Today Canada is the most multi-cultural country in the world, and the home of immigrants of every ethnic and religious group from every country in the world.
But less than 500 years ago, the only people living in Canada were the Aboriginal people of Canada. "Aboriginal" means the original inhabitants, the people who were here first. The words "Native" or "Indigenous" are also used, and mean the same thing.
Today they all collectively refer to themselves as the First Nations or First Peoples of Canada. However, there are many different cultural groups.
Canada’s first people used at least 53 different languages. Each group referred to themselves by a specific name in their own language.
For instance, the Inuit - colloquially know for years as Eskimos - have always referred to themselves as Inuit - the People. Or in the singular as an Inuk - a person.
