ANTH 436 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Constitution Act, 1867, Joseph Boyden, Indian Act
23 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
ANTH 436
Seminar #1
January 11, 2018
Aboriginal Rights and Relations
what is a right?
● something you are entitled to
● pillar of social relations
● what is owed to you, for what reasons?
○ function of the collective social dynamic (as opposed to personal) -- a collectivity that benefits
from things that were done in the past
what does it mean to be indigenous?
● self identification is not sufficient -- must be paired with acceptance of community
○ the Joseph Boyden case
settler responsibility/guilt
● erasure of history -- convenient way to lose sight of responsibility
○ “that’s history, it’s in the past” or “we did some terrible things, sorry”
● how much does/can an apology mean?
“we are all treaty people” -- all non-indigenous North Americans are treaty people (not necessarily all
indigenous peoples)
three stages of relationship between colonizers and First Nations
1. Contact to Cooperation (contact to 1812)
a. acknowledgement of mutual sovereignty -- early British and French settlements
i. peace and friendship treaties
ii. military cooperation
b. cession of New France to Britain in 1763, aboriginals
i. recognized as autonomous sovereigns capable of making treaties
ii. entitled to their territories, unless they had been voluntarily surrendered to the crown
c. War of 1812 -- last time European powers needed indigenous allies in war
2. Displacement and assimilation 1763-1970
a. Royal Proclamation of 1763: end of competition between French and English
i. acknowledgement of indigenous nations, but nonetheless the British head of state could
only determine so
ii. Americans could not settle beyond the Appalachian mountain range (a stimulus for the
American Revolution)
b. 1763-1812: three major changes
i. dramatic increase in non-Aboriginal population, increase in demand for land
1. urbanization = development of Canadian economy
ii. shift in economic activity
iii. conclusion of struggles between colonizing powers ended need for military alliances with
tribes
c. British North America Act 1867: exclusive authority given to federal parliament to legislate for
Indians and lands reserved for Indians
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
What is owed to you, for what reasons? what does it mean to be indigenous? function of the collective social dynamic (as opposed to personal) -- a collectivity that benefits from things that were done in the past. Self identification is not sufficient -- must be paired with acceptance of community the joseph boyden case settler responsibility/guilt. Erasure of history -- convenient way to lose sight of responsibility. That"s history, it"s in the past or we did some terrible things, sorry . Americans could not settle beyond the appalachian mountain range (a stimulus for the. Indians and lands reserved for indians: indian act 1876: provinces retained power to enact laws of general application which did not conflict with federal laws and treaties, treaty making. Indian acts: mechanism to dominate, isolate, assimilate aboriginal peoples and their culture introduced indian band governance on reserves. *if indian status is taken away, they will have less than what they already have so.
