Colin Calloway is a Professor of History and
Native American Studies at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.
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Comments (Show all 132)
Colin.G.Calloway@Dartmouth.edu said
at 8:56 am on May 10, 2011
A hunting village would not usually have a fence. Larger, more permanent villages in New England sometimes had palisades around them, but Abenaki hunting camps were usually temporary and smaller. The larger villages would break up into smaller bands, usually extended families, during hunting season and they would disperse into different hunting areas. Although people hunted throughout the year, Fall was the season when the villages broke up and bands dispersed into their hunting territories, hunting for deer and moose. They used bows and arrows primarily, although also spears. Abenaki clothing was primarily made of animal skins so they did not need to wear camouflage, although Indian hunters would sometimes wear the skins and heads of animals to help get closer to their prey. The men did the hunting and the women would dress and skin the kill. If larger animals had to be carried back to the village or camp, the hunters could construct "drags" made of poles, or even use toboggans late in the season. The animal carcasses were treated respectfully to avoid giving offense to the spirits of the animals--if the animals were not treated with respect they might not return and the people would go hungry (There are good Abenaki stories about this kind of thing in Joseph Bruchac's The Wind Eagle and Other Abenaki Stories, that the children might enjoy).
McGregor said
at 4:04 pm on May 10, 2011
HI
Colin.G.Calloway@Dartmouth.edu said
at 7:33 am on May 11, 2011
Hi, McGregor
Ryan K said
at 7:54 am on May 12, 2011
what did the Abinaki where
Colin.G.Calloway@Dartmouth.edu said
at 9:02 am on May 12, 2011
Originally they wore clothes made of deerhide and other animal skins-- but after European traders arrived they often adopted wool clothing
Faith said
at 2:31 pm on May 12, 2011
Hi Colin -
We are wondering what a flint knapper is. Can you tell us?
Mrs. Durand's Class
Faith said
at 2:40 pm on May 12, 2011
Hi Colin -
Were there any Abenaki in Pennsylvania? I was born there.
Nina (under Faith's password)
Colin.G.Calloway@Dartmouth.edu said
at 8:21 am on May 13, 2011
Some Abenakis will no doubt have traveled to Pennsylvania and a few may have relocated there but Pennsylvania is not Abenaki country. Many tribes lived in Pennsylvania, especially the Delaware or Lenni Lenape Indians. Like the Abenakis they are Algonquians, which means they speak a language from the Algonquian language family (that is, languages that are related, but not the same, as English and French are, for example).
Juliana said
at 9:55 am on May 13, 2011
Hi Colin
Do you know about the Blackfoot and Sew Indians? Because i am part Blackfoot and sew Indians.
If you do know about them, can you let me know?
Thanks,
Colin.G.Calloway@Dartmouth.edu said
at 8:29 am on May 16, 2011
Juliana:
The Blackfoot or Blackfeet live(d) on the northern plains and were buffalo-hunting Indians; The Sioux (also called Dakota and Lakota) also lived on the plains-from Minnesota to Wyoming.
Juliana said
at 10:54 am on May 13, 2011
Are the Abenaki Indians enemies with Blackfoot and Sew?
Colin.G.Calloway@Dartmouth.edu said
at 8:29 am on May 16, 2011
They lived so far away they were not enemies.
Isabella said
at 8:08 pm on May 13, 2011
How many Abenaki dose it take to kill a Wollymamoth ? :]
Colin.G.Calloway@Dartmouth.edu said
at 8:30 am on May 16, 2011
I'm not really sure but it would certainly require a group of men working together.
Isabella said
at 8:19 pm on May 13, 2011
What kinds of animals would be in a Abenaki fishing village(Don't say fish).
Colin.G.Calloway@Dartmouth.edu said
at 8:31 am on May 16, 2011
Isabella:
There would be dogs, of course, and the animas the men had hunted.
Isabella said
at 8:38 pm on May 13, 2011
Was there any compition between neighboring tribes?
Colin.G.Calloway@Dartmouth.edu said
at 8:33 am on May 16, 2011
Yes; there was both competition and cooperation. The Abenaki were often in competition and sometimes in conflict with the Iroquois in New York state, but they also intermarried and traded sometimes.
Trevor said
at 1:37 pm on May 14, 2011
did they have widen knifes
Colin.G.Calloway@Dartmouth.edu said
at 8:34 am on May 16, 2011
The handles of the knives would be wooden, not the blades.
Matthew said
at 9:41 am on May 16, 2011
do the abenaki hunt every day
Colin.G.Calloway@Dartmouth.edu said
at 8:07 am on May 17, 2011
Matthew: I'm sure it varied and that they did not follow a strict schedule; if they had had a successful hunt, they would not need to hunt for sometime afterwards.
Isabella said
at 8:28 pm on May 19, 2011
What animals did the men hunt in an Abenaki fishing vilage? :] :] :]
Professor Calloway said
at 1:26 pm on May 25, 2011
They would mainly hunt deer
Trevor said
at 8:28 pm on May 20, 2011
how long is lack champlan?
katekane@... said
at 11:49 am on May 25, 2011
Hi Trevor, See if you can find the answer to your questions at this link: http://geography.howstuffworks.com/united-states/lake-champlain.htm Let me know if you need help.--Mrs. Kane
Nina said
at 9:56 am on May 23, 2011
did they carve?
Professor Calloway said
at 1:27 pm on May 25, 2011
Yes, they carved tools and weapons and also carved wood for basket making
Faith said
at 2:35 pm on May 23, 2011
How many stitches are in a moccasin
Juliana said
at 2:38 pm on May 23, 2011
What did the Abenaki Indians have for ceremonies?
Professor Calloway said
at 1:29 pm on May 25, 2011
Julianna:
They had ceremonies for planting, harvesting, hunting, fishing, and important events in peoples lives. Many Native Americans believe that the ceremonies keep the world in balance.
Jeramiha said
at 9:45 am on May 26, 2011
How mane indians are in vermont today right now?
Professor Calloway said
at 8:44 am on Jun 1, 2011
According to the 2000 census, 2420 people identified as Indians in Vermont, and another 3976 as part Indian. The figures from the 2010 census will be out soon.
Isabella said
at 3:42 pm on May 30, 2011
What do all tribes have in coman?
Professor Calloway said
at 8:47 am on Jun 1, 2011
Isabella:
they are all descended from the original inhabitants of this continent; they have certain rights as indigenous people and tribes; cultures vary greatly but many share key values about kinship, the land etc.l
Isabella said
at 9:50 am on Jun 6, 2011
I am Cherokee and I am wondering what Abenaki have in common.
Professor Calloway said
at 8:23 am on Jun 7, 2011
Professor Calloway said
at 8:26 am on Jun 7, 2011
They lived in different regions and speak very different languages but they both lived by hunting and farming.
Juliana said
at 9:59 am on Jun 6, 2011
Thank you very much and who was president when the Blackfoot and sew Indians were alive?
Professor Calloway said
at 8:25 am on Jun 7, 2011
Juliana:
Everybody was president! The Blackfeet and Sioux Indians existed before the US was formed and they still exist, so Blackfeet and Sioux Indians were around during every presidency/
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