Organization

Pelache Mark - When we went into the bush, we brought almost nothing with us. We made everything we needed. We bought nothing manufactured, we really produced everything. We didn't even need milk for the children, the mothers breastfed. We made our moccasins and clothing when they were needed.
Marie-Clara Jourdain - Once we arrived in the hunting territory, we looked for a suitable spot, with firewood not too far away. Then, we placed the tent poles. For us, the two most important elements were firewood and shelter from the wind. Once we'd found our spot, we got busy clearing the brush and roots, not forgetting the small roots just under the ground, because we had to reach sand before driving in the poles.
Narrator - At that time, the Innu used various kinds of houses or tents. Everything depended on the circumstances. In this system, the tipi was very well suited to fall, the time of travel in the bush. It was a quick and easy living space to set up. Sometimes all you had to do was drive in three poles covered in canvas, make an opening in the roof and build a fire in the sand inside the tent, adding rocks to conserve heat. Nowadays, the Innu most often use a rectangular tent, called a "prospector's tent". It's just as easy to set up as a tipi, and has the added advantage of holding a small metal stove which people use for cooking.
Music - Rodrigue Fontaine, Bill St-Onge, Luc Bacon

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