Cree Indian 1903 G.E. Fleming Photo/National Archives of Canada/PA-182215

The Cree: Provisioners of Trade

Known originally to the French as the "Kristinaux," the Algonkian-speaking Cree made their traditional home in the lands surrounding James Bay and the western shores of Hudson Bay. As the fur trade expanded, however, the Cree moved west to the northern basin of Lake Winnipeg and south to Lake Nipigon and Lake Superior. On the prairies, the Woodlands Cree evolved into the bison-hunting Plains Cree, extending as far west as the Peace River district of Alberta. By the early 1800's, the Cree spoke 9 regional dialects and occupied the largest geographic territory of any Canadian native group, from Labrador in the east to the Rocky Mountains in the west.

The Cree of the Lake Winnipeg region were early participants in the westward-bound fur trading industry. Along with the Assiniboine people, their native allies to the south, the northern Cree maintained the middle link in the cross-country trading chain, passing pelts and provisions to Ojibway traders further east, who in turn sent goods on to French fur trading headquarters in Montreal. The Cree also made long journeys to the northeast, paddling the Hayes River route to the Hudson's Bay Company's centre at York Factory, and later, navigating the entire Lake Winnipeg basin as canoe freighters between Norway House and the Red River.

From its early days, the Hudson's Bay Company took pains to enter into formal land use '"agreements" with the Cree, though they regarded the aboriginals as inferior and discouraged their employees from fraternizing with them. As it became clear that the Europeans could not undertake expeditions, or even survive supply shortages, without the help of the Cree, this policy was relaxed.

Traditionally, the Cree were hunters of big game such as moose and deer, depending to a far lesser extent than their Ojibway neighbours on fishing and gathering. Small hunting bands composed of 3-5 families were the norm, with occasional larger gatherings in the summer. Like the Ojibway, the Cree lived in both conical tipis and dome-shaped houses covered with hides. They were skilled in weaving blankets of skins and fur, and expert manufacturers of snares and traps for catching rabbits, ducks, geese, grouse and ptarmigan. In winter, the Cree moved easily across the snow on broad, oval-shaped snowshoes, equipped with a webbing of "babiche," a strong leather cord made from caribou, moose or deer hide.

In spiritual matters, the Cree had a reputation for being potent conjurors; other First Nations often sought their medicines and aphrodisiacs. Historically, the Cree did not have a highly-organized political or class system - bands operated mainly through consensus.

The northern terrain inhabited by the Cree was generally less productive than the forests of their Ojibway neighbours to the south. Constant movement was necessary to secure game, and starvation was not unknown. The Cree, perhaps more than any other First Nation, had good reason to embrace the economic promise of the fur trade.