Spear – shimakan

Innu made spears and harpoons from wood, caribou bone and antlers with chert stone, quartzite or metal points. They used the spear for slaying caribou. At a place called Tshiniuatipish, on Mushuau-nipi, the Innu would hunt caribou where the lake widened into the Mushuau-shipu (George River). They would wait for the caribou herds to cross the lake. Men and women paddled out in their canoes to intercept the swimming caribou. A quick thrust with a sharp spear would wound an animal enough so that it died near the shore, where it would be butchered for food, clothing, babiche, and teepee coverings.

For more information and images on the spear or leister,  search the Material Culture section of this website.