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
This discovery was made by the Scandinavian explorer Hans Egede, 300 years ago when he went out in search of the lost Greenland colonies. Although Hans was unsuccessful at finding the lost colonies he did find the local Inuit. He recorded in his ship’s log his interaction with them. The ship’s log tells many oral stories from the Inuit people claiming that their Thule ancestors fought the Norse Vikings for their iron and ultimately killed them off. Hans Egede ship’s log also confirms that the Thule were great survivors and warriors, whilst being directly related to the modern day Inuit. Niobe Thompson concludes that the Thule odyssey ended in Greenland right when the Inuit odyssey began. Even though the Thule journey ended their traditions and ways of survival are still used in Inuit communities
In Whapmagoostui, “accidental and suicidal deaths, drug and alcohol related illnesses, infectious diseases, and chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus and cancer are all found- sometimes in disproportionate number-in native communities across Canada” (14). By waamistikushiiu standards, such health conditions are deplorable; yet for the Cree, these ailments readily signify a deeper, perpetual ache of land and culture. For centuries, influences of waamistikushiiu culture have altered Cree living. Devastating fur trades, land usurpation, mercury poisoning in fish and waterways, and flooding damage are only a few of the casualties to Cree life in the whiteman’s pursuit of happiness. As “the only way to acquire [miyupimaatisiiun] strength is to eat Cree food, and the only way to get Cree food is by hunting,” the Cree are bound to defy whiteman devastation of their land and assert rights to survival on their own terms (94).
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
The Native American Ottawa tribe and culture of the tribe is eminently fascinating and beautiful. The Ottawa tribe has a great deal of history behind it. According to tolatsga.org, the Ottawa tribe first arrived on the east side of Lake Huron in 1400. The name “Ottawa” is originally spelled “Odawa” in their native language. The language that they speak is mostly English, but their native language is Ojibwa, which is related to Anishinaabe language. The tribe’s original homeland, according to bigorrin.org, is mostly in southern Ontario in Canada, which is where the name of “Ottawa” or “Odawa” came from, and Michigan. There are multiple Ottawa tribes, but there is one here in Manistee, Michigan, they are The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians. According to tolatsga.org, there are 2,750 Ottawa-Ojibwe members in Michigan, which is two-thirds ...
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 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.
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 unit readings argue that anthropologists insist that global flows also partake in affecting local practices. The beliefs and customs of the Inuit are accounted for their interaction with the environment, but these factors also interrelate with neighbouring societies, global capitalism, and international NGOs, as Martha of the North describes. The Inuit were used by the Canadian government in a form of racism and cruelty. To affirm sovereignty in the vast arctic land, Canada had to have permanent residences residing within these territories. They had created a façade that they were providing the Inuit with the opportunity of a better life when in reality, they did not care about them at all. The government had less than honest intentions. What the people who represented the nation did to the relocation of the Inuit is unacceptable and its effect can be explained through holism but also goes beyond the concept on an international scale. Global practices influenced the local practices of the Inuit in the High Arctic. The government representatives of Canada at that time did not value the lives of these people and only cared about their own
“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
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
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.
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.
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