Rites and traditions

The territory also contains the memory of previous generations; this information is transmitted in Native language through oral tradition, history and legends.

Another area of transmission of traditional knowledge concerns the names of the territory and their environment that are very descriptive.

The majority of their traditional activities also provide information on the use of natural resources, their material culture and their way of living, in other words, their identity.

Somehow, from the first contact, both in the way of transcribing the names and the content of the legends or in the description or other cultural traits of their own, the Atikamekw people recognize themselves throughout history since the early days of co-habitation. For example, concerning their family names and other surnames, although missionaries and other stakeholders of the time have made changes or modifications, the names of ancestors are raised there.

With the progress of non-native to their area of activities and the many developments that have taken place, the Atikamekw people, as well as all other Aboriginal nations have had to adapt to restraints. That is why some nations are talking about their territory and self-determination with the two governments.

Note : The information of the content is only part of the features of the Atikamekw man and his living arrangements (territory). Moreover, due to the risk of infringing a certain spirit of colonialism, foreign words or names (as the word Atikamekw) agree neither in gender nor in number.

It exists in the Atikamekw oral tradition (AOT) several stories which, at least, three concerning the beginning of time (Nipinatcac, representing time, and Kiwetinisiw space), the second about the organization of the elements of nature (Legend of Wisaketcakw), and the third on the order of things or elements after the advent of a flood (land, water, animal resources, humanity, tools made by man). This last story was told, among other things, to Nicholas Perrot in 1760 and even today, Atikamekw oral tradition teaches these fragments of primary and fundamental story to younger generations.

About the oral tradition or cultural transmission from elders to youth, a passage of the report of the seniors visit in Manawan museums; « …they must be able to see and touch the teaching objects, like in the case of resources (basket or bark canoe) whose quality has undergone changes over the years due to, among other things, pollution. » Transmitted by oral tradition, history and knowledge, is insuring a link with the past that will support young people in their life today while helping with possibilities.

The Atikamekw legend about the creation of Earth and the expansion of the territory (transcript from the film Spring)

Everything was water before Earth was created. The animals lived on a raft. The Great Hare was their leader.

One day, the animals said to Beaver "dive and bring back a little soil, even just a grain of sand to start." The beaver dives and comes back later half dead without anything. The otter did the same thing, same result. At the laughing stock of everyone, muskrat volunteers, dives and comes back to the surface, the next day, belly up, a grain of sand between the claws.

The grain grows, the Great Hare circles around it, the little earth grows. When it became very large, the fox visits it and declares its perfect state. The Great Hare does not agree. It is always at the center of the earth to stomp it so it grows again and again. You can hear it when you go down into the caves.

The animals leave one morning to inhabit this earth. Many die trying to find their territory. It is the Great Hare, with the corpse of these animals, who raises Men. The bear gives men to the Bear Clan; fox to Fox Clan, deer to Deer Clan.

And so on...

Conservation of ancient rituals

In Manawan, the majority of people still practice many traditional activities transmitted from generation to generation. Although still very present in the lives of people of Manawan, some activities are practiced less and less due to lack of interest among young people to learn them. But in order not to lose them, some young people have become aware of the need to preserve and show them to other young people, whether in educational or extracurricular activities.

List of traditional activities

Atikamekw Nipin / Summer (28 activities)

• Pakitahwaniwon: net fishing
• Pamatahonaniwon: expedition of monitoring territory
• Pokwane manikwasaniwon: birch bark sampling
• Ponapaniwon: dead line fishing
• Tikinakanikaniwon: baby carrier manufacturing
• Kitikaniwon: preservation and resource protection
• Kisisawaniwon minic: cooking blueberries in dough
• Masko atoskaniwon: bear hunting
• Matceatohonaniwon: expedition back to the hunting area
• Manin otapaniwon: sampling spruce roots
• Cowerimawsowin: ceremonial activities
• Mos atoskaniwon: moose hunting
• Mowisonaniwon: blueberry picking
• Nta notcinaniwon: picnic
• Natarapaniwon: fishing net lifting
• Notcirewaniwon: partridge hunting
• Wakinaskwaniwon: snowshoes molding
• Wepahapaniwon: angling
• Wecitorinaniwon: repairing canoes
• Wikwamotekaniwon: manufacturing bark baskets
• Akotcorakanikaniwon: manufacturing net floats
• Askoswekamonaniwon: moose hunting (canoe)
• Asekaniwon: skin tanning
• Actorinaniwon: manufacturing bark canoes
• Arapikaniwon: fishing nets manufacturing
• Ickipitatanatikokaniwon: manufacturing fur barrels
• Osekwaniwon: cooking blueberries in dough
• Onikamikaniwon: portages deforestation

Takwakin / Fall (36 activities)

• Pakitahwaniwon: net fishing
• Kakewkwaniwon (pasanawan): moose meat smoking
• Kitohoswaniwon: moose calling (decoy)
• Cakweciw onihikaniwon: mink trapping
• Masko atoskaniwon: bear hunting
• Masko mitekaniwon: bear grease preparation
• Mackikiwapokaniwon: preparation of medicinal plants
• Matcewotaniwon: returning to the hunting area
• Mamanaskonaniwon: sampling fir branch (tent)
• Manitaniwon: firewood cutting
• Manikaniwon: shelter building (house)
• Manin otapaniwon: sampling spruce roots
• Natarapaniwon: fishing net lifting
• Natowirewaniwon: partridge hunting
• Nato amiskwaniwon: beaver hunting
• Namekosikaniwon: lake trout fishing
• Nanto maskwaniwon: bear hunting (outside Terrier)
• Nanto amiskwaniwon: researching beaver colony
• Notcihimiskwaniwon: beaver hunting (lookout)
• Wapoc akotaniwon: laying rabbit snares
• Wikwamotekaniwon: manufacturing bark baskets
• Akwapasawaniwon: fish smoking
• Akwane manikwasaniwon: sampling birch bark
• Akotcorakanikaniwon: manufacturing net floats
• Asekaniwon: skin tanning
• Atcitcikonaniwon: food Reserve
• Amirikaniwon: fishing for whitefish
• Anaskaniwon: upholstering tent (spruce branches)
• Aripikorikaniwon (arapikorikaniwon): hare skins braiding
• Aiin atoskaniwon: fur animals trapping
• Ickipitatanatikokaniwon: manufacturing fur barrels
• Otakohikatew: beaver hunting in canoe
• Onihikanatikokaniwon: preparation of wooden trap
• Oractakaniwon tisorakana: trap preparation
• Orekahikiwamaniwon: tent dressage
• Owihakohikaniwon: baiting traps

Pitcipipon / Pre-winter (28 activities)

• Pakitahwaniwon: net fishing
• Piciw akotaniwon: laying lynx snares
• Ponapaniwon: dead line fishing
• Cakweciw onihikaniwon: mink trapping
• Tcikaha asamatikwaniwon: racquet wood cutting with ax
• Manitaniwon: firewood cutting
• Natarapaniwon: fishing net lifting
• Natoswaniwon: moose hunting
• Natowirewaniwon: partridge hunting
• Nanto pikototokwaniwon: rotten wood researching
• Nanto asamatikwaniwon: wood for racquet researching
• Nikikw atoskaniwon: otter trapping
• Notcihimiskwaniwon: beaver hunting (lookout)
• Notci wackeciwaniwon: deer hunting
• Wapictani onihikaniwon: trapping marten
• Wapocowanicikaniwon: preparation of rabbit skin
• Wakinaskwaniwon: snowshoes molding
• Wakoci (mikeci)akotaniwon: laying fox collars
• Wapoco akotaniwon: laying rabbit snares
• Wacapaniwon: sinew cutting
• Wikasikaniwon: clothing manufacturing
• Asamikaniwon: making snowshoes
• Ackimaniwon: snowshoes braiding
• Aiin atoskaniwon: furbearers hunting
• Eckaniwon: beaver hunting with barrel
• Ickipitatanatikokaniwon: manufacturing fur barrels
• Irapatcitcikanikaniwon: equipment/tools manufacturing
• Otapanaskokaniwon: sleds manufacturing

Pipon / Winter (39 activities)

• Pakekineskisinikaniwon: mocassins manufacturing
• Pakitahaniwon: net fishing
• Pasanawaniwon: smoked meat preparation
• Piciw akotaniwon: laying lynx snares
• Pokonikaniwon: animal butchering
• Kitinikaniwon: animal welfare
• Cipahatanatikokaniwon: fur barrels manufacturing
• Tcikekicitaniwon: skin degreasing
• Matahikaniwon (pakekin): thinning skins
• Manitaniwon: firewood cutting
• Mitcikawinikaniwon: mittens/gloves manufacturing
• Mokaripakanikaniwon: snow shovels manufacturing
• Natarapaniwon: fishing net lifting
• Natisorakaniwon: traplines lifting
• Natoswaniwon: moose hunting
• Natowirewaniwon: partridge hunting
• Nanto maskwaniwon: bear hunting
• Nanto asamatikwaniwon: sampling wood for racquets
• Notwapocwaniwon: hare hunting
• Notwakociwaniwon (Notcimikeciwaniwon): fox hunting
• Nosihwe otcekaniwon: pecans hunting
• Wapictani onihikaniwon: martens trapping
• Wapoc akotaniwon: hare snares laying
• Wakinaskwaniwon: snowshoes molding
• Wacapaniwon: babiche cutting
• Wecihi asamaniwon: snowshoes repairing
• Wikasikaniwon: clothing manufacturing
• Akotcorakanikaniwon: floats for nets manufacturing
• Asamikaniwon: racquest manufacturing
• Asekaniwon: skin tanning
• Ackimaniwon: snowshoes braiding
• Arapikaniwon: fishing nets manufacturing
• Aripikorikaniwon: hare skins braiding
• Eckaniwon: beaver hunting with barrel
• Ickipitatanatikokaniwon: fur barrels manufacturing
• Ickipitataniwon: skins grinding
• Otapanaskokaniwon: sleds manufacturing
• Osawapasikaniwon: animal skins smoking
• Ositaskwatikokaniwon: ax handles manufacturing

Sikon / Pre-spring (30 activities)

• Pakotinikanikaniwon: sugarloaf preparation
• Pasanawaniwon wias: smoked meat preparation
• Pikitenakanikaniwon: bark containers manufacturing
• Pikiwisikanikaniwon: taffy manufacturing
• Pisawakahikanikaniwon: raw sugar preparation
• Tako asamatakaniwiw pirew: partridge hunting (on snow crust)
• Sakapwaniwon: beaver pin
• Sisipaskotokaniwon: maple sugar granulation
• Cakweciw onihikaniwon: mink trapping
• Mos atoskaniwon: moose hunting (after identification)
• Nato maskwahonaniwon: bear hunting (terrier)
• Naminaskaniwon: preparation of maple syrup
• Nahactakaniwon tisorakana: warehousing (storage) traps
• Nikikw atoskaniwon: otter trapping
• Notwapocwaniwon: hare hunting
• Notapwaniwon: tasting maple syrup residue
• Notcicipaniwon: duck hunting
• Notcimwakaniwon: loose hunting
• Notciniskawaniwon: geese hunting
• Notcihimiskwaniwon: beaver hunting (lookout)
• Notci kinocewaniwon: pike hunting
• Wapictani onihikaniwon: marten trapping
• Wecitorinaniwon: canoe reparation
• Akokatcic atoskaniwon: marmots hunting
• Amiskw onihikaniwon: beaver trapping
• Amitciwewotaniwon: transport of mountain equipment for sugar
• Ickipitatanatikokaniwon: fur barrels manufacturing
• Ickipitataniwon: sharpening (stretching) skins
• Osekwaniwon (irinatikwapo): maple water cooking
• Orikihikaniwon: maple trees tapping

Miroskamin / Spring (45 activities)

• Pakitahwaniwon: net fishing
• Pikiwikaniwon: spruce gum preparation
• Ponapaniwon: dead line fishing
• Kisisowaniwon mickekominan: cranberry cooking
• Kiweatahonaniwon: return expedition to summer sites
• Tcicaskohikaniwon: unstacking skins
• Tcimanikecinaniwon: small bark canoes manufacturing (craft)
• Masko onihikaniwon: bear trapping
• Mackikiwapokaniwon: preparation of medicinal plants
• Manaskonaniwon: fir branch picking
• Manawaniwon: egg sampling
• Manikaniwon: shelter building
• Manin otapaniwon (monotapaniwon): roots sampling
• Manihikiskiwaniwon: tree gum sampling
• Mikon mawitcihakaniwiw: feather sampling
• Mokocaniwon: (Ceremony) festivities
• Nta notcinaniwon: picnic
• Natarapaniwon: net lifting
• Natowirewaniwon: partridge hunting
• Natci pikototokwaniwon: rotten wood picking
• Nameskaniwon: great fishing
• Namewokaniwon: sturgeon fishing
• Nanto pikototokwaniwon: rotten wood researching
• Nanto maskwaniwon: bear hunting (outside Terrier)
• Nahomwakwaniwon: loon hunting
• Notcihimiskwaniwon: beaver hunting
• Notci kinocewaniwon: pike hunting
• Notci mickekominaniwon: cranberries picking
• Wapoc akotaniwon: rabbit snares laying
• Wapowanikaniwon: cover manufacturing
• Wepahapaniwon: angling
• Wecitorinaniwon: canoe reparation
• Wikwamotekaniwon: bark baskets manufacturing
• Apikwecimonikaniwon: pillow manufacturing
• Apicimonikaniwon: mattress manufacturing
• Apowikaniwon: oars manufacturing
• Akwane wikwas maninikatew: birch bark sampling
• Akotcorakanikaniwon: floats for nets manufacturing
• Asekaniwon: skin tanning
• Actorinaniwon: bark canoes manufacturing
• Anaskaniwon: upholstering tent
• Ickipitatanatikokaniwon: fur barrels manufacturing
• Osawapasikaniwon: skin smoking
• Otcockw onihikaniwon: muskrat trapping
• Orekahikiwamaniwon: tent dressage

These examples above, give us an idea of the use of resources (species and animals) for only two of the six seasons with the Atikamekw people.