Lecture 8 Readings

Question 1

federally created political spaces for Indigenous people

Answer 1

Canada has created political spaces that facilitate the rights of Indigenous peoples but these spaces are limited, inadequate, and flawed

Question 2

root of Canadian political processes

Answer 2

Political processes in Canada are rooted in European and North American settler notions of Indigeneity

Question 3

Mi’kmaq Rights Initiative (MRI)

Answer 3

an initiative that aims to reroot governance to Indigenous culture by creating just treaty implementation, governance, and shared social and economic development in Nova Scotia

Question 4

jurisdiction of the MRI

Answer 4

• Unique to Canada
• This applies only to Nova Scotia

Question 5

politics in Indigenous cultures

Answer 5

Indigenous cultures are inherently political and marked by flexibility

Question 6

Indigenous people in contemporary politics

Answer 6

Indigenous people remain marginalized by political processes and structures in Canada

Question 7

implementation of the Indian Act

Answer 7

In 1927, the Indian Act governed every aspect of the lives of Status Indians, preventing them from forming political organizations

Question 8

Indigenous leaders’ role in constitutional talks

Answer 8

First Nations leaders were excluded from constitutional talks in Canada until the First Ministers Conference on Aboriginal Rights from 1983 to 1987

Question 9

activism of Indigenous communities

Answer 9

Many Indigenous communities are calling to return to Indigenous values which have no longer shaped their governance

Question 10

Hanrahan on eurocentrism

Answer 10

it is politically useful to use the Eurocentric words of one era to counteract the Eurocentric views of the current area

Question 11

impact of colonialism on the Mi’kmaq

Answer 11

• The Mi’kmaq were among the first Indigenous North Americans to encounter and interact with Europeans
• The Mi’kmaq endured many horrific consequences of colonialism, including the fatal introduction of foreign diseases, the destruction of their ancient economy and governance systems, the imposition of the reserve system, and more

Question 12

prevealence of the Mi’kmaq

Answer 12

In 1761, Mi’kmaq made up 30-35% of the population of Nova Scotia and in 1996, they made up just 1.19%

Question 13

indirect impacts of colonialism on the Mi’kmaq

Answer 13

The Mi’kmaq were also affected by changes that were not directed at them, but greatly affected them, such as technological change, the increased dominance of the English language, and more

Question 14

interpretation of treaties

Answer 14

Treaties were left up to British interpretation, which privileged the British and marginalized the Mi’kmaq

Question 15

Hanrahan on Indigenous sovereignity and governance

Answer 15

“It might be more useful to view Indigenous sovereignty and governance as rooted but permanently elastic”

Question 16

Mi’kmaq values include:

Answer 16

• autonomy
• consensus
• balance
• harmony
• respect
• sharing
• generosity
• inclusion
• reciprocity
• the priority of the collective over the individual

Question 17

culture and resistance

Answer 17

Culture is a vital resistance strategy

Question 18

flexibility of Indigenous cultures

Answer 18

• Indigenous cultures are highly flexible
• Ex. the Apache ingenious adapted to the introduction of livestock in the 1600s and 1700s

Question 19

interpretation of historical records

Answer 19

The Canadian government views historical records as legitimate, but these records cannot explain what Europeans could not understand and do not even know exists

Question 20

Mi’kmaq governance structures

Answer 20

were egalitarian and democratic

Question 21

governance of more complex Indigenous societies

Answer 21

had a greater ability to exercise governmental authority over their people and extend this to other people

Question 22

is the the Mi’kmaq a complex Indigenous society?

Answer 22

yes

Question 23

organization of Mi’kmaq villages

Answer 23

stratified into 3 classes

Question 24

3 classes of Mi’kmaq villages

Answer 24

• Chiefs
• Commoners
• Slaves/war captives

Question 25

basic social unit of the Mi’kmaq

Answer 25

the residential kin group, which was led by a chief

Question 26

kin group size of the Mi’kmaq

Answer 26

varied between 30-300 participants

Question 27

patriarchy in the Mi’kmaq

Answer 27

The Mi’kmaq were patriarchal and the Chiefs were always male

Question 28

Mi’kmaq chiefs

Answer 28

• Chiefs held their position largely through consensus and consultation
• This was usually the result of kinship affiliations and superior abilities
• Mi’kmaq Chiefs had to be confident, competent and intelligent
• The Chief’s presence and behaviour set the tone for events
• Chiefs were responsible for the maintenance of the Mi’kmaq economy and the allocation of resources
• Mi’kmaq Chiefs used a cooperative system to ensure that all material needs were addressed

Question 29

why is reclaiming Indigenous values challenging?

Answer 29

The dominance of Candian values and political context

Question 30

function of Indigenous stories and cultural expressions

Answer 30

they are useful sources of knowledge for the reclamation project

Question 31

contemporary Indigenous sovereignty

Answer 31

Indigenous sovereignty is often a shadow of its former self due to the continuing power imbalance between Indigenous governments and the Canadian state

Question 32

land claims and sovereignity

Answer 32

Land claims are a hope for Indigenous sovereignty

Question 33

governance and nationhood

Answer 33

Governance is arguably the most important issue in the development of Mi’kmaq nationhood in Nova Scotia

Question 34

The five pillars of Mi’kmaq values:

Answer 34

• To achieve recognition, acceptance, implementation, and protection of treaty title, and other rights
• To develop systems of Mi’kmaq governance and resource management
• To revive, promote, and protect a healthy Mi’kmaq identity
• To obtain the basis for a shared economy and social development
• To negotiate toward these goals with community involvement and support

Question 35

The twofold vision of Mi’kmaq governance:

Answer 35

• Enhanced governance for the Mi’kmaq
• A venue to showcase Mi’kmaq culture and arts to residents and visitors

Question 36

the Indian Act and sexism

Answer 36

• The struggles of Indigenous women were exacerbated by the Indian Act of 1868
• The act was rooted in both colonial and sexist ideologies

Question 37

1876 amendment of the Indian Act

Answer 37

• The Act was amended in 1876 to establish patrilineality as a criterion for determining Indian status
• This led status Indian men to an expectation of entitlement in band government and property rights over Indian women irrespective of their status

Question 38

1985 amendment of the Indian Act

Answer 38

• In 1983 and 1985, several different Indian women’s constituencies and their allies secured legislative amendments that partly reversed the 1876 criterion
• These groups were demonized as proponents of excessive individualism and feminism

Question 39

The Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Answer 39

The Indian Act commissioned the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND) to oversee band government operations and remove band officials if they felt they had demonstrated that they were not qualified to carry out their duties (i.e. acted ‘unchristian’)

Question 40

status and the Indian Act

Answer 40

Under the Indian Act, status men could never lose status but status women would lose their status if they married a non-status man or if they got divorced

Question 41

the Indian Act and assimilation

Answer 41

• The Indian Act was designed with the explicit intent of assimilating Indigenous people into Canadian society
• It was based on the assumption that Indigenous governance, beliefs, and gender roles were irrelevant and invalid

Question 42

the Indian Act and the devaluation of Indigenous women

Answer 42

• The Indian Act’s provisions for status represented and perpetuated a long process of the social devaluation of Indian women
• The adoption of this sexism was highly disconnected from Indigenous culture, which is largely matrilineal

Question 43

result of the Indian Act on Indigenous women

Answer 43

The Indian Act led status Indian men to feel entitled to privileges

Question 44

violence against Indigenous women

Answer 44

• There has been a systematic escalation of violence against Indigenous women
• 60% of Indigenous women have experienced sexual violence
• Indigenous women between the ages of 25 and 44 are 5 times more likely than all other women of the same age to die as the result of violence