Exploring Native Territories in Canada

Why do you think we are studying Native Territories? How are Native Territories important to us as citizens?

When you explore a new culture, it is important to be aware of your perspective. Having a certain perspective affects the way that you understand another culture. d_men_elephant.html What is the moral of this story?

Another word for perspective could be “lens.” When you’re discovering a new culture, it is important to ask yourself what lens you’re looking through. There are two main lenses that you can use when you’re discovering a different culture: ethnocentrism, and cultural relativism.

Let’s break it down! 1- “Ethno” comes from ethnic, or ethnicity. 2- “-centrism” comes from center. What could ethnocentrism mean?

Definition: Judging another culture based on the values of your culture.

Let’s break it down! 1- Cultural comes from culture. 2-Relativism comes from relative. What could cultural relativism mean?

Definition: Trying to understand how a culture works without judging it. Understanding that different cultures have different values, and being okay with that.

Are you judging, or are you trying to understand? Understanding says, “We can be okay together.” Judging says, “I am better than you.” What do you think is the best attitude to have when you are discovering a new culture? Why?

Vocabulary:  Amerindians  Indigenous  Aborigines/Aboriginals

We can’t be sure, but we can use clues to make theories. One theory that is widely accepted is that Asian people crossed over to America on ice covering the Bering Strait.

1. Arctic 2. Subarctic 3. Northwest Coast 4. Plateau 5. Plains 6. Eastern Woodlands Why are these cultural areas important to Amerindians?

Native peoples in Canada are called Amerindians. Amerindians can be divided into three groups: 1. First Nations 2. Inuit 3. Métis

There are many different tribes of First Nations Amerindians. These tribes have different life-styles. The Algonquian First Nations Amerindians are nomadic (they live in tents and move all the time). Why do you think the Algonquian move? Another example of a First Nations tribe is the Iroquois. The Iroquois are sedentary.

Given that the Iroquois are sedentary, where do you think they get their food from? Have you ever heard of the term The Three Sisters? What does it refer to?

Today, there are over 630 different bands across Canada. A band is a group of Amerindians that has its own government system. The total population of First Nations in Canada is presently about people.

Did you know that a lot of First Nations reserves, like Kahnawake on the South Shore of Montreal, do not have street names or addresses? Some restaurants in cities around Kahnawake that deliver food will not hire drivers who are not familiar with the reserve! Why do you think some reserves don’t have addresses?

Inuit are Amerindians who live in the Arctic. Eskimo was another word that was used for Inuit, but is now considered derogatory (offensive, insulting). Some Native Peoples in the Arctic do not identify with the name Inuit and prefer to be called by their tribal names (i.e. Inupiaq or Yupik) because Inuit is a language, and they do not speak Inuit.

Today, Inuit no longer live in igloos! They live in houses. However, it is very difficult to maintain houses in the harsh arctic environment and many houses are sheltering too many people.

A Métis is a person who has a mixed Amerindian and European ancestry. When early European settlers began to have children with Amerindians, the child was known as Métis. Louis Riel was a famous Métis. He was the founder of the province of Manitoba. He was a spiritual and political leader to his people. Louis Riel

Today, many people who identify as Métis have only very distant relatives (i.e. a great-great-grandmother) who were Amerindian. It is estimated that 50% of the population in Western Canada have Amerindian ancestors. There is no legal definition of Métis. It is more a matter of self-identity. Fun Fact: Just this month, Winnipeg voted in a Métis mayor! His name is Brian Bowman.