot, Cree, Blood and Ojibway Nations spoke the Algonquin language. The Cree are mainly in Northern Manitoba and also lived in Ontario, as did the Ojibway. In Ontario it is mostly Cree and Ojbway as well as the Ottawa Nation. In Quebec it is the Montaignais who make up the most of the Algonquin although there were Crees and Micmacs in Gaspé. The Atlantic Provinces were home to the Micmacs. The Algonquins is one of the linguistics groups that takes up the most geographical space, streaching from the Atlantic to the Rockies.
Another huge area is the one that was once Athapascan home. This area was northern Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, BC and most of the Yukon and the South west Northwest Territories. The Athapasca Nations from BC and the Prairie Pronvinces were the Chippewa, Beavers, Sacree, Slave, and Dene Nations. In the Northwest Territories and Yukon are the Dogrib, Kutchin, Kaska, Tutchone, Han and Hare.
The only nation to have its own Territory is the Inuit. The Inuit are in charge of the Nunavut Territory, Most of that territory is inhabited by the Intuit who also live in Northern Quebec and Labrador.
One of the most known about First Nations are the Iroquois, known for their support of the British during colonisation. Around the Georgian Bay live the Hurons, which were the same language as the Iroquois Nation who lived in the Toronto-Montreal-Quebec Area (Montreal and Quebec were old Iroquois villages). The two nations were put into war due to their affiliation with French (Huron)/English (Iroquois) colonies.
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