Attikameku in Quebec

The Attikameku speak algonquian language that is similar to Cree. Their name means "white fish". Their language is similar to Cree. The tribe has 4000 to 5000 folks who speak this language. French is their second language of choice. They have three communities in Quebec.. The Attikameku are an allies with the Innu and adversaries of the Inuit. There are 5,000 folks on reservations today. They had little direct conflict with Europeans. They had little direct conflict with Europeans, and no conflict with them. From their allies the Innu they caught several diseases - smallpox and syphilis. The fur trade brought the Montagnais and French with Attikameku - in a war between the Innu and Iroquois. However, the Attikameku are affected from mercury poisoning from hydroelectric plants and contamination of the water supply. They are on their ancient land. They still practice their traditional culture and are on their ancient land.

They have many legends, myths, and mythological figures. One is Wisakejek who is a good cultural hero of the Attikameku and Cree tribes. It is pronounced wee zuh kay jock. Tickabis is a trickster figure, who has magic powers to protect him from harm.
Witiko is an evil man eating spirit folk like the better known Windigo. He is a monster and a boggyman.

Once Tickabis wanted to visit the sky. His sister said he should not, but he had his mind set on it. He climbed the highest tree. But once up there he saw sky above him. So he used his medicine and blew on a tree until it was twice as tall. He climbed to the top of it and still saw sky. Finally he used his medicine a fourth time and at the tree it was so tall he stepped off onto a road leading across the sky.

He was tired from all of this so he laid down to sleep. A loud noise woke him up. It sounded like something big was coming. All he could see was a big light getting brighter. It was the sun. "Get out of my way", said the sun. No you go around me said the Tickabis If I go around you, I'll set the tree on fire.. Tickabis just laughed. He said I don't intend to get up. So sun stepped over him. His clothes caught on fire and if it wasn't for his medicine. he would have been burned to death. He was naked, angry, and wanted revenge.

When he went home to his siter she asked what happened. The sun burned me, as i was minding my own business, He forgot about being a troublemaker. He said I'm going to get revenge on the sun. His sister said no, you'll cause more trouble. He didn't listen to her and he worked on making magic net, big enough to catch the sun. He went up the tree again and set a trap on the sun's path. When the sun came there, he was caught in the net and darkness covered the entire world.

Tickibis was happy, but his sister said nothing good will come of this. The darkness lasted aqnd lasted . People started to starve. No plants would grow and there was no light to hunt by. Everyone bothered him to let the sun go and he finally agreed. He brought several animals up the tree but they were all too big and they got burned. Finally he brought a little mouse which knawed through the rope and the sun escaped!

Native-languages.org