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Life under a tent
Nomadic life obliged the Pekuakamiulnuatsh to have a dwelling that was light and easy to move. The material should be easy to find in the immediate environment in the area where the tent would be set-up. These resources should be accessible and renewable as needed. Birch bark remained a natural element available and abundant that allowed rapid construction of a dwelling. Later, the bark was replaced by canvas.
Since waterways constituted our routes, it became clear that the locations chosen for setting up the tents would be near junctions, rivers and large stretches of water.
This was why, at these locations, one can still find today traces of thousands of years of presence, for example, by the portages along a river. Also, in the chosen locations, the opening of the tent was carefully directed towards the east i.e. sheltered from the winds and towards the rising sun.
Life under the tent was one of family where each member made his/her contribution, in a system organised according to the fundamental needs of the family.
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