Arctic People

Mrs. Ponvelle

Eskimo

A group of peoples inhabiting the Arctic
coastal regions of North America and
parts of Greenland and northeast
Siberia.

word meaning 'those who eat their
meat raw.'

was used by the Algonquin Indians of
eastern Canada

Eskimo couple with reindeer pulling sled, location unknown, Alaska,
ca. 1899

Eskimo family, possibly Siberian, seated in front of cloth shelter with

fur floor covering, location unknown, ca. 1899

Food

The Arctic Indians hunted whale
and sea lions.

They ate a lot of dried fish which
was smoked in smoke houses
during the summer for winter food.

Clothing

Arctic Indians wore parkas, gloves, and
boots all made from caribou hides.
They may have weighed up to twenty
pounds.

An parka is a type of heavy jacket with
a hood, often lined with fur or fun fur,
so as to protect the face from a
combination of freezing temperatures
and wind.

Eskimo woman
in fur parka with
patchwork and
fur trim,
location
unknown, ca.
1899

Weapons

Arctic Indians used

whale bones for

weapons such as

spears and knives.

Habitat

The January

temperatures often

drop to -40º Fahrenheit.

The land is flat except

for the central Alaska

area.

Shelter

Permanent homes were made of stone and
earth. They were built partially underground.
Whale ribs sometimes supported the roof.

Temporary winter hunting lodges called
igloos were made from snow and ice.

Gaps in the ice blocks were filled with soft
snow and the inside was lined with furs.

WEST INDIANS

The California Indians lived in
what is now California between
the Rocky Mountians and Sierra
Nevada.

This area had a mild climate and
an abundance of food.

The California had one of
the largest populations in
North America west of the
Great Plains.
Over 200,000 Indians lived
in California.

Shelter

Shelter

All villages had a sweat lodge,

where the men met and slept.

The sweat lodge was made by

digging a hole in the ground and

covering the top with dirt.
The women and children slept in

the huts in the winter. During the

summer mats supported by poles

or brush were used as shelter.

Clothing

Men wore loincloths in the
summer.
The women wore skirts made of
fibers from bark, grass, tule, and
sometimes deerskin.
In the winter capes that hung
down to the skirts were worn. Both
men and women went barefoot
except during snow.

Skin moccasins were worn during
the winter. Fur and fiber blankets
were also wore during the winter.
Tattooing was used as a
substitute for clothes for some
southern tribes.

Food

The California area was rich in
natural resources.
The main foods included wild
plants, seeds, and nuts.
The people also ate
grasshoppers, caterpillars, and
grubs.

The California tribes were
hunters and gathers.
The men fished, trapped, and
hunted. The women gathered
food.
The men caught fish with hooks
and spears.

Money

The California tribes made money
by breaking shells into small
rounded beads. They strung the
beads in groups.
Baskets were woven so tightly
that water could be carried in
them. The Pomo tribe was the
most skilled at weaving the
baskets.

Art

The California tribes were known for
their beautiful baskets. The baskets
were used as traps, tools, cradles,
gifts, and storage containers.
Both men and women wove the
baskets using a variety of
techniques and patterns. They were
decorated with beads, shells, and
tiny feathers.