The Mi’kma’ki area was divided into seven districts. Each district had a district chief. These district chiefs were part of a Grand Council. The Grand Council gave hunting territories to different groups and were leaders in war and peace with other First Nation groups in other areas. The Grand Council met each spring and fall.

Wigwam

Under each district chief were the local chiefs of each village or band. Because the Mi’kmaq respected the rights of others to live on the land, they respected the hunting territories of others when they traveled out of their own territories.

How the Mi’kmaq governed themselves was another way in which the Mi’kmaq were very different from Europeans. The Mi’kmaq believed decisions should be made by consensus. If someone did not agree with an idea, the group would keep talking about it until they came up with another idea that everyone could agree with. They did not believe some people had to accept an idea just because many others liked it.

Use of Nature

Because the Mi’kmaq moved from place to place, they lived in dwellings that could be quickly put up and taken down. These dwellings were called wigwams. They were made of five spruce poles tied together at the top with split spruce root and spread out at the bottom.