Land, Language, Lifestyle: The First Nations' Struggle for Recognition and Equality in Modern Canada.
"First Nations People" refers to Status and Non-Status "Indian" people in Canada. Currently, there are about 615 First Nation communities that represent more than 50 different cultural groups and about 50 Aboriginal languages.The " First Nations People" came to Canada about 25,000 years ago. They were the first ones to acquire this beautiful country, Canada. Canada is a multicultural country where people from all over the world immigrate and have equal rights like all other Canadian immigrants or citizens. But the first natives of Canada are still struggling, even after 25,000 years, to gain their identity, equal rights and recognition.
Today, there are about 30 different languages spoken by First Nations people only in Canada and which are in decline. According to 2001 Census, there is a decline in Aboriginal languages as a mother tongue (the first language learned at home in childhood and still understood). However, not all languages saw a decline in mother tongue.
The 2001 Census shows that the contribution of the Aboriginal people’s population to Canada’s total population is on the rise. In 2001, the population of Aboriginals was about 4.4% of the total population, whereas, in 1996, it was 3.8%. From 1901-2001, the growth rate of the Aboriginal population was tenfold while that of the total population of Canada was just six. In 2001, about 3.3% of Canada’s total population identified themselves as Aboriginals. The Aboriginal population is much younger than the non-Aboriginal population, but is still aging. The median age of the Aboriginal population was 24.7 years compared to 37.7 years of the non- Aboriginal population. But still, the Aboriginal birth rate is about 1.5 times higher than that of the non-Aboriginals.
Like any other culture, the First Nations people want to practice their religion, speak their languages, keep their heritage, and want their kids to follow their traditions and culture. They want their generations to speak their languages because language is "not only a means of communication, but a link that connects people with their past and grounds their social, emotional and spiritual vitality".
Before the European intrusion, the Aboriginal people lived in a reciprocal relationship with nature. They had a different kind of relationships with flora and fauna. Most of the many groups were hunters and gatherers who were nomads that followed the seasons and the cycles of the game. Some of them were fishers and some of them were involved in pursuing horticulture.The Aboriginals were not given the rights they deserved for more than 400 years. They were treated as uncivilized and their kids were forcefully taken away from them to put them in Christian schools to make them civilized. They were strangers in their own land. They were considered worthless and their languages and their lifestyles were considered unfit. For about 100 years, the Government of Canada is trying to compensate for these losses. There are many treaties that came in place to try to help the First Nations People. Due to laws and policies that encouraged and sometimes required Aboriginals to assimilate into a eurocentric society; Canada is alleged to be in violation of the United Nations Genocide Convention that Canada signed in 1949 and passed through parliament in 1952. Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued an apology on behalf of the Canadian government and its citizens for the residential school system.
There are many reasons for treaty negotiations all over Canada. The very first treaties were signed between Aboriginals and Europeans, when the Europeans began to settle in North America. The reasons for treaty negotiations in British Columbia generally fall into three categories: moral; economic; and constitutional and legal. These issues mostly include the quality of life for Aboriginal peoples, which is well below that of other British Columbians. The Aboriginals die earlier, have poorer health, have lower education, have lower employment and income levels as compared to other British Columbians. As a result of these reasons, the Nisga’s treaty was signed between the First Nations, the Government of British Columbia, and the Government of Canada on April 13, 2000. The Nisga'a Treaty is the first modern-day treaty in B.C. and is the fourteenth modern treaty in Canada to be negotiated since 1976. The Nisga's Treaty is consistent with Canada's supreme law, The Constitution Act, 1982. In 1982, The Constitution Act was changed so that the existing Aboriginal rights were affirmed and recognized. The Aboriginal rights were not created or changed, but just "recognized and affirmed" existing Aboriginal rights and treaty rights. Aboriginal rights and treaty rights are different and are not clearly defined, and must be established through the courts on a case-by-case basis.
Since 1996, June 21 is an official day of celebrations for the Aboriginal people.
The Government of B.C is trying to build a new relationship with First Nations based on the principles of mutual respect, recognition and reconciliation with the help of treaty-making. Treaties will clearly define the rights and responsibilities of all parties in the negotiations. Treaties will also lead to greater self-reliance for First Nation communities, and help to close the social and economic gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal British Columbians.INAC (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada), one of the federal government departments, supports Aboriginal people to improve social well-being and economic prosperity; develop healthier, more sustainable communities; and participate more fully in Canada's political, social and economic development - to the benefit of all Canadians. The Government of Canada is committed to make sure that the Aboriginal people enjoy the same education and employment opportunities as other Canadians. INAC has the primary responsibility for education for First Nations people.
After all the hard times and humiliations they have to go through, the First Nations people are getting the recognition and equality of their Aboriginal rights. They are now considered as human beings who are given equal health, education and employment opportunities. But there are many areas that still need to be addressed. They are the only History of Canada that needs to be protected. I think no apologies are enough to compensate for what they went through.
References:
http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ap/fn/index-eng.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aboriginal_peoples_in_Canada
http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census01/Products/Analytic/companion/abor/canada.cfm
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-589-x/4067801-eng.htm
J.M. Bumsted: A History of the Canadian Peoples
http://www.gov.bc.ca/arr/treaty/negotiating/why.html
http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ai/mr/is/nit-eng.asp
http://www.gov.bc.ca/arr/treaty/faq.html
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ReplyDeleteThe intersting things i found was:They had a different kind of relationships and most of the many groups were hunters and gatherers who were nomads that followed the seasons and the cycles of the game. Some of them were fishers and some of them were involved in pursuing horticulture.Then back to now, Government has made an enormous impact on the lifestyle of Aboriginal people.No more hunter and gathers or fisher. Some of them might not totaly go through the modern but for most of them were live differens than before which is good to konw of indigenous people. And then, many reason of treaty negotiations between Aboriginal and government are also importent points. It shows what kind of indigenous efforts in exchange for a treaty today's achievements.
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