In places such as Canada and North America, under colonialism, indigenous lands are occupied and their communities are almost entirely be disrupted and they have been assimilated into a Western culture though their own cultures still remain. These days, the indigenous are living in white-settler society under the control of state powers and in long history, they are being discriminated and exploited. The indigenous people today or even their ancestors face harsh challenges and they have to struggle with their identities in the issue of racism, self determination and assimilation. In the article, “ Dwight” Newman (2015): Of aboriginals, Metis, First Nations, Inuit and Indians (status holding and otherwise)”, it depicts massive struggles for …show more content…
Racialization of Poverty becomes concentrated among racialized group such as the Indigenous and inevitably it is socially constructed. In addition, “ colonization is the word most often used to describe the experience of Indigenous encounters with Settler societies.” In country like Canada, colonialism is the domination over Indigenous People by European colonizers and constructing that they are inferior. Furthermore, “ colonialism is the act of claiming sovereignty over the lands and resources of subject people.”(Burger, 2013) This manifests that the aboriginal are being targeted and they experienced terrible violence in the fight of natural resources, lack of power, and suppression with the states. Indeed, The more white settlers occupy, the more marginalized with the indigenous people. Comparing to the first nation, a white settler society continues to be structured by a racial hierarchy. Race and identity is interrelated among groups peculiarly like the First Nation. Most of the indigenous people still live a society which they are separate to the rest, but self- determination is rather essential. After huge assimilation, even though they are not self- governing, self- determination such as “ the right to determine [their] own membership; the right to protect [their] own culture and language; and the right to educate [their] children in accordance with the values of your people” ( Coe, 1994). Although their identity is socially constructed, it is critical for them to maintain their own culture because they are allow to identify themselves upon their interest and perspectives. Research by Eisenberg (2013) says that “in Canada, most Indigenous actors criticized the state for failing to be faithful to the treaties and not recognizing the Indigenous right to sovereignty and self-determination.” For instance, he mentioned that they should have the right to survive
Her book focuses on the myriads of issues and struggles that Indigenous men and women have faced and will continue to face because of colonialism. During her speech, Palmater addressed the grave effects of the cultural assimilation that permeated in Indigenous communities, particularly the Indian Residential School System and the Indian Act, which has been extensively discussed in both lectures and readings. Such policies were created by European settlers to institutionalize colonialism and maintain the social and cultural hierarchy that established Aboriginals as the inferior group. Palmater also discussed that according to news reports, an Aboriginal baby from Manitoba is taken away every single day by the government and is put in social care (CTVNews.ca Staff, 2015). This echoes Andrea Smith’s argument in “Heteropatriarchy and the Three Pillars of White Supremacy: Rethinking Women of Color Organizing” that colonialism continues to affect Aboriginals through genocide (2006, p. 68). Although such actions by the government are not physical acts of genocide, where 90% of Aboriginal population was annihilated, it is this modern day cultural assimilation that succeeded the Indigenous Residential School System and the Indian Act embodies colonialism and genocide (Larkin, November 4,
Fleras, Augie. “Aboriginal Peoples in Canada: Repairing the Relationship.” Chapter 7 of Unequal Relations: An Introduction to Race, Ethnic and Aboriginal Dynamics in Canada. 6th ed. Toronto: Pearson, 2010. 162-210. Print.
In the Canadian society there exists millions of people of which majority are white people scientifically referred to as Caucasian, there too exists black people whom are referred to as ethnically African people and of course our case study today Aborigines whom have been Canada’s marginalized minority that have suffered social injustice across the board.
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,
As European domination began, the way in which the European’s chose to deal with the Aborigines was through the policy of segregation. This policy included the establishment of a reserve system. The government reserves were set up to take aboriginals out of their known habitat and culture, while in turn, encouraging them to adapt the European way of life. The Aboriginal Protection Act of 1909 established strict controls for aborigines living on the reserves . In exchange for food, shelter and a little education, aborigines were subjected to the discipline of police and reserve managers. They had to follow the rules of the reserve and tolerate searchers of their homes and themselves. Their children could be taken away at any time and ‘apprenticed” out as cheap labour for Europeans. “The old ways of the Aborigines were attacked by regimented efforts to make them European” . Their identities were threatened by giving them European names and clothes, and by removing them from their tra...
One of the most contentious issues in Canada’s history is that of the Metis. Some people feel this unique group of people does not deserve any sort of recognition, whereas others believe their unique history and culture is something to be recognized and cherished. The history of the Metis people is filled with struggle; not only struggles against other powers, but also a struggle for self-identification. Despite strong opposition, the Metis people of Canada have matured as a political force and have taken great strides towards being recognized as a unique people.
It can be said without a doubt that the indigenous peoples of Canada have had to undergo much turmoil in order to reach the point that they are at today. When one looks at the timeline of events and the laws implemented since the arrival of the Europeans in North America it can be considered a miracle that so many aspects of the rich culture and tradition of these people have survived to see today. It is a blessing that these people have been able to pass down the languages, cultural and societal beliefs, as well as their stories from generation to generation so that the people of North America and the world today may be able to know and study these civilized and multifaceted cultures. The First Nations people of Canada have had to go through many types of oppression since the arrival of the settlers. And even though society has slowly made strides in the right direction in respect to eliminating the oppression on aboriginal peoples there still remains a vast inequality between the aboriginals of Canada and that of their counterparts of European descent in the forms of their educational differences which lead to difficulties in employment as well as an increased crime rate.
Despite the decreasing inequalities between men and women in both private and public spheres, aboriginal women continue to be oppressed and discriminated against in both. Aboriginal people in Canada are the indigenous group of people that were residing in Canada prior to the European colonization. The term First Nations, Indian and indigenous are used interchangeably when referring to aboriginal people. Prior to the colonization, aboriginal communities used to be matrilineal and the power between men and women were equally balanced. When the European came in contact with the aboriginal, there came a shift in gender role and power control leading towards discrimination against the women. As a consequence of the colonization, the aboriginal women are a dominant group that are constantly subordinated and ignored by the government system of Canada. Thus today, aboriginal women experiences double jeopardy as they belong to more than one disadvantaged group i.e. being women and belonging to aboriginal group. In contemporary world, there are not much of a difference between Aboriginal people and the other minority groups as they face the similar challenges such as gender discrimination, victimization, and experiences injustice towards them. Although aboriginal people are not considered as visible minorities, this population continues to struggle for their existence like any other visible minorities group. Although both aboriginal men and women are being discriminated in our society, the women tends to experience more discrimination in public and private sphere and are constantly the targeted for violence, abuse and are victimized. In addition, many of the problems and violence faced by aborigin...
The issue of aboriginal people in Canada is not new. For a long time, it has been heatedly debated by academic scholars and by the general public as well. By no means does this issue have a straightforward solution to it. RCAP (Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples) is one of the institutions largely responsible for the aboriginal issue. Unfortunately, the problems RCAP faces are too intractable to settle in a relatively short time, due to which there are some unresolved problems intimately related with the life of aboriginal people awaiting to be dealt with soon in an effective and politically sound way. The complexity of the issue calls for more intellectual discussion beyond the scope of the immediate present aboriginal reality.
These culture of violence created a self in fear, a self that has been trained that it is under attack. The self of the indigenous person has been enslaved, labored, tortured and murdered, all due to the violent power colonialism and postcolonialism spread throughout the world.
Within the Aboriginal ways of knowing it is suggested that “land is the heart of Creation, a realm where humans are among a vast array of creatures” (Belanger, 2014, p. 7). In essence, the Aboriginal people have looked upon the earth as a source of resources that may be utilized but must be honored. This is further substantiated by Belanger when he states that “human beings began to measure their existence in terms of how well they ensured the land’s health and safety, as opposed to how well they acquired wealth and personal gain” (Belanger, 2014, p. 8). As a result of this deeply ingrained relationship between the Aboriginal person and Creation, it comes as no surprise to learn that the Aboriginal people of Canada have decided to revolt against what they consider to be an insult to both their ways of knowing and Creation; earth itself. Thus, on November 10, 2012 the Idle No Movement began ("Timeline," 2013). For the purpose of this paper, this student will discuss how the Idle No More movement began, what the movement entailed, and whether or not the message of Idle No More was heard.
This paper will be addressing the difficulties that the First Nations face everyday, whether they are part of a non-Aboriginal community or simply in their own Reserves. It will also address what control the Canadian government has on the Aboriginal and their culture. No matter where these people are living, they face with certain discrimination from non-Aboriginal people everywhere they go. As a conclusion, the reader will have a better understanding of why it is important that the Aboriginals get a discrimination-free environment and treatment. They will also open their eyes that this is a matter of racism applied by everyone who fits in the ‘norms’ that society has created.
It was during this time that the first obstacles to the government's progress first surfaced. The Métis people began to fear for their culture, rights and their lands as colonists sta...
Genocide is a prominent obstruction to First nation and Aboriginal Culture. Throughout history it has proved to be a topic of terror and a harsh reality that no way of life should feel they must come to terms with. Rather, genocide is a repulsive divertissement that feeds the needs of the traditionalistic supremacist. These movements prey off of the fear that they acquire, and the terror that they procure.
To begin, the term colonialism is defined in the dictionary as “control by one country over another and its people”. Throughout history colonialism has confounded and damaged numerous cultures and people. Indigenous people have undergone a series of massive modifications to their culture as well as spiritual beliefs and morals and obligations they’ve held since before the first coming of Western cultures. In regards to this, there are many concerns of loss of culture among several different groups.