The Cree of North America

The Cree have lived in Canada for thousands of years. Originally, the Cree ate mostly caribou, fish, and other animals. They hunted with bows and arrows and spears. They travelled across rivers and lakes by canoe in summer. In winter, they used toboggans and snowshoes to travel over ice and snow.
When Europeans came to Canada in the 1600s, the Cree became fur traders. Trading gave the Cree a new way to make a living – but it also changed Cree life forever. With the start of the fur trade, many Cree traditions were lost. Modern Cree want to revive their lifestyle. It’s not always easy – but the modern Cree are successfully balancing old and new. The Cree of North America tells their story.