Who Are the Cree Indians?

Population and Location

There are more than 200,000 Crees living throughout Canada and the United States, primarily in North Dakota and Montana. An offshoot of the Cree people is the Metis tribe, which consists of more than 100,000 people in Canada. Crees in southern Manitoba and Alberta are often referred to as the Plains Cree, while Crees who live further north and east are referred to as the Woodland Cree people.

Cree tribes in Canada are known as First Nations but are referred to as tribes in the United States. Each Cree tribe is considered independent and has its own laws and government. Political leaders of Cree First Nations and tribes are known as chiefs or by the Cree name "Okimahkan."

While most Cree members speak either French or English, or both, many Cree tribal members speak their own Cree language. Cree mothers often carry their children using cradle boards on their backs. Cree women often took care of children and built their family's house. They also gathered herbs and plants to eat or use as medicine.

Woodland Crees usually lived in "wigwams" composed of birch bark. Plains Crees usually lived in tee pees (traditionally spelled "tipis"). While Plains Crees were generally nomadic, Woodland Crees usually were not. Tee pees and wigwams are not usually used for living purposes today but they are often used in connection with ceremonial purposes.

Traditional Cree clothing consists of long dresses with removable sleeves for Cree women and breech cloths and leggings for Cree men. Crees often wore moccasins and ponchos. Many items of clothing consisted of intricate bead work, embroidery and ribbons. Crees wore fur and leather caps often decorated with feathers. Cree warriors often wore porcupine hair, but not quills, known as porcupine roaches. During the 1800s, Cree chiefs often wore headdresses. Cree women and men often had long hair with two braids and painted their faces with bright colors. Different paint patterns were used for war, ceremonies and festivals. Tattoos were and still are common.

Crees often still use canoes, which were traditionally made from birch bark, but now the canoes are usually constructed of canvas. Crees often wear snowshoes and sleds to travel in wintertime and use sleds led by sled dogs.

Cree men were traditionally hunters and fishermen. There are many foods that Crees traditionally eat, including Cree Bannock, or fry bread; pea soup; smoked sturgeon; chokecherry pemmican and dandelion stir fry.

Many young Crees enjoy playing lacrosse and darts. Other pastimes of Cree people include storytelling, producing artwork and music, and engaging in religious festivals.

There are many well-known Cree artists and entertainers, including Don McLeay, Doug Kakekagumick, Darlene Little Cougar Guenther and Jaune Quick-to-See Smith.