American Indian Quarterly, vol. 16, no. 3, Summer, 1992, pp. 361-372
Description
Author explores the tropes of exoticism contained in Fergusson’s novel Dancing Gods, situates Fergusson’s writing within the genre, and relates it to similar works by other writers within the genre.
American Indian Culture and Research Journal, vol. 20, no. 3, Special Issue on The Shadow Catcher: The Uses of Native American Photography, 1996, pp. 111-128
Description
Looks at the Western image of the Native American as determined by photographs.
Examines the domains of science and policy in the context of Aboriginal issues and how film representations of Aboriginal people are linked to media portrayals.
American Indian Culture and Research Journal, vol. 16, no. 1, 1992, pp. 119-136
Description
Article discusses the influence of state ideology on social thought as it applies to the coverage of American Indian topics in the Soviet press and in Indian Studies.
Cultural Anthropology, vol. 11, no. 4, November 1996, pp. 547-576
Description
Investigates the deconstruction of Native American identity, bloodlines, racism, and stereotypes by examining the works of Native American visual artists and authors.
American Indian Quarterly, vol. 20, no. 1, Writing about (Writing about) American Indians, Winter, 1996, pp. 49-55
Description
Author criticizes the ways that History scholars portray Indigenous peoples in their writings with a particular focus on Richard White’s The Middle Ground: Indians, Empires, and Republics in the Great Lakes Region, 1650-1815.
American Indian Culture and Research Journal, vol. 20, no. 4, 1996, pp. 91-119
Description
Deals with problems of identity, especially as a construct imposed upon indigenous peoples. Also examines the identity threshold experience in Silko and Momaday's works.
American Indian Quarterly, vol. 16, no. 1, Winter, 1992, pp. 53-61
Description
Author works to articulate a strategy for the introduction and study of Indigenous text in the post-secondary classroom. Focuses on identifying a text as an “Indigenous text,” diversity of authors, cultural elements of the texts.
American Indian Quarterly, vol. 20, no. 1, Writing about (Writing about) American Indians, Winter, 1996, pp. 41-47
Description
Article examines, compares, and critiques different stereotypes of Indigenous peoples that were promoted by social scientists and the tourism and film industries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
American Indian Culture and Research Journal, vol. 20, no. 3, Special Issue on The Shadow Catcher: The Uses of Native American Photography, 1996, pp. 65-81
Description
Paper argues that the Navajo never had much, if any, input into their image presentation within photography and discusses the implications of this lack of input.
American Indian Culture and Research Journal, vol. 20, no. 3, Special Issue on The Shadow Catcher: The Uses of Native American Photography, 1996, pp. 93-110
Description
Discusses the duel challenge of photographing Zuni religious ceremonies and how old photos now pose a new set of challenges to museums and archives, namely accessibility, privacy, and artist/owner rights.
Pocahontas' Granddaughters Spiritual Transition and Tradition of Carrier Women of British Columbia
Articles » Scholarly, peer reviewed
Author/Creator
Jo-Anne Fiske
Ethnohistory, vol. 43, no. 4, Native American Womens Response to Christianity, Fall, 1996, pp. 663-681
Description
Explores differences between romanticized portrayals and the reality of colonized First Nations' women in relation to morality, spirituality and sexuality.
Gender & History, vol. 8, no. 1, April 1996, pp. 4-21
Description
Looks at how British culture affected the portrayal of Aboriginal hunters, specifically the buffalo hunters as brave and manly compared to the fishing tribes as being indolent and improvident.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - Transcriptions of Public Hearings and Round Table Discussions
Documents & Presentations
Author/Creator
Charles Joseph Bernard
Description
File contains a presentation by Charles Joseph Bernard, Jr. of the Whycocomagh First Nation. Bernard was a sitting member of the Nova Scotia Working Committee on the Constitution. He discusses the relationship of his people with the Government of Canada including the Sylliboy case, residential schools, Treaties, the Donald Marshall case, his thoughts on the Royal Commission, some of the problems facing Aboriginal youth today, the justice system, racism, self-governance, culture, government funding, and other issues pertaining to Aboriginal people in Canada.
RCAP 23 contains files from the sitting of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples at The Long House, Teslin, Yukon. This sitting of the Commission contains presentations by on a variety of subjects such as land claims and self-government, Inuit health care, and the impact of residential schools. Each submission can be viewed individually on this site.
RCAP 51 contains files from the sitting of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples at the Delta Bessborough Hotel, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. This sitting of the Commission contains presentations relating to education, land claims, self-government, racism and discrimination, and Metis and women's issues. Each presentation can be viewed individually on this site.
File contains an individual presentation by Alain Vachon relating to Aboriginal people in the construction industry and the problems they encounter. He states that in his experience, Aboriginals may be passed over for a project in their own community and non-Aboriginal workers may only be hired. He also expresses frustration with earning a lower wage than a non-Aboriginal worker may earn, and says that female construction workers also face discrimination. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains an individual presentation by Alice Sabourin who is completing her Master's degree in social work. She relates problems she has experienced with discrimination within the educational community, both as an Aboriginal person and as a woman. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains an individual presentation by John Hart relating to existing affirmative action programs, particularly the Saskatchewan program and the federal program. The goal of affirmative action is to bring Aboriginal people into the workforce equivalent to the numbers in the total population. Hart concludes his presentation by saying affirmative action in Saskatchewan and Canada is not working and calls on the Commission to help make employers aware of it. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains an individual presentation by Lyla Andrew, a non-Aboriginal woman raised in Toronto and a resident of Sheshatsiu for 15 years. She acknowledged in her an unconscious discrimination toward Innu people and the Innu would be better served if they "would aspire to be more like me." Andrew shares stories of her experience living among the Innu and calls on the Commission to have the Canadian government "recognize the value in their growth and development as a separate and distinct culture." Following the presentation are brief remarks by Rene Dussault, Co-Chair.
File contains an individual presentation by Nellie Carlson, founder of the Aboriginal women's group 'Indian Rights for Indian Women' in the early 1970s. She reads a letter from 30 April 1992 that was sent to Prime Minister Brian Mulroney outlining concerns with land claims and discrimination relating to Aboriginal women, and with the overall negative effects of Bill C-31 on Aboriginal women. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with the Commissioners.
File contains an individual presentation by Rodney Louie, who comes from the Lillooet, British Columbia area where a tribal police force is being formed. He sees policing of Aboriginal communities as being more productive and proactive when done by tribal police, rather than having the RCMP "reacting, then dealing with something after it has happened." Following the presentation is a discussion with Louie and past presenters Leonie Rivers, Robert Michel and Jill Harris and the Commissioners.
File contains a presentation by Roy Louis that initially states that the Commission lacks a Treaty Commissioner so he is already skeptical of the findings of the Commission. His presentation covers a number of issues such as joint ventures and economic development, tourism, forestry, agriculture, and racism. Following the presentation is a question-and-answer session with Commissioner Allan Blakeney.
File contains remarks and a presentation by Norman Evans, President, Pacific Metis Federation. Evans discusses Aboriginal history pre-contact and how the Metis became "Canada's forgotten people." He shares his frustration in dealing with the Canadian government and as a veteran of many Aboriginal organizations, he hopes this Royal Commission will fulfill its mandate to help make the lives of Aboriginals better. Following the presentation is a discussion with the Commissioners.
File contains a presentation by Aboriginal Students from Algonquin College. The students voice a variety of concerns related to education, race relations, grass roots politics, cultural revival, the justice system, history curricula, drug and alcohol abuse, health service facilities, and assimilation. Following the presentation the assembled Commissioners discuss the students concerns with them.
File contains a presentation by Alicia Vance, Jody Sydney, Kathy Alfred of the First Nations Management Program, Yukon College. Vance discusses improving leadership and unity in Aboriginal communities. Sydney discusses traditional culture and how the clan system is being used in Teslin, Yukon. Alfred discusses how education and programs can help solve social problems in Aboriginal communities. The assembled Commissioners discuss the ideas raised with the presenters.
File contains a presentation by Alma Brooks, a Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) woman. Brooks relates her life journey and involvement with both politics and the community at large in helping to heal her people's problems. She states that self-governance is an impossibility until her people are healed. Following her presentation is a discussion between her and Commissioners Dussault and Sillet on healing and politics respectively.
File contains a presentation by Barbara Russell, and Cheryl Mullens from Skookum Jim Campus. Russell discusses how and why she thinks the school system needs to be changed in the Yukon. Amongst the concerns she lists are racism and discrimination, the need for Aboriginal faculty, and the need for listening on the part of teachers to Aboriginal students. Mullens discusses the need to make the schools equal in terms of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal curriculum in fields such as history, the need for learning at ones own pace, and the need for more programs for pregnant teenagers.
Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples - Transcriptions of Public Hearings and Round Table Discussions
Documents & Presentations
Author/Creator
Bernard Arcand
Description
File contains a presentation by Bernard Arcand, Department of Anthropology, Laval University. Arcand argues that a cultural revolution is needed in non-Aboriginal Canada, and that non-Aboriginal Canadians need to be properly educated on Aboriginal culture. Arcand states this is will give non-Aboriginal culture egotistical as well as altruistic benefits. Following Arcand's presentation the Commissioners discuss his ideas with him.
File contains a presentation by Boyce Richardson, Author. Richardson discusses his own work with and among Aboriginal people over the preceding forty years, and the views he has developed in the process. Richardson specifically discusses his experiences with the Algonquin people of Barrier Lake, Quebec, as well as across the country and makes a recommendation to the Commission that it tell Canadians that "these days are over.
File contains a presentation by Brian Cook. Cook discusses the need to incorporate Aboriginal history into school curriculums, the importance of having a land base, the Indian Act, the lack of an economic base for the reserve system, and problems with the justice system. Much of Cook's presentation deals with systemic racism. Following the presentation is a discussion between Cook and the Commissioners on the issues he has raised.