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Question: How did colonialism affect Indigenous communities in Canada from 1750-1900 and how does it impact them today?

From 1750-1900 in Canada, the Indigenous peoples experienced colonialism through social, political and economic assimilation which still impact them today.

Social

• Indian Act
  • Ban on cultural activities (ie. Pow Wow, Sun Dance, Potlatch)
  • Loss of culture
• Residential schools
  • Lack of education (not enough qualified teachers, punishments)
  • PTSD, Language/culture loss, not enough knowledge to help kids
• Pass system
  • Prevent parents from visiting kids @ residential school
  • Kids lose connection with parents when they get home

Political

• Ethnocentrism
  • Indigenous ppl as either gentle or barbaric
    • Gentle: let us do the governing for you cuz it will mess you up
    • Barbaric: you're too bad for government, so we do it
  • Exclusion from government until the 1980s
• Doctrine of Discovery
  • Justify Christian colonial conquest
    • Indig: prove they own the land in order to live on
  • Canadian law can change b/c Vatican rescind
    • Indigenous ppl => don’t have to prove ownership of land if Canada does rescind
    • May get compensation for lost land (if rescinded)
• Status enfranchisement
  • Define how one is “absorbed” into Canadian society
  • Hard to get back today b/c status comes with land entitlement

Economic

• Fur trade
  • Economically disrupted b/c over killing bison & beaver
  • Disrupt traditional culture balance
• Can’t sell food outside of Rez
  • Can't make money otherwise
  • Poverty, lack infrastructure
• Land claims/Treaty
  • Assimilate => farming cuz only way of food
  • Dispute ab who owns land outside rez b/c matrilineal inheritance
  • gov’t has to go through band councils in order to build sm on land