Glossary Biographies Tidbits

    Glossary:

Lacrosse
The Iroquois call lacrosse “Tewaarathon,” or “the little brother of war.”  It is a traditional game which has been played in one form or another by Native Peoples all across North America.

Recreation
Different kinds of activities that amuse, stimulate, develop abilities, or provide an avenue for social contact. Recreational activities are usually considered to be fun and enjoyable.

Sport
A form of activity that usually has certain rules, traditions, or customs attached to it

Aboriginal
These are the descendents of the original inhabitants of North America. First Nations, Inuit, and Métis People have unique heritages, languages, cultural practices, and spiritual beliefs. Aboriginal is also a term used in other parts of the world to refer to the first inhabitants of a given area.

Community
People who are part of a larger group that shares similar interests and backgrounds including religion, language, and ancestry make up a community.

Culture
Culture includes the customs and shared beliefs, attitudes, values, goals, practices, social forms and material traits of a religious, racial or social group.
http://www.edukits.ca/aboriginal/spirituality/index.htm

Indigenous People
The original inhabitants of an area and their descendants are referred to as indigenous. Aboriginal People in Canada are considered indigenous to Canada.

Blackfoot Nation
One of the best known of the northern tribes, the Blackfoot were the first Nation to meet the fur traders. Also known as the Siksika, this Nation has lived on the Plains for a very long time.

Blackfoot Confederacy
The Plains People were composed of five distinct Nations. Three Nations within the confederacy share a common language and culture and are known as the Blackfoot Proper or Siksika, the Blood, and the Peigan. The other two Nations in the confederacy are the Sarcee and the Gros Ventre. At the height of their power, the Blackfoot Confederacy commanded territory from the North Saskatchewan River, south to the Missouri, and from the present Alberta - Saskatchewan border to the Rocky Mountains.

Plains Indians
Although there is evidence that the Cree lived in the parkland regions of the West for sometime, the Plains Cree originated in the East and moved to the Plains through their involvement with the fur trade. While the term "Cree" most likely originated from a French name of unknown origin, their own term Kristineaux is Nehiyawak for “exact people.” There are many branches of the Cree Nation spread across the country, typically divided into the Plains Cree, Woodland Cree, Swampy Cree, and Moose Cree. Originally they were Woodland people and spoke the Algonquian language of Eastern Canada.

Cree Nation
Although there is evidence that the Cree lived in the parkland regions of the West for sometime, the Plains Cree originated in the East and moved to the Plains through their involvement with the fur trade. While the term “Cree” most likely originated from a French name of unknown origin, their own term Kristineaux is Nehiyawak for “exact people.” There are many branches of the Cree Nation spread across the country, typically divided into the Plains Cree, Woodland Cree, Swampy Cree, and Moose Cree. Originally they were woodland people and spoke the Algonquian language of Eastern Canada.

Indian
An archaic term describing the Aboriginal People of Canada who are not Métis or Inuit. There are three legal definitions that refer to “Indian” people in Canada: Status Indian, Non-Status Indian, and Treaty Indian