The Colonization of Mi'kmaw Memory and History 1749-1928 The King V. Gabriel Sylliboy: A Critical Review

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The Colonization of Mi’kmaw Memory and History explores the ways in which historical events and periods are remembered across generations of Aboriginal peoples, what has impacted these memories, and in what way these memories may impact the way in which history is remembered by the next generation. Wicken argues that our memory of history is shaped concurrently experiences of past and present generations and that as our memory of history changes so to does our interpretation of our current lived experiences, for Aboriginal peoples, their experiences with colonialism has created different perceptions of history than that of non-Aboriginal peoples. Wicken asserts his argument by analyzing the genesis of perceptions of the 1752 treaty from the late eighteenth century up until the 1928 appeal of the King v. Gabriel Sylliboy. In 1926/7 Sylliboy had been arrested, tried, and convicted for catching muskrats out of season, camping on private property, and cutting wood without a permit (64). The interpretation of the 1752 treaty by Sylliboy and five Mi’kmaq men played an integral part to Sylliboys defense. Divided into three sections, Wicken covers a time frame of almost 200 years in just a few hundred pages. Each section analyses and utilizes a variety of primary and secondary sources to explain and justify the Wickens argument. The care Wicken places on compiling a diversity of resources and analyzing them aids in his ability to cover an extensive period and emphasize common trends with clarity and in a straightforward manner. The basis of Wickens argument is based on his analysis of four petitions written on behalf of the Mi’kmaq from the 1794 to 1853 as well as the testimonies of Sylliboy and the Mi’kmaq witness’s testimonies from... ... middle of paper ... ...r to think about history as non-linear and reflect on the ways in which history is shaped by the experiences of both past and present generations of people. Wicken also encourages the reader to reflect on the intersectionality of colonialism and one’s perceptions of historical events and periods. Wicken writes in the outset of the text that his choice to cover such as extensive period in just a few hundred pages could have resulted in an over-simplification of events and periods and the inability to fully explore varying perspectives (24,243). Yet, my impression of the text is that Wicken has managed to provide depth as well as clarity in defending his argument. This is a text I would recommend especially to history students, to those interested in Mi’kmaq and Nova Scotian history and in general to those interested in Aboriginal relations and treaties in Canada.

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