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Daily LifeWay of LifeSome people have an idea that all Aboriginal nations were solely hunters and gatherers. This was true for a minority of Aboriginal people who lived in the Far North. However, most Aboriginal people were involved in agriculture. The Wendat were no exception and have been called the farmers of the north. They mostly grew corn, beans, squash and tobacco. They were influential in showing Algonquin peoples like the Odawa how to farm.
The Wendat followed a yearly cycle of ceremonies based on a moon calendar. This means that at every new moon a new month would begin. A harvest moon, for instance, would often be in October. There would be a great feast held at that time, a thanksgiving of sorts. All of the food would be collected and some buried in storage pits. This was because the winter was coming and vegetables would be scarce. Once the food was gathered and stored away for the winter, the men would begin to prepare for the hunting season. Deer meat would be the most important food source for the winter.
When the spring moons came, the people would begin tapping maple trees for making maple syrup. The berry-picking moons and fishing moons would follow this. The stars were also important in helping to teach the Wendat what they should do each season. Star constellations move in the sky according to the time of year. When a new constellation appeared the Wendat would have a story to tell about it. These stars and stories helped the Wendat keep track of their duties.
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