Tom McNeely (Canadian, B. 1935) "North American Indians" Signed lower right. Original Mixed Media painting on Paper. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the Canadian 34c North American Indian stamp issued August 29, 1986. During the great Ice Age, when Asia and North America were joined by a land bridge, men and animals moved freely between the continents. These ancient people were Indians from Asia, and were cut off from returning there as the huge sheets of ice gradually melted away, submerging the natural bridge. The Indian population then moved into the northern forest regions of Canada and became known as the people of the Snowshoe. This population could have possibly been as large as 50,000 people although the northern people did not think of themselves as part of this enormous group. They lived primarily in little bands of a few families, except for the rare occasions when a few hundred or perhaps a thousand gathered at one time for a dance or feast. Almost all of the Indians of Northern Canada spoke the same dialect, and practiced many of the same customs. Since they were new to the land, the Indians adopted ways of life that insured their survival. Some roamed the grasslands hunting the ample game, while others settled into small agricultural communities. For thousands of years their customs have served them well, and still today some of these ancient ways of life remain in Northern Canada. The Indians from Asia were the first real explorers of what is today called Canada, for they ventured across the Bering Strait 40,000 years ago to begin a new life in North America. Image Size: 21 x 17 in. Overall Size: 28.75 x 22 in. Unframed. (B10278)