Today is Native American Heritage Day. Most Americans will
boast about a family story which involves an ancestor who was Native American.
Most of those stories are proved to be false as they dig into their family
history. Growing up I heard a story from both sides of my family tree. My
maternal side had a story of a Canadian Indian princess from my grandfather’s
paternal side. That story has been proven false through records research as
well as genetic testing. However, the story on my paternal side has proven to
be correct. My research has revealed that Emilie Marie (nee Bottineau)
LaPointe, my 4th great grandmother, was Cree Indian, born around
1797/1799 around Red River, Manitoba, Canada. Further research has revealed
that her mother, Marie Techomegood, my 5th great grandmother, was
Assiniboine Indian born about 1780 around Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. I decided
to look deeper into the Cree and Assiniboine tribes.
Cree Indians are one of the largest groups of the First
Nations in North America. Majority of Cree in Canada live in Ontario, Manitoba,
Saskatchewan, and Alberta. The name “Cree” is derived from the Algonkian
language, Kiristino, which the Ojibwa used for tribes around Hudson Bay.
Historically, the Cree were hunter-gatherers who were strongly associated with
the fur trade in North America. Lodges were the basic unit consisting of 8-12
people. Bands were a group of lodges who moved and hunted together. Bands
usually had strong ties with neighboring bands through intermarriage and would gather
for hunts and socialization. Their number would expand rapidly in the 17th
and 18th centuries as they profited from the fur trade (Encyclopedia
Britannica). Given the traditional acceptance of the Cree for intermarriages,
many bands are ultimately of mixed heritages. Those with mixed heritages in
Canada is known as Metis, which is French for mixed ancestry. Canada’s Indian
and Northern Affairs broadly define Metis as those with First Nations and
European ancestry. Today, “early 21st-century population estimates indicated
some 90,000 individuals of Cree descent” (Encyclopedia Britannica). It’s
exciting to know that I am one of those 90,000 individuals.
Assiniboine Indians are also known as “stone Sioux” or Hohe
Nakota who inhabited the Northern Great Plains of North America. They grew into
one of the largest and powerful with a horse and warrior culture. At their
height, their territory ranged from North Saskatchewan River to the Missouri
River. Well known throughout the late 18th and early 19th
century, Assiniboine tribes were members of the Iron Confederacy along with the
Cree. From 1692 to the late 19th century, the Iron Confederacy were
important intermediaries in the Great Plains trading networks with the Hudson
Bay Company. The most commonly furs traded were beaver and bison. In return,
they would obtain guns, ammo, metal items such as tomahawks and pots, wool
items, such as blankets, coasts and leggings, glass beads and other goods. “Their
new wealth as traders, successful horsemen, respected warriors and as providers
of fresh meat to the numerous trading posts reached a peak from the 1780s to
the early 1800s” (Getty, 2020). This period covers the roughly the lifetime of
Marie Techomegood and the childhood of Emilie Marie. Sadly, as with many Native
tribes, the Assiniboine suffered greatly through wars and epidemics like
smallpox.
The traditional lifestyles and culture of the Cree and
Assiniboine were semi-nomadic as they would follow and hunt the bison during
the warmer months and settled for the winter months. Women had primary
responsibilities within the bands. They gathered and cultivated plants for food
and medicines. They cared for the young and the elderly. They made the clothing
and instruments. They processed and cured the meat and skins, reserving the
meat for winter. Every part of the
animals would be used. Hides, tendons, and horns were used for clothing,
bedding, tools, and cords. If they could use it, they would. The men were
excellent horsemen who hunted, traded, and battled on horseback using bows and
arrows. Girls and women were encouraged to learn to ride. Hunt and fight. While
the main fighting was left up to the boys and men, women and girls were often
called upon for defense of the home as well as offense in battle. Men and women
took part in storytelling, artwork, music, and medicine. The Cree and
Assiniboine believed that the Sun god and Thunder god were the most important
manifestations of the Great Spirit. Bands would participate in an annual Sun
Dance.
It was a lot of fun researching my great grandmothers. My 4th
great grandmother, Emilie, died around 1850. Her mother, Marie Techomegood,
died around 1815. While reading about the historical events of their lifetimes,
I would imagine what it was like for them to experience their events, to hear
about them. What were their thoughts? Feelings? Reactions? While I may never
know the answers, I feel a connection to them and our shared heritage. My
thought is that Techomegood was my 5th great grandmother’s given
name and she possibly took the name, Marie, when she married. I’ve also
discovered that Techomegood possibly translates to “Clear Sky Woman.” After
discovering Emilie Marie and Marie Techomegood’s native heritage, it was fun
and eye-opening researching their possible tribes, its history and culture. I
look forward to furthering my research and reading more about the Cree and
Assiniboine, to learn more about the people and their stories.
References
Encyclopedia Britannica. www.britannica.com/topic/Cree. Retrieved
November 25, 2020.
Getty, Ian A.L. (August 4, 2020) Assiniboine.
The Canadian Encyclopedia www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/assiniboine.
Retrieved November 25, 2020.
