Métis-Cree
The Métis-Cree of Canada are the children of the Cree women and
French, Scottish and English fur traders who were used to form alliances
between Native peoples and trading companies. We, the Métis, are a
nation, sharing the traditions of all our mothers and fathers.
Our stories teach us how to treat our fellow beings. Stories that are told
to entertain rather than to teach, such as the endless cycles of the
superhuman being Wisakecahk, are forbidden during the summer months when we
must work as hard as possible.
How the People Hunted the Moose
(Short Version)
A family of moose was sitting in the lodge when a pipe came floating in
through the door, passing close to each of the Moose People until it reached
the youngest of the young bull moose. He took the pipe and started to smoke
it. The old moose knew that it was a pipe the human beings were smoking to
ask for success in their hunt. "Now, tomorrow, they will find us," he said.
But the young moose was not afraid, for he thought he could outrun them.
When the Moose People reached the edge of the forest the next day, they
caught the scent of the hunters. The thin crust on the snow made it hard for
the moose to move quickly. The young moose was still sure he could outrun
the hunters, but the hunters were wearing snowshoes. They followed him until
he tired, and then they killed him. They thanked him for giving himself to
them so they could survive. They treated his body with care, soothing his
spirit.
When the young moose woke up in his bed that night, he said to the others,
"Those hunters treated me with respect. It is right for us to allow the
human beings to catch us."
And so it is to this day. Those hunters who show respect for the moose are
always the ones who are successful when they hunt.
Adapted from The Native Stories from Keepers of the Animals, by
Joseph Bruchac
How the People Hunted the Moose
(Long Version)
Cree Storytelling
Wisakecahk
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© Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation
