“We’ll all have a good sleep tonight. Tomorrow we’ll be going to the general store to trade in our berries. I hope Mom buys bananas and tomorrow is Wednesday, the day the way freight comes to unload groceries for the general store. I lay on the grass with my eyes closed, smelling the earth and wildflowers beside me.”
Older natives (and younger ones) knew that their children no longer valued the old ways. Consider this passage from We, the Inuit are Changing by Martin Martin;
“Our forefather’s ancestors . . . taught our fathers how to share any kill made amongst their people. So my father taught me to share my kill as it was the traditional way. When I was a young man every time I went hunting and came back successful I invited the poor, the less fortunate and the old Inuit to share in my kill . . . Our Creator had blessed me and I had carried on this blessing by sharing . . . It is sad how this tradition is being forgotten. Young people now keep their kill to themselves. . . . I am aware that this tradition is no longer practiced. I hope this will be written down so that our children can be made aware of what used to take place.”
The impact one culture had on another is chilling when you realize that many Natives feel distaste and disgust about their heritage. Consider this passage from April Raintree, by Beatrice Culleton;
“I wasn’t really thinking about anything when I noticed my arms and hands. They were tanned a deep, golden brown. A lot of pure white people tanned just like this. Poor Cheryl. She would never be able to disguise her brown skin as just a tan. People would always know that she was part Indian.”
Nevertheless, there is some sense of renewed hope that the old traditions and culture will survive, albeit in some fragmented manner. Here is an example of modern native folklore as from a passage in The One About Coyote by Thomas King;
“She goes North, and their is nothing. She goes to the South, and there is nothing there, either. She goes to the east, and still there is nothing there. She goes to the west and there is a pile of snow tires. . . some televisions. . . vacuum cleaners. . . a bunch of pastel sheets . . . a humidifier. And there is a big mistake sitting on a portable gas barbeque reading a book. Big book. Department store catalogue.”
The conclusion of the Coyote contains the moral of the story;
“But what happens to Coyote, says Coyote. That wonderful one is still flat. Some of these stories are flat, I says. That’s what happens when you try to fix the world. The world is a pretty good place all by itself. Best to leave it alone and stop messing around with it. . . And I can’t talk anymore because I got to watch the sky. Got to watch out for falling things that land in piles. When that Coyote’s wandering around looking to fix things, nobody in this world is safe.”
Conclusion:
Euro-Canadian literature brandishes the land as inhospitable and a vast expanse of land in dire need of taming. Native writings reflect a deep respect for the natural world they called home. Europeans were ethnocentric and had a mission to Christianize the world (Frideres 1993; p 9)
Endnotes:
Frideres: James Frideres elequently sums up exactly what the situation with the Indian Acts is in his book Native Peoples in canada: Contemporary Conflict: the first Indian Act after Canadian Confederation, was passed in 1876. It was first revised in 1880, and received minor alterations in 1884 and 1885. For the next 65 years, the Act underwent minor changes. However, in 195, the Act underwent a major revision which left it essentially in its present form. Interestingly enough, the 1880 version of the Act and the present one are remarkably similar, indicating that Indian affairs has not undergone any major ideological shifts in the past one hundred years of dealing with the Native population. For a more detailed description see Frideres chapter on the … in Native Peoles in Canada. (Frideres:1993; p19)
Shadd: Adrian Shadd provides a difference reference point for those who think the natives were the only people to face systematic racism by the Canadian white majority. She unerths the theory that racism is an instituion in Canada is not restricted to colonial periods or outlets.
Innes: Harold Innis, one of Canada’s most celebrated economists, conceived the Staples Theory. This theory maintained that Canada was built on an exceedingly, explotive tradition of abusing the natural resources until they ran out and then finding a new “staple” product to pillage. With the advancement of each new staple product, there was an ensuing growth in the population.
Hedley: Max Hedley’s “Native Peoples in Canada” takes a broad look at the native Canaians history. He draws a distinction between the “them” and “us” mentality. It also provides a dismal portrait of what should be by now, the shamed-faced European settler.
Careless: Provides an alternative view on the Fredrick Turner’s “frontier thesis”, which states, specificaly, America, and more liberally, North America, is founded from “metropolitanism” instead. While the frontier thesis held environmental determinism as the shaper of this continent, metropolitinism said the big urban centres were what controled the destiny of the colonies and their people.
Van Kirk: Van Kirk provides an interesting account of the investment and contribution native women represent to Canada. However, her essay, “Women in Between: Indian Women in Fur Trade society in Western Canada,” follows with the theme that the natives were severely abused at the hands of the savage new Canadians.
Currie: For an enriching perspective on the residential school experience, see Vickie English- Currie’s disturbing essay. Currie devotes herself to presenting an accurate and truthful view of the vicious indignities little children and their parents suffered because the were native. She assess and remarks on the educational system that she attended and which, in other words, was nothing more than an internment camp for wayward Indians and an excuse to beat torture small children for the slightest infration.
Erasmus: George Erasmus’ essay “Twenty Years of Disappointed Hopes” is an account of the modern Canadian natives struggle for self government. Erasmus contends there could be dire consequences, no matter what transpires, between those who are in power and those who seek to be in power: the Canadian Native and the Canadian.
Duchemin: Parker Duchemin recounts the sordid tail of the native Canadian’s horific experiences, with even more gruesome examples, than usually expressed. He describes the history of how the stereotype of the native evolved and says the justification was for the massive land tract available. Duchemin attempts to extinguish the myths and fallacies that have been kicking around for the last one hundred years, or so.
Lehmann & Myers: By no means are Christianity or native beliefs the only two religions available for scrutiny. For a reasonably unbiased view of some of the more prominent and persecuted religions in the world examine “Magic, Witchcraft and Religion.” It provides, using many authors, most of whom are speciaalists in a realted field, introductions into subjects we don’t often think about – except on Halloween!
1) John L. Tobias, “Protection, Civilisation, Assimilation: An Outline History of Canada’s Indian Policy” Sweet Promises: A Reader on Indian – White Relations, J.R. Miller ed., University of Toronto Press; 1992, pp127-144.
Parker Duchemin, “Stealing History” in Briarpatch, October 1988, pp 17-21
Adrian Shadd, “Institutionalized Racism and Canadian History: Notes of a Black Canadian” Seeing Ourselves: Exploring Race, Ethnicity and Culture, Carl E. James ed., Oakville, Ontario: Sheridian College, 1989, pp151-155.
James S. Frideres, “Native Peoples in Canada: Contemporary Conflicts”Scarborough, Ontario, 1993, 2-22 and 66-69.
Vic Satzewich and Terry Wotherspoon, “First Nations: Race, Class and Gender Relations” Scarborough, Ontario, 1993.
Kenneth Pryke and Walter Soderlund, Profiles of Canada, Mississauga, Ontario, 1992
Max J. Hedley, “Native Peoples in Canada” Profiles of Canada,Kenneth Pryke and Walter Soderlund
ed., Mississauga, Ontario, 1992; pp 73-96.
Kenneth G. Pryke, “A Profile of Canadian History” Profiles of Canada,Kenneth Pryke and Walter Soderlund ed., Mississauga, Ontario, 1992; pp 36-57.
David Taras, B. Rasporich and Eli Mandel, eds., A Passion for Identity: An Introduction to Canadian Studies, Taras, et al, Scarborough, Ontario; 1993
Harold Innis, conclusion from “The Fur Trade”A Passion for Identity: An Introduction to Canadian Studies, Taras, et al, 2nd ed., Scarborough, Ontario; 1993
J.M.S. Careless, “Frontierism, Metropolitanism and Canadian History” A Passion for Identity: An Introduction to Canadian Studies, Taras, et al, Scarborough, Ontario; 1993
Vickie English-Currie, “The Need For Re-evaluation in Native Education,” A Passion for Identity: An Introduction to Canadian Studies, Taras, et al, Scarborough, Ontario; 1993 pp 110-119
George Erasmus, “Twenty Years of Disappointed Hopes” A Passion for Identity: An Introduction to Canadian Studies, Taras, et al, Scarborough, Ontario; 1993 pp 120-138
Joane Cardinal-Schubert, “Near the Ledge, Writing on the Stone” A Passion for Identity: An Introduction to Canadian Studies, Taras, et al, Scarborough, Ontario; 1993 p 110
Sylvia Van Kirk, “Women in Between: Indian Women in Fur Trade Society in Western Canada.”A Passion for Identity: An Introduction to Canadian Studies, Taras, et al, Scarborough, Ontario; 1993
Donald G. Kaufman and Cecilia M. Franz, “Biosphere 2000: Protecting Our Global Environment” New York, New York, 1993.
Daniel Moses & Terry Goldie, “An Anthology of Canadian Native Liiterature” Don Mills, Ontario
1992.
Aua, ?To Cure Sickness Among Neighbors.” Moses et al., p
Aua, “To Stop Bleeding.” Moses et al., p
Nakasuk, “To Heal Wounds.” Moses et al., p
George Copway, “The Life of Kah-Ge-Ga-Gah-Bowh.” Moses et al., p
Maria Campbell, “Halfbreed.” Moses et al., p
Jeannette C. Armstrong, “The Disempowerment of First North American Native Peoples and Empowerment Through Their Writing.” Moses et al., p
Beatrice Culleton, “April Raintree.” Moses et al., p
Ruby Slipperjack, “Blueberry Days.” Moses et al., p
Thomas King, “The One About Coyote.” Moses et al., p
Martin Martin, “We, the Inuit are Changing.” Moses et al.,
Russelll Brown, Donna Bennett & Nathalie Cooke, “An Anthology of Canadian Literature in English,” revised & abridged ed., Don Mills, Ontario 1990.
Anne B. Jameson, “Winter Studies and Summer Rambles.” Brown et al., p
Oliver Goldsmith, “The Rising Village.” Brown et al., p
Frances Brooke, “The History of Emily Montague.” Brown et al., p
David Thompson, “Narrative of His Explorations in Western North America 1784-1812; Chapter VI,
Life Among the Nahathawaya.” Brown et al., p
Alexander Morris, as quoted from,
Joane Cardinal-Schubert, “Near the Ledge, Writing on the Stone.”