LANDBACK, also known as #LANDBACK, is a term used to describe a campaign driven by Indigenous communities and allies of the movement who seek to reestablish Indigenous sovereignty across North America and other regions worldwide by addressing historical injustices to Indigenous peoples and reclaiming ancestral lands. LANDBACK stands for the reclamation of control over lands which have belonged to Indigenous peoples, lands that are currently occupied and reigned over illegally. Along with the reclamation of lands dispossessed through colonisation, LANDBACK aims to return stewardship of lands to Indigenous communities, reinvigorate Indigenous practices and culture, provide Indigenous leadership in environmental implementations, educate societies …show more content…
Recognising the historical background of LANDBACK is very important in order to fully understand its meaning and motives, especially in Canada. The beginning of legal land dispossession can be conceptualised through two distinct documents: the Indian Act of 1876 and the Royal Proclamation of 1763. Created after the Seven Years war, the Royal Proclamation forbade European settlers from the general claiming of Indigenous lands in North America. However, the claiming of Indigenous lands was permissible if Indigenous peoples were to sign a treaty with the Crown. This aspect of the law was abused, with Indigenous peoples being persuaded into signing treaties even if they weren’t in their own languages. Soon after colonisation began to increase, the Crown wanted more control over the lands of North America. The Indian Act of 1876 was introduced, with the intention of the abolishment of all cultural practices and the distinctiveness of the Indigenous peoples. This act forbade all Indigenous communities across Canada from expressing themselves through traditional practices and ways of governance, including the ban of First Nations from ownership of land. Essentially, Indigenous peoples were unknowingly stripped of their land titles and forbidden from fighting to get them
The journey for the Aboriginals to receive the right to keep and negotiate land claims with the Canadian government was long but prosperous. Before the 1970's the federal government chose not to preform their responsibilities involving Aboriginal issues, this created an extremely inefficient way for the Aboriginals to deal with their land right problems. The land claims created by the Canadian government benefited the aboriginals as shown through the Calder Case, the creation of the Office of Native Claims and the policy of Outstanding Business.
To begin Sprague argues that the Canadian Government disingenuously mismanaged Metis land organization. Sprague states that evidence of this can be seen in the Canadian government not allowing the Lieutenant Governor Adams G. Archibald to make changes to Section 31 and 32 of the Manitoba Act. Archibald proposed the government grant outlined in Section 31 should allocate each person of Aboriginal ancestry an allotment of “140 acres” (pg.75) of land. Archibald also suggested that the location of these allotments be in close proximity so as to “not disperse families throughout the province” (Pg. 75). Lastly Archibald proposed a suggestion in carrying out Section 32 which insured that land owned was not jeopardized during the process of confederacy. He recommended that Manitoba be recognized as an independent province such that affairs including land ownership would be dealt with on a provincial level. Therefore as Sprague argues Archibald’s words were not taken into consideration by both the governments of John A. Macdonald and Alexa...
Razack (20020 defines the historical legacy of the “white settler society” that has dominated the legal and historical rights to land usage in relation to indigenous peoples and people of color. In addition to this problem, Razack (2002) also defines the problem of “mapping” that has allowed a primarily racist Canadian government to marginalize or remove people of color from land ownership and placement in the white hegemonic community. In response tot this, Razack (2002) proposes an “unmapping” method in which the underlying racism of Canadian legal policies can be exposed and reconstructed to resolve the problem of racism in land usage in Canada. These are the important aspects of racial identity and spatial organization that define the conflicts of racism in Canadian law and in the “unmapping” of the “white settler society” that Razack (2002) identifies throughout the
of fishing, hunting, collecting. This land is the land that the white men cannot encroach and
Until the 16th century, Aboriginal people were the only inhabitants of what is now Canada, hence, they were an independent and self-governing people till the Europeans had the capacity to dominate Canada's original inhabitants and possessors (Elias 1). The European Invasion brought about The 1876 Indian Act, which was developed over time through separate pieces of colonial legislation regarding Aboriginal peoples across Canada such as the Gradual Civilization Act of 1857 and the Gradual Enfranchisement Act of 1869. In 1876, these acts were consolidated as the Indian Act (Hanson). This essay aims to explain how the Indian Act tried to destroy the Aboriginal culture through residential schools and unequal recognition of women, successive acts,
Terra Nullius was once apparent in Australian society, but has now been nullified with the turn of the century and the changes of societal attitudes. With the political changes in our society, and the apology to Indigenous Australians, society is now witnessing an increase in aboriginals gaining a voice in today’s society. Kevin Rudd’s apology as described by Pat Dodson (2006) as a seminal moment in Australia’s history, expressed the true spirit of reconciliation opening a new chapter in the history of Australia. Although from this reconciliation, considerable debate has arisen within society as to whether Aboriginals have a right to land of cultural significance. Thus, causing concern for current land owners, as to whether they will be entitled to their land.
Although the Canadian government has done a great deal to repair the injustices inflicted on the First Nations people of Canada, legislation is no where near where it needs to be to ensure future protection of aboriginal rights in the nation. An examination of the documents that comprise the Canadian Constitution and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms reveal that there is very little in the supreme legal documents of the nation that protect aboriginal rights. When compared with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples it is clear that the Canadian Constitution does not acknowledge numerous provisions regarding indigenous people that the UN resolution has included. The most important of these provisions is the explicit recognition of First Nations rights to their traditional lands, which have a deep societal meaning for aboriginal groups. Several issues must be discussed to understand the complex and intimate relationship all aboriginal societies have with the earth. Exploration into the effects that the absence of these rights has had the Cree of the Eastern James Bay area, will provide a more thorough understanding of the depth of the issue. Overall, the unique cultural relationship First Nations people of Canada have with Mother Earth needs to be incorporated into the documents of the Canadian Constitution to ensure the preservation and protection of Canadian First Nations cultural and heritage rights.s
The Canadian population is composed of people with different cultural background that consist of different communities of immigrants and natives. The Aboriginal community is one of the native community living in Canada holding 4.3% of total population as per National Household Survey 2011 (Statistics Canada, 2011).The Aboriginal people are culturally diverse in Canada having unique historical, linguistic and social contexts. Distinct cultural background of the Aboriginal communities is one of the reason they are experiencing inequities and disparities in health status compared to the non-aboriginal people. In this regard, Canadian nurses are expected to learn about cultural diversity, knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide culturally
The Indian Act no longer remains an undisputable aspect of the Aboriginal landscape in Canada. For years, this federal legislation (that was both controversial and invasive) governed practically all of the aspects of Aboriginal life, starting with the nature of band governance and land tenure. Most importantly, the Indian act defines qualifications of being a “status Indian,” and has been the source of Aboriginal hatred, due to the government attempting to control Aboriginals’ identities and status. This historical importance of this legislation is now being steadily forgotten. Politically speaking, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal critics of the Indian act often have insufferable opinions of the limits of the Indian Act’s governance, and often argue to have this administrative device completely exterminated. Simultaneously, recent modern land claim settlements bypass the authority of the Indian Act over specific groups.
“In about half of the Dominion, the aboriginal rights of Indians have arguably been extinguished by treaty” (Sanders, 13). The traditions and culture of Aboriginals are vanishing at a quick pace, and along it is their wealth. If the Canadian Government restore Native rights over resource development once again, Aboriginals would be able to gain back wealth and help with the poverty in their societies. “An influential lobby group with close ties to the federal Conservatives is recommending that Ottawa ditch the Indian Act and give First Nations more control over their land in order to end aboriginal poverty once and for all” (End First). This recommendation would increase the income within Native communities, helping them jump out of
(Parrott, Z. 07, March 13).All of their history significantly predates the arrival of European settlers. (Parrott, Z. 07, March 13). They were severely threatened by colonial forces, Aboriginal culture, language and social systems have shaped the development of Canada. (Parrott, Z. 07, March 13). There are about 10 cultural areas in North America where the Aboriginal tribes are divided. (Parrott, Z. 07, March 13). But only six areas are found within the borders of what is now Canada. (Parrott, Z. 07, March 13).All of these tribes that are in Canada before our time has had the most major part in founding our country. (Parrott, Z. 07, March 13).Of what they have accomplished then helped us for the long run now. (Parrott, Z. 07, March 13).We should be for respectful towards them and remember what all of them had to go
Many Native groups, because they were nomadic, didn't see land as belonging to one person. The idea that someone could come in, claim a piece of land and ban them f...
Australia’s Indigenous people are thought to have reached the continent between 60 000 and 80 000 years ago. Over the thousands of years since then, a complex customary legal system have developed, strongly linked to the notion of kinship and based on oral tradition. The indigenous people were not seen as have a political culture or system for law. They were denied the access to basic human right e.g., the right to land ownership. Their cultural values of indigenous people became lost. They lost their traditional lifestyle and became disconnected socially. This means that they were unable to pass down their heritage and also were disconnected from the new occupants of the land.
• Amnesty International: Australia- governments dismissal of UN criticism undermines hard earned credibility in human rights diplomacy.
This paper will critically discuss the oppression the Indigenous peoples of Canada have experienced through examining the loss of socio – economic stability and environmental spaces due to past and present actions of the Canadian government.