Aboriginal Perspectives on Canadian Nationalism
How have historical events impacted the view of First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people in Canada? What nation do members of these communities identify with?
Aboriginal Groups in Canada
Currently there are roughly 1.2 million Aboriginal Canadians in Canada- expected to increase
Terms:
- Aboriginal
- Native
- First Nation
- Metis
- Inuit
- Indian
There are thousands of different Aboriginal groups across canada
- Differenced in language, relationship to land, culture
- Strong relationship to the land/spirituality
- Land ownership not usually recognized
- Origins myths vs. Bering Strait
- Oral Traditions
Different Values
Aboriginal Groups
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Non-Aboriginal Groups
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European Settlement
Early Interaction - cooperation
Cooperation - "customer is always right"
Some conflicts (eg Beothuk)
Royal Proclamation 1763 - Aboriginal people are sovereign and must be treated as such
Great Law of Peace (Iroquois Confederacy)
- Tribes competed for business (fur trade)
- European's needed support to survive in Canada
Some conflicts (eg Beothuk)
Royal Proclamation 1763 - Aboriginal people are sovereign and must be treated as such
- Important for the issue of land claims today
Great Law of Peace (Iroquois Confederacy)
- Showed those building the new nations of the United States and Canada how to build a democracy
- Irony: after treaties were signed, Natives lost the right to govern themselves (seen as unfit - uncivilized)
European competition
- As more Europeans arrived, competition for land and resources became more violent
- 13 colonies - French Indian Wars, smallpox genocide
Canada (much more passive aggressive)
- Eg. extermination of buffolo herds in prairies
- Guns made it easier to kill
- Demand for parts, like bones for China
- Farmers' land took precedence
- Government encouraged destruction of entire herds
- Leads to dependence on government (more likely to sign treaties)
Coercion - Treaties and Reserves
- Competition finally became coercion as the government took steps to control the Aboriginal people
- Treaties established in most regions of Canada (BC exception) - legalize land ownership and control of Aboriginal groups
- Most treaties came under the control of a federal department (INAC), which had few if any Aboriginal staff
How did each side understand the treaties?
Aboriginal Leaders/negotiators
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Federal Government
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Indian Act
- First created in 1885
- Eg. 1914: all Natives must ask permission to appear in traditional costumes
- 1918: all uncultivated land will go to other people who are willing to farm the land
- 1927: illegal to give or use funds for legal cases involving land claims
- Residential Schools
Assimilation
Spiritual beliefs of various Aboriginal groups were seen as pagan (against Christianity) and preventing "Indians" from adopting mainstream values
"How to deal with the Indian problem?"
- Banning various practices, like Medicine Man, Sundance, Potlatch
"How to deal with the Indian problem?"
- Focus on the children (too to late to change the adults)
Paternalism
Excerpt from a letter dated Dec. 15, 1921 from the Deputy Superintendent General of DIAND
“It is observed with alarm that the holding of dances by the Indians on their reserves is on the increase, and that these practices tend to disorganize the efforts which the Department is putting for to make them self-supporting. I have, therefore, to direct you to use your utmost endeavors to dissuade the Indians from excessive indulgence in the practice of dancing. You should suppress any dances which cause waste of time, interfere with the occupations of the Indians, unsettle them from serious work, injure their health or encourage them in sloth and idleness…It is realized that reasonable amusement and recreation should be enjoyed by Indians, but they should not be allowed to dissipate their energies and abandon themselves to demoralizing amusements.
(this was not overturned as unconstitutional until the 1950s)
“It is observed with alarm that the holding of dances by the Indians on their reserves is on the increase, and that these practices tend to disorganize the efforts which the Department is putting for to make them self-supporting. I have, therefore, to direct you to use your utmost endeavors to dissuade the Indians from excessive indulgence in the practice of dancing. You should suppress any dances which cause waste of time, interfere with the occupations of the Indians, unsettle them from serious work, injure their health or encourage them in sloth and idleness…It is realized that reasonable amusement and recreation should be enjoyed by Indians, but they should not be allowed to dissipate their energies and abandon themselves to demoralizing amusements.
(this was not overturned as unconstitutional until the 1950s)
- Women’s treaty status depended on their husband until the 1970s
- Alcohol was banned from most treaty lands
- Those living on a reserve were not allowed to participate in politics until the mid 20th century.
- Even today, most band’s funds are controlled by INAC, in addition to the infrastructure (so the government must approve any improvements)
Treatment of the Inuit
- Canada's government largely ignored the Inuit until the protection of Canadian territory in the north became an issue
Moved Inuit north in order to "give them a better life"
- Most agree that in reality it was to declare sovereignty over the northern islands and the Northwest Passage
- Many Inuit today are entirely depended on government support
Metis
- The creation of a new ethnic group through the intermixing of French explorers and First Nations (and English settlers/exlpores) complicated things
- Not First Nation = do not inherit any rights
- Not European = not accepted in mainstream society
Riel Resistance
- Formerly known as the Riel Rebelion
- 1870s European settlers arrive in the Red River area and begin surveying the area
Louis Riel sets up a Metis government, charges and executes Thomas Scott
- English Canada want to see Riel tried as a traitor
- French Canada sees Riel as a hero trying to protect his culture and people
1969: White Paper
- Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Minister of Indian Affairs, Jean Chretien recommends cancelling the Indian Act
- Fell that the special status given to Natives has only led to a decrease in status, so suggestion is made to end all treaty obligations and incorporate Native peoples into mainstream society
- The Red Paper - Native Response to the paper (treaties were signed until the rivers no longer flow)
- National Indian Brotherhood - later becomes the Assembly of First Nations
- This crisis fosters a new sense of identity amongst Aboriginal peoples
- Re-affirmation of identity
- Demands to change the Indian Act (e.g. allowed to participate in spiritual ceremonies, hire a lawyer, women regain status)
- Oka Crisis - demanding a voice
Statistics
- High unemployment (up to 80% on some reserves)
- Less than 45% of FNMI studants graduate high school
- 49% (Manitoba) and 72% (Saskatchewan) inmates are Aboriginal
- Child mortality rates are 3-4x higher
- UN Human Deveklopment Index - Canada top 10, Aboriginals would be ranked 63rd
- 54% of reserve houses fail to meet basic standards (e.g. 23% don't have piped sewage or water)
- Earn 30% less than average Canadians
- Youth suicide rates are 6x higher
Land Claims
- Royal Proclamation 1763 asserted their rights
- Nisga’a Treaty (payment - $196.1 million , land- 2,019 square kilometers , self-government, restoration of cultural items)
- Comprehensive Claims – treaties not signed
- Specific Claims – treaty violations
- Lubicon Cree Band
Aboriginal Self- Government
The goal:
- To allow groups to control their lands and education in order to protect and promote their culture
- Would have similar powers as a municipal government
Inuit Self- Government
- The creation of Nunavut in 1999 took a new step in Canadian government towards Inuit self-government
- E.g. decisions are made by consensus instead of popular vote
Sources
Photos
http://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.881487.1363920841!/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/derivatives/landscape_620/image.jpeg
Info
In class notes, notes from class website, and youtube videos
Photos
http://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.881487.1363920841!/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/derivatives/landscape_620/image.jpeg
Info
In class notes, notes from class website, and youtube videos