The Plains PeopleDavid DreyerSocials 10

Stretching from Rocky Mountains to the woodlands of South-eastern Manitoba, the plains people inhabited the Southern provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The Plains People became highly adapted to the environment around them. To begin with, they nourished themselves with the food around them; the main form being buffalo. Without buffalo as a food source, the plains people would have had a much harder life. Secondly, because of the dramatic climate variations, Aboriginal peoples had to adjust their lifestyle by season. Summers were hot while winters brought icy cold air. People of the Plains were in competition for land, so they needed weapons. Bow and Arrows were used for both hunting and wars. The aboriginals didnt waste anything from the animals they hunted; they used everything from their bones to their hide.

People of the Plains included the Blackfoot, Blood, Peigan, Sarcee, Assiniboine, Gros Ventre, and the Plains Cree. In the 1700s they had a population of about 33,000. The languages they spoke included, Algonquian, Athabascan and Siouan. The groups were divided into four nations known as the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Plains Cree, the Sioux, the Saulteaux, and the Gros Ventre.

The Plains people accomplished the need for food by hunting Buffalo. As people in the 21st century seem to live off fast food, the plains people lived on bison. Hunting the buffalo was no easy task. One tribe alone did not have the manpower to hunt successfully. So every summer Aboriginal peoples gathered to hunt together. Using organization, together the people forced the buffalo off cliffs or pushed them into compounds or corals and then speared or shot them with an arrow. The main linguistic groups learnt sign language so they could communicate while hunting in big groups. Buffalo meat was either dried or cooked into soups and pemmican. Buffalo meat was not the only source of food however. Elk, deer and moose were hunted along with other smaller animals. Berries collected by women, were eaten fresh or dried. People of the Plains Cree and the Plains Ojibwa fished. Bread was cooked over the fire, known as Bannock. A common vegetable eaten by the plains people was the Indian Turnip.

The cultural area was prone to dramatic variations in the climate. Due to the harsh climate conditions, people became nomadic. During the summers, the aboriginals used the open plains to hunt. They set up tipis and lived there for the whole season. When winter came along with severe winds and harsh weather conditions, the aboriginals split up into smaller family groups. Abandoning the plains for the winter, the family groups set for the river valleys or the foothills in hopes of avoiding the bitter winter. This cycle looped over every year.

For both hunting and protecting themselves, the plains people needed weapons. Warriors had whats known as their sacred possession; which is a shield. A personal symbol was painted on to toughened hide to create the warrior shield. To prove their bravery in battle, a warrior would use a coup Stick to touch an enemy in battle. A coup stick is a long slender stick. Arrows were used more then spears. They had smaller points and penetrated the skin more when shot with a bow. Bows allowed for more accuracy, greater range and the possibility of rapid fire shooting. To fire a bow, great strength was needed. An interesting weapon used by the plains people was the pipe tomahawk. Known as the peace pipe this weapon was used for smoking tobacco as well as for a weapon. Some weapons were used for peace, for example the tomahawk. The tomahawk is a warrior hatchet that was used as a peace offering ceremonially.

The people of the Plains did not waste resources. When hunting a buffalo they would use every possible part of it. Firstly, and obviously, they used the buffalo meat as a food source. The meat was either roasted on a campfire or boiled for pemmican and jerky. One of the most important parts of the buffalo was its hide. With the hair left on, it was used to make winter clothing, blankets, for hunting, and for ceremonial costumes. Hides with the hair stripped off were used for drums, tipi covers, containers, ropes, shields, and moccasins, just to list a few. The buffalo skull was used for prayer and ceremonies. The plains people even used the buffalos bladder for water storage and pouches. The stomach was also used for storage. Clearly the plains people are extremely creative. They made spoons, cups, bowls, and arrow points out of the horns. To make bowstrings, sewing thread, snowshoe webbing, and for attaching arrowheads, the used the buffalos muscle. (Also known as sinew) The aboriginals took the bones of this beast and used them for making hoes, shovels, and any other pointy tools they needed. The bones were also used for game dice and pipes. The teeth and beard of the buffalo were used as decoration on cloths and weapons. For both a whip and a fly swatter, the Plains people used the buffalos tail. To soften the skin and prepare the hides, the aboriginals interestingly used the brain. They really used their heads Not only did they use every part from the animal, but also they even went as far as using the buffalos dung. It was used as fuel for campfires and smoke signals. Ever wonder how to make homemade glue? Its simple, just boil up some buffalo hoofs and Bam! Last but not least, the buffalo fat was used for hair grease, used for making pemmican, and finally it was used to make candles and soap. The People of the Plains did not let anything go to waste.

To conclude, the Plains people had a very interesting way of life. They hunted buffalo not only for their meat, but also for pretty much every other part of it. These aboriginals were nomadic due to the drastic climate changes that occur between winter and summer. Lastly, the Plains people came up with a variety of weapons to hunt and fight with. All in all, the Plains people used the environment around them to life out their lives.