Atikamekw

Infobox Ethnic group
group=Atikamekw


poptime=4,500 (circa 2005)
popplace=Canada – Québec
langs=Atikamekw, French
rels=Roman Catholicism, Other, None
related=Native American

*North American natives
**northeast Algonquian peoplesThe Atikamekw are the indigenous inhabitants of the area they refer to as "Nitaskinan" ("Our Land"), in the upper St. Maurice valley of Québec. Their population currently stands at around 4500. One of the main communities is Manouane, about 160 kilometers northeast of Montreal. They have a tradition of agriculture as well as fishing, hunting and gathering. They have close traditional ties with the Innu people, who were their historical allies against the Inuit.

Atikamekw, a language of the Cree subgroup of Algonquian, is still in everyday use, but their land has largely been appropriated by logging companies and their ancient way of life is almost extinct. Their name, which literally means "Whitefish", is sometimes also spelt "Ahtikamekw", "Attikamekw", "Attikamek", "Attimewk" or "Atikamek". The French colonists referred to them as "Têtes-de-Boules", meaning "Ball-Heads" or "Round-Heads".

A small number of families still make their living making traditional birch bark baskets and canoes.

Population

History

The early documents begin to mention the Atikamekw at beginning of the 17th century, when they lived in the boreal forest of Haute-Mauricie. They had formed themselves into a group of 500 to 600 people, thus present themselves as "one of the nations more considerable of the north". In these early documents, the Atikamekw were recorded as "Atikamegouékhi". The Atikamekw have their own traditional culture, language and rituals, though they had strong influences from the neighboring peoples. From this grouping, three prominent communities developed, where each of the three communities spoke the same language but with unique dialects reflecting each of the three. Members of the tribe as a whole generally speak the Atikamekw language, but the majority do not write it. Previously, the Atikamekw had agreements with the Europeans, but had conflicts with the Inuit. Because of their allies, the Innus, the Atikamekw caught devastating diseases that were brought over by the Europeans. With the Fur trade with the Montagnais (Innus), the French pulled in the Atikamekw into a trade war between the Montagnais (Innus) and the Iroquois in which the Innus did not fare well.

Today, the Atikamekw, like their historical allies the Innus, suffer from mercury poisoning due to the central electric power companies that had contaminated the water supply. Despite all these events, the Atikamekw were not moved off their traditional grounds.

The seasons and the division of the year

Among Atikamekw, the year is divided into six seasons. In every season, there is a principal activity. The seasons begin with "Sîkon", a pre-Spring in which the Atikamekw used to manufacture bark baskets, which can contain maple-sap gathered in this time of year. After "Sîkon" is "Mirôskamin", Spring proper. In this season, the Atikamekw would go fishing and partridge hunting. These activities continue through "Nîpin" (Summer). During "Takwâkin" (autumn), the Atikamekw would go moose hunting. A successful hunt required the careful removal of the skin of the moose, offerings are made, and then the meat is jerkied for preservation. Women would continue to remove the hairs from the moose hide, then soak, deflesh and tan the hide, then make thin strips of leather for snowshoe netting. During the onset of winter, or "Pîtcipipôn", the men would go trap for beavers. During the winter, or "Pipôn", the men would make nets to fish under the ice, while others produce snowshoes.

In conjunction with the seasons, the Atikamekw divides the year into 12 months. The month names are based on the primary activity the Atikamekw society engaged themselves in. The months are:

* "Kenôsitc Pisimw" – January: Longest [Winter] Moon
* "Akokatcic Pisimw" – February: Groundhog Emerges Moon
* "Nikikw Pisimw" – March: Otter Moon
* "Kâ Wâsikatotc Pisimw" – April: Reflects on the Ice Moon
* "Wâpikon Pisimw" – May: Flower Moon
* "Otehimin Pisimw" – June: Strawberry Moon
* "Mikomin Pisimw" – July: Raspberry Moon
* "Otâtokon Pisimw" – August: [Bird] Fledges Moon
* "Kâkône Pisimw" – September: Porcupine Mates Moon
* "Namekosi Pisimw" – October: Trout [Spawns] Moon
* "Atikamekw Pisimw" – November: Whitefish [Spawns] Moon
* "Pîtcipipôn Pisimw" – December: Winter Arrives Moon

Notes

External links

* [http://www.atikamekwsipi.com/ Council of the Atikamekw Nation]
* [http://www.histori.ca/minutes/minute.do?id=10128 Historica’s Heritage Minute video docudrama about “Maple Syrup.”] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Flash_Player (Adobe Flash Player.)]