As the Aborigines evolved, they started settling down and forming their communities. Along with settlements came the need of languages. Canada has a rich heritage of Aboriginal languages spoken by the different communities of First Nations, Inuit and Métis. These languages have connected and bound the people together since many centuries. The Aboriginal languages have also contributed a lot to the English language. Many words used in today’s English are derived from these Aboriginal languages.
The name ‘Canada’ was derived from the St. Lawrence Iroquoian word Kanata which means ‘settlement’ or ‘village’. Words like barbecue, hammock, hurricane, chipmunk, moose and mahogany have also been taken from the Aboriginal language.
Canada has eleven Aboriginal language groups which are made from 65 characteristic dialects and languages. Out of all these languages only few, namely Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut have larger speaking population and are considered to be preserved in the long term future. Nunavut and Northwest Territories (NWT) are the only territories that have given official status to the native languages, apart from English and French. But since the last century nearly 10 Aboriginal languages have become extinct and many more are on the verge of extinction. With the extinction of languages, the soul of that community is gone, so the preservation of these languages is very vital.
The culture of the Aboriginals depended on the areas they lived. These cultures assimilate with the ecological and physical regions of Canada like the Aborigines in the subarctic hunted moose, while those in the plains hunted bison. The people living near the coast had fishing as their primary source of food. Shifting agriculture was practiced by the people situated near the Great Lake and major rivers. For the Inuit, seal hunting was the basic food while fish, caribou, other aquatic mammals and some berries and seaweeds were also included in the diet.
Aboriginals have also being creating art since thousands of years. These art forms vary a lot among the different tribes. The traditions and customs followed by the different communities also varied. But music, dance, storytelling, paintings all had an important place in the Aboriginal arts. Many brightly painted and beautifully carved rattles were found in archeological sites, which were made from gourds or animal horns. These instruments were used for their traditional songs and dances. Morning Dance, Sun dance, Potlatch ceremony, Shaking tents are some of the dances and festivals still celebrated today. First Nations considered the songs and dances to be sacred, but during the European rule they were banned from practicing their ceremonies.
Today also Aboriginals celebrate their culture and festivals. Pow-wow, a social gathering, is celebrated with great enthusiasm where the Aboriginals and non-native Canadians come together to sing, dance, celebrate and honor the culture that has been preserved since thousands of years.
