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Cree BY §TEVEN and RAYMOND Food The Cree people ate buffalo, elk, deer and antelope. They hunted those animals with knives, bow-and- arrows, harpoons, clubs, and later, shotguns. They also gathered berries. They used traps, with stuffed decoy animals, to catch animals to eat. Art Their art was painting on teepees, painting on drums and painting on themselves. They made decorated baby cradleboards, decorated clothes with quills and made necklaces. They painted hunting scenes, geometric shapes, and scenes from nature. Tools and Weapons They used battle hatchets, coup sticks and Sioux war shields to go to war. They used rabbit snares. They made their tools and weapons out of bones, wood, and stones. Religion They believed in a Creator, and prayed to the guardian spirits which helped them with their daily life. As teenagers, the Plains people went off alone to fast and pray until they saw a vision of their guardian spirit. They had special ceremonies before going to war, going on hunts or when they needed rain. Home They lived on the Great Plains, in teepees. They used buffalo skin to make their teepees. They painted pictures of animals and nature on their teepees. Teepees were very useful because when they needed to move all they needed to do was take they teepee apart. Transportation They used horses, and bull boats to get around. Dogs were used to pull travois. A travois is like a sled made of teepee poles. It was used to carry bundles. Clothing The Cree people wore buffalo skin, deer skin, antelope skin, moccasins, elk skin, and decorated with porcupine quills. Interesting Facts The Cree depended on the buffalo. One way the Cree hunted the buffalo was by starting a fire so the buffalo would get scared and run off the cliff. All parts of the buffalo were used for food, clothing, shelter, tools and weapons. |