LIFESTYLES

History

Language

Even though the Ojibwas, Ottawa and Potawatomi occupied distinct territories, they spoke related Algonquin languages and acknowledged their common traditions by referring to themselves as the Three Fires.

In the settlement known as Oka by Algonquin and Kanesatake in Mohawk, Iroquoian and Algonquin speakers occupied the predominant languages. The settlement consisted of three tribal villages - Algonquin, Nipissing and Iroquois.

Ottawa natives' language is a southeastern Chippewa or Ojibwa dialect, all part of the Algonkian language dialect.

Life at home

Groups mainly consisted of related family members, with a leader chosen to make decisions for these smaller groups during the winter months. During spring season, preparations were made to move back to summer villages.
During the winter months, male-hunting parties traveled great distances to bring back meat for the communities

The Odawa tribes liked to challenge neighboring tribes to games of chance, foot races or games of lacrosse or snowsnakes. Snowsnakes was a game played on snow-covered ice and fields. A log was dragged to provide a track for the ‘snakes” which consisted of straight poles, polished to a smoothness such as glass and weighted at the “head” end. The “tail” end had a curved groove to fit the forefinger. The object of the game was to see whose snake traveled the furthest.

When a planned social visit by important visitors took place a mock battle was sometimes performed in their honor. Actual warfare by the Odawa was not as friendly. Odawa scalped and sometimes tortured their prisoners. The few that were allowed to survive were integrated into the tribe. Odawa natives wore their hair short and standing up in front, which supposedly gave their pursuing enemies less to grab hold of. Face painting, piercing and the tattooing of their bodies were also common traits of these people.

In healing practices, heavy bark was used for splints to keep the leg straight.
Flag root (wikenz) was used for fever while sweet fern and alder bark were used to treat poison ivy.

page 2 of 4