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Kiristinon, named by the French |
| The
tribal name originated from a group of Indians near James
Bay recorded by the French as Kiristinon and later
contracted to Cri, spelled Cree in English. Most Cree use this name only when speaking or writing in English. The Cree lived in areas from Alberta to Québec. The major divisions of dialect are: Plains Cree (Alberta and Saskatchewan) Woods Cree (Saskatchewan and Manitoba) Swampy Cree (Manitoba, Ontario and Québec) The Cree lanquage is an Algonquian lanquage and was once the most widely spoken in northern North America. Before encountering English and French settlers in the sixteenth century, the Cree were allied to the Assiniboine. The bands of the Plains Cree were loose. Each band had its own range, but the limits were not clearly defined. Sometimes a band traveled a hundred miles or more from its usual locality to join in a Sun dance or to hunt with some other band. Individuals, and even whole families, might separate from their group to follow another chief. The prestige and power of the leading chief was also an important factor in the cohesiveness of a band. An influential leader attracted more families and held their allegiance better than a weaker man. The great enemies of the Plains Cree were the tribes of the Blackfoot Confederacy. Most war parties were directed against the Blood, Blackfoot, and Piegan. The Sarsi and Crow were often met in battle. Tribes less frequently encountered, but none the less bitterly hostile, were the Gros Ventre, Cheyenne, several of the Dakota divisions, Nez Perce, and Flathead. These enemy tribes were only to the south and southwest of the Plains Cree country. The Assiniboine, Plains Ojibwa, and Wood Cree were friendly and close allies. |
| There were the
following tribal divisions and bands: Apistekaihe Cokah Kiaskusis Manikininiwug Mataitaikeok Paskwininiwug Peisiekan Pishkakauakis Qu'Appelle River Cree Shemaukau Sipiwininiwug Wikyuwamkamusenaikata |
