The indigenous population of the Canadian Arctic, also known as the Inuit (Inuk for “People”), are a proud nation of historically marginalized communities. This diaspora of scattered and remote communities are predominantly found in regions of Canada, such as Newfoundland and Labrador, Nunatsiavut, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Quebec. Although, the Inuit community also spans as far as Greenland, Denmark, Russia, and the United States of America. This community holds their cultural institutions in very sacred and high regards as observed by their passionate ambitions to pass down their traditions, methods, and spoken history to their prosperity. However, these proud descendants of the earliest Arctic tundra conquerors have had an historically …show more content…
I knew whatever innocent ethnographic research I had planned would now be fruitless. The devastating effects which Western culture had on these villages were so profound and impossible to ignore. As I walked the rugged dirt roads crowded by elderly white Canadian tourists smiling from ear to ear, snapping pictures of this serotonin mirage. These tourists had been blind to the pain behind the eyes of the street vendors. Vendors who donned ragged clothes which indicated a high level of strength required of them to hold a smile and pretend their world was a fairytale (for the short amount of time we were there). Their streets were littered with pollution, the local grocery market had inflated prices (such as a carton of milk for $15), and in one instance a village’s school had been burnt down by local teenagers. The health of these communities were tragic and I quickly learned about the high volume of adolescent suicide which runs rampant in these villages. This experience made me question the mechanisms which devastated the inuit people and detached them from their ability to master their environment. I questioned why this specific diaspora of Inuit were so marginalized while their contemporaries across the Davis Straight seemed to be living more comfortably. However, to understand their plight, one must first examine the history of the Inuit and the sociopolitical dynamics of the Canadian Arctic. Inuit origins begins with the Dorset culture around 3,000 years ago when humans from Siberia crossed over an exposed land mass which connected the Bering Straight (Condon and Stern 2016). (Edit: Recent scholarship suggest a much earlier ‘peopling of the America’s to a date of 130,000 years before present (Holen et al. 2017)). The Dorset are believed to have become the Thule culture, which then developed
Inuit Odyssey, by CBC’s: The Nature of Things covers the long and eventful journey of the Inuit people. Canadian anthropologist, Dr. Niobe Thompson searched for the answers to questions about who the modern day Inuit are, where did they come from, how did they survive and who did they conquer along the way? Thompson explored the direct lineage between modern day Inuit and the Thule people, and their interactions with the Dorset and Norse Vikings in their search for iron. Thompson is ultimately concerned with how the current warming climate will affect the Inuit people therefore, he decides to retrace the creation of the Inuit culture, starting his journey in the original homeland of the Thule people.
Marquise Lepage’s documentary, Martha of the North (2009) provides an insight to the 1953 forced relocation of the Inuit from Northern Quebec to the High Arctic. It does an exceptional job at explaining how the Inuit’s lives were affected and molded at a holistic perspective. Martha of the North (2009) can be explained through the concept of holism and its limitations. The concept of holism can explain the effects that the relocations has had on the Inuit people. Although the Inuit’s behaviour can be analyzed through the concept there are aspects of their experience that holism does not account for. The documentary follows the life of one of the first Inuit to be relocated, a woman named Martha, along with her family and the people in her community.
Life for the Métis was adventurous with all of the hunting and trading they did. Métis were the result of Aboriginal people and Europeans. Many would work at fur trading companies or just be hunters. When they would travel to different places they would often use Ox Carts to haul all of their belongings. Their culture was very important including what music they played and the language. When they traded they would sell a lot of things because they were so talented at making things. The Métis grew up an having unique and adventurous life including who they were, the culture, what they made, Red River Trails, the Fur Trade, where they've live and how they live today.
Throughout history, there has been a continuous movement of people, including European settlers and aboriginal tribes. The movement of these two groups of people has assisted in shaping and refining the world as we know it today. With each moving experience these groups of people had their own set of challenges and various difficult aspects present at various times throughout their journey. Whether they faced a foreign language upon arrival, or the difficulty with navigating a new place, challenges became their norm. A specific movement of people would be the Europeans arriving in Atlantic Canada and having contact with various aboriginal tribes. During the fifteenth century, the Europeans set out to find new land, natural resources and spices. The Europeans had contact with one particular group of aboriginals known as the Beothuk, who resided in Newfoundland. The relationship with this tribe and the European settlers was like no other. The conflict between these two groups was quite evident and caused trouble between the Beothuk and Micmac as well. The Beothuk tribe no longer exist. There are various reasons why researchers and historians believe this tribe has disappeared,one of which would be their way of life. The disappearance of this tribe has provoked a great
Throughout ancient history, many indigenous tribes and cultures have shown a common trait of being hunter/gatherer societies, relying solely on what nature had to offer. The geographical location influenced all aspects of tribal life including, spirituality, healing philosophy and healing practices. Despite vast differences in the geographical location, reports show various similarities relating to the spirituality, healing philosophy and healing practices of indigenous tribal cultures.
The Inuit, the Haida, and the Iroquois all are housed in Canada! The Inuit, Haida, and Iroquois is all some of the “First peoples groups” and they also have beliefs special to their own groups. This essay will explain some of the similarities between the 3 groups as well as some differences.
This paper addresses the results of interviews, observations, and research of life in the Ottawa tribe, how they see themselves and others in society and in the tribe. I mainly focused on The Little River Band of Ottawa Indian tribe. I researched their languages, pecking order, and interviewed to discover the rituals, and traditions that they believe in. In this essay I revealed how they see themselves in society. How they see other people, how they see each other, what their values were, what a typical day was etc. I initially suspected that I would have got different responses from these questions but in reality the results in the questions were almost completely the same. I studied this topic because mostly all the people that are close to me are associated in the Ottawa tribe. I additionally love the Native American culture, I feel it is beautiful and has a free concept.
The Cree people have a rich and diverse history. Through methods of written and oral teachings, a greater understanding of the Cree people and their history has become apparent. In the following, I will highlight portions of Cree history to establish an understanding of such a rich culture. As a guide, I will use ideas highlighted in Jim Kanepetew’s (n.d) teachings of “The Ten Treaty Sticks”. Underlying concepts from “The Ten Treaty Sticks” have implications on both past and current practices of the Cree people. Since a large portion of the final exam is a chronological list of happenings, I will examine and extend the teachings of “The Ten Treaty Sticks” and how these align with teachings throughout the course. Using “The Ten Treaty Sticks” as a guide, I
Throughout the history of Canada the indigenous population of the country have been voiceless. They have been both suppressed and oppressed by the Federal and various Provincial governments within Canada. Many organizations tried to provide a voice for the native population but failed in their attempt. These organizations eventually merged together to become what is now known as The Assembly of First Nations. The Assembly of First Nations gives voice to the issues and problems facing the different components of the aboriginal community in Canada.
Generations of native people in Canada have faced suffering and cultural loss as a result of European colonization of their land. Government legislation has impacted the lives of five generations of First Nations people and as a result the fifth generation (from 1980 to present) is working to recover from their crippled cultural identity (Deiter-McArthur 379-380). This current generation is living with the fallout of previous government policies and societal prejudices that linger from four generations previous. Unrepentant, Canada’s ‘Genocide’, and Saskatchewan’s Indian People – Five Generations highlight issues that negatively influence First Nations people. The fifth generation of native people struggle against tremendous adversity in regard to assimilation, integration, separation, and recovering their cultural identity with inadequate assistance from our great nation.
The Arctic is an area above the imaginary line of the Arctic Circle, which is latitude 66.6° north (Smith, 2009). This is a hostile and unforgiving place, with freezing temperatures and 24 hours of darkness in winter (Smith, 2009). Nevertheless, one particular place of interest is Devon Island, which has many seasonal hunting grounds such as Cape Liddon – see exhibit one. Although Devon Island is uninhabited today, past settlers survived harsh conditions by exploiting coastal and inland resources for thousands of years. Interestingly, between 1982 and 1987, archaeologists found 163 sites on the island (Helmer, 1991). These sites contained thousands of animal bones, various stone and bone tools dating back 4500 years (Helmer, 1991). Coincidently, the multipurpose ulu knife – see exhibit two – originates from the similar time period, which is traditionally used for processing animals for food and clothes (Crowell & Prusinski, n.d.). Also, it is believed that indigenous people created carvings such as small face masks, for interacting with spirits (Zságer, 2010). Funnily enough, a modern day mask – see in exhibit three – looks similar to a 3500 year old ivory face mask found on Devon Island (CMCC, 2013). Nonetheless, today some people call this traditional ecological knowledge, which refers to knowledge, beliefs and practices, in sustainable use of ...
“Hunting for the Right Words” is an article written by Kathryn Gwun-Yeen Lennon and published in 2010 by Alternatives Journal, Canada’s national environmental magazine. Lennon and a group of 24 other students and professors from the University of Manitoba spend 6 weeks in the small arctic community of Pangnirtung, Canada, located on the shore of Cumberland Sound and less than thirty miles South of the Arctic Circle. Pangnirtung has a heavy Inuit influence and by living with them, Lennon has the opportunity to learn about Inuit culture and lifestyle firsthand. “Hunting for the Right Words” talks about Lennon’s experience learning about Inuit culture through a seal hunting trip and her understanding of how celebrities and the media as well
Cultural competence is a skill essential to acquire for healthcare providers, especially nurses. Cooperating effectively and understanding individuals with different backgrounds and traditions enhances the quality of health care provided by hospitals and other medical facilities. One of the many cultures that nurses and other health care providers encounter is the American Indian or Native American culture. There are hundreds of different American Indian Tribes, but their beliefs and values only differ slightly. The culture itself embodies nature. To American Indians, “The Earth is considered to be a living organism- the body of a higher individual, with a will and desire to be well. The Earth is periodically healthy and less healthy, just as human beings are” (Spector, 2009, p. 208). This is why their way of healing and symbolic items are holistic and from nature.
Similar to other marginalized groups affected by colonialism due to the government in power, the Indigenous peoples of Canada have struggled as a nation due to the unequal treatment they have encountered in the past. The governing bodies that control these Indigenous communities have continued to have colonialistic tendencies that attempt to put the ‘white man’s’ needs before the Indigenous peoples.
Indigenous Knowledge (IK) can be broadly defined as the knowledge and skills that an indigenous (local) community accumulates over generations of living in a particular environment. IK is unique to given cultures, localities and societies and is acquired through daily experience. It is embedded in community practices, institutions, relationships and rituals. Because IK is based on, and is deeply embedded in local experience and historic reality, it is therefore unique to that specific culture; it also plays an important role in defining the identity of the community. Similarly, since IK has developed over the centuries of experimentation on how to adapt to local conditions. That is Indigenous ways of knowing informs their ways of being. Accordingly IK is integrated and driven from multiple sources; traditional teachings, empirical observations and revelations handed down generations. Under IK, language, gestures and cultural codes are in harmony. Similarly, language, symbols and family structure are interrelated. For example, First Nation had a