Lesson 5 — Activity 2: Indigenous Peoples and Canadian Identity
Completion requirements
Lesson 5 — Activity 2: Indigenous Peoples
and Canadian Identity
Warm Up
You know that nationalism can be evoked by seeing symbols. Symbols are pictures or things that are associated with a place or group of people.
For instance, the Canadian flag is the most recognized symbol of Canada, but do you know that the name Canada is a First Nations word? It comes from the word "kanata" that means village in the Mohawk and Huron languages.
In this activity, you will learn about some symbols of Canada that are associated with Indigenous peoples.
Many symbols are associated with Indigenous peoples. Here are just a few:
Birch bark canoes were used by Indigenous peoples in eastern Canada before Europeans arrived.
Tepees were used by Indigenous peoples on the prairies for shelter.
Totem poles are very important to First Nations people living on the west coast.
Snowshoes are still one of the best ways to move over deep snow.
Some "modern" sports have come to us from Indigenous peoples.
Kayaking
A kayak is a waterproof one- or two-person Inuit boat traditionally made of sealskin that is oiled and stretched tightly over a light frame of wood or bone. Today, kayaking is an Olympic sport.
Lacrosse
Lacrosse was one of many types of stick-and-ball games played by Indigenous peoples at the time of contact with Europeans.
Musée McCord Museum / No restrictions