Native Americans first came to settle North America many thousands of years ago. The Cree is an ancient group that chose to set up their communities in Quebec, Canada. Their ancestors passed down their history from one generation to the next through word of mouth. As years passed, the Cree built communities and faced many challenges. This is the story of the Cree nation, how they survived hardships and obstacles, and continued into the present day.
Based on the author's thesis. Part I was previously published in 1940 by the American Museum of Natural History. This revised edition includes two additional comparative sections.
Careful research combines well-written text and striking images to interest readers in the history and culture of the Cree. Its discussion of Cree history allows readers to view everything from the prehistoric time through the issues the Crees face today. The book examines the Western Woods Crees and the Plains Crees, and explores the impact of European traders, missionaries, and settlers on Cree life. The volume also looks at the traditional cultures of the two Cree groups, including arts, government, religion, and daily life. A timeline offers a history of the Crees at a glance, and additional resources and suggested activities invite readers to delve even deeper into Cree history and culture.
The papers in this collection deal with the traditions and past history of the Plains Cree, and the effects, fifty years ago, of a changing way of life. Topics covered are the following: a winter of hardship; Indian laws; revenge against the Blackfoot; Thunderchild takes his first horses from the Blackfoot; it is Pu-chi-to now who tells his story; Thunderchild takes part in a dangerous game; encounter with the Blackfoot in the Eagle hills; a fight with the Scarcee; a story of friendship; truce making and truce breaking; Buffalo pounds; the Buffalo chase; the Grizzly bear; walking wind tell his story of the Grizzly; Thunderchild's adventure with the bears; the foot-race; a faithless woman; the first man; the sun dance; the thirst dance; and, Thunderchild's conclusion.
Drawing on the insights of Indigenous feminist legal theory, Emily Snyder examines representations of Cree law and gender in books, videos, graphic novels, educational websites, online lectures, and a video game. Although these resources promote the revitalization of Cree law and the principle of miyo-wîcêhtowin (good relations), Snyder argues that they do not capture the complexities of gendered power dynamics. The majority of the resources either erase women’s legal authority by not mentioning them, or they diminish women’s agency by portraying them primarily as mothers and nurturers. Although these latter roles are celebrated, Snyder argues that Cree laws and gender roles are represented in inflexible, aesthetically pleasing ways that overlook power imbalances and difficult questions regarding interpretations of tradition. What happens when good relations are represented in ways that are oppressive? Grappling with this question, Snyder makes the case that educators need to critically engage with issues of gender and power in order to create inclusive resources that meaningfully address the everyday messiness of law. As with all legal orders, gendered oppression can be perpetuated through Cree law, but Cree law is also a dynamic resource for challenging gendered oppression.
"A long time ago, Our People came from the Northern Woodlands to the Great Plains looking for food," Grandfather said. "They saw that the Buffalo lived in harmony with Mother Earth the same as Our People did." Through the Creator, the buffalo gave themselves as a gift for the sustenance and survival of the Plains Cree people. The largest land animal in North America once thundered across the Great Plains in numbers of 30 to 50 million. They provided shelter, food, clothing, tools, hunting gear, ceremonial objects and many other necessities for those who lived on the Plains. But by 1889, just over a thousand buffalo remained, and the lives of the Plains Cree people changed. The buffalo is honoured to this day, a reminder of life in harmony with nature as it was once lived. This is the story of how the buffalo came to share themselves so freely.
This unique counting book introduces Cree numbers, from one to ten. Featuring powwow imagery that reflects the rich culture and tradition of the Cree people, rhyme, rhythm, and glowing illustration combine to make language learning a joyful experience for young readers. A pronunciation guide is included in the back of the book. Winner of McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award Selected for The Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Best Books for Kids & Teens Approved resource for Manitoba classrooms
"The importance of storytelling to Cree culture, and how such stories are vital to understanding the history of the Cree and their rejuvenated future, are central to the themes examined in this visionary book. Neal McLeod examines the history of the nehiyawak (the Cree people) of western Canada from the massive upheavals of the 1870s and the reserve period to the vibrant cultural and political rebirth of contemporary times. Central to the text are the narratives of McLeod's family, which give first hand examples of the tenacity and resiliency of the human spirit while providing a rubric for reinterpreting the history of indigenous peoples, drawing on Cree worldviews and Cree narrative structures." "In a readable style augmented with extensive use of the Cree language throughout, McLeod draws heavily on original research, the methodology of which could serve as a template for those doing similar work. While the book is based on the Cree experience of the Canadian prairies, its message and methodology are applicable to all Indigenous societies."--BOOK JACKET.