Understanding Aboriginal Identity

Summary

The video explores the complexities of Aboriginal identity in Canada, addressing both cultural and legal perspectives. It highlights how colonial history, stereotypes, and laws like the Indian Act have shaped the way Aboriginal people are categorized and perceived. Through personal stories and historical context, the video emphasizes the resilience of Indigenous communities in preserving their language, culture, and pride. It also discusses the ongoing struggle to reclaim identity from imposed definitions, while showcasing the strength and renewal of Aboriginal identity through family, community, and self-determination.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Alexandra Lazarovich, a member of the Whitefish First Nation, reflects on her identity and the stereotypes surrounding Aboriginal people in Canada.
• 👥 Racist stereotypes about Aboriginal people often polarize them as noble or degraded, with negative perceptions creating dehumanization and dangerous consequences.
• 📜 Historical treaties, laws, and labels created by early settlers have influenced how Aboriginal identity is defined in Canada, including terms like Indian, Inuit, Métis, and First Nations.
• ⚖️ The Indian Act, passed in 1876, still controls the legal identity of Aboriginal people, creating legal categories like status Indian, non-status Indian, and Métis.
• 🧬 Aboriginal identity, once fluid and evolving within communities, has been heavily shaped by the state through imposed definitions, causing divisions and conflicts over resources.
• 📚 Residential schools, a tool of assimilation, caused deep psychological, physical, and sexual abuse for Aboriginal children, leaving a lasting impact on generations.
• 🌱 Despite historical trauma, many Aboriginal people maintain strong ties to their culture, language, and land, as seen in the Kikino Métis Settlement, which fosters pride and entrepreneurship.
• 🏹 Identity within Aboriginal communities is not based solely on race or blood quantum but involves cultural ties, language, and community connection.
• 💪 Aboriginal people today, especially youth, are reclaiming their identity by pushing back against colonial narratives and creating new stories for themselves.
• 🛤️ Alexandra concludes that Aboriginal identity is personal and unique, rooted in community, family, culture, and language rather than legal definitions.

Q & A

What stereotypes do Aboriginal people in Canada often face?

Aboriginal people often face stereotypes of being noble or degraded savages, alcoholics, or welfare dependents. These stereotypes can dehumanize them and contribute to dangerous practices against their communities.

How has the Indian Act affected Aboriginal identity in Canada?

The Indian Act created legal categories for Aboriginal people, determining who qualifies as 'Indian' and establishing control over their lives. It limited Aboriginal identities by imposing strict legal definitions and excluding many individuals who don't fit these criteria.

How did early interactions between European colonists and Aboriginal peoples shape the identity of Aboriginal communities?

Early European settlers created labels like 'Indians,' 'Eskimos,' and 'First Nations' to classify Aboriginal peoples. Over time, these labels became legal definitions that shaped how Aboriginal people were identified and treated under Canadian law.

What is the significance of community and cultural ties in Aboriginal identity?

Community and cultural ties are crucial to Aboriginal identity. Traditionally, Aboriginal nations defined their members through community relationships rather than race or blood quantum, allowing for the integration of people from different backgrounds.

How have colonial laws impacted Aboriginal communities' self-definition?

Colonial laws like the Indian Act imposed rigid definitions on Aboriginal communities, restricting their ability to define themselves based on their traditions. This external interference caused divisions and conflicts within Aboriginal communities.

What was the role of residential schools in the assimilation of Aboriginal children?

Residential schools were used to forcibly remove Aboriginal children from their families and strip them of their language and culture. Many children experienced severe physical, psychological, and sexual abuse in these schools, which created long-lasting trauma.

How does language play a role in preserving Aboriginal culture?

Language is a key element in preserving Aboriginal culture. Losing one's language often means losing connection to cultural practices and knowledge. Efforts to teach Aboriginal languages, such as in schools on settlements, help maintain cultural identity.

What is the significance of the Métis Sash in Métis identity?

The Métis Sash is a cultural symbol representing Métis heritage. It serves not only as an identifier but also as a functional tool, historically used by Métis people to carry belongings. Wearing the sash is a way for Métis individuals to connect with their heritage.

How do modern Aboriginal people navigate their identity in Canada?

Many modern Aboriginal people are reclaiming their cultural identities despite colonial legacies. Young Aboriginals are becoming more politically and legally aware, using social media and other tools to communicate and strengthen their communities.

What message does the speaker convey about Aboriginal identity at the end of the script?

The speaker emphasizes that Aboriginal identity is a personal journey shaped by vibrant communities, families, culture, and language, not by legal definitions. Aboriginal people must look to their heritage and connections to define themselves.

Outlines

00:00

🎤 Personal Story of Identity and Stereotypes

Alexandra Lazarovich shares her experiences growing up as an Aboriginal person in Canada, facing misconceptions and racial stereotypes. She reflects on how native people are often subjected to simplified and harmful perceptions, leading to dehumanization. The paragraph emphasizes how these stereotypes affect the lived experiences of Aboriginal people and contribute to feelings of exclusion and misunderstanding.

05:02

📜 Legal Definitions and Historical Labels

The paragraph explains the historical and legal frameworks that have defined Aboriginal identity in Canada. It outlines the various terms, like 'Indian,' 'Inuit,' and 'Métis,' used by the government, and how legal control over Aboriginal identity remains with the federal government. The Indian Act, passed in 1876, is highlighted as a significant piece of legislation that has imposed strict definitions and categories of Aboriginal identity, shaping the way individuals are recognized.

10:05

🏞 The Métis Community and Cultural Ties

A member of the Kikino Métis Settlement discusses the close connection between land, culture, and identity. The entrepreneurial spirit of the Métis people is showcased through the ownership of buffalo ranches and other ventures. The paragraph also touches on the absence of blood quantum in Métis identity, allowing for a broader definition of who belongs to the community. Personal stories of finding identity and overcoming struggles are shared, illustrating the resilience and pride within the Métis community.

15:05

👑 Family Heritage and Cultural Resilience

The narrator explores their family’s deep cultural roots, recalling the lessons of their mother and grandmother who instilled a strong sense of identity and pride in being Aboriginal. The significance of maintaining cultural traditions, language, and familial ties is emphasized, along with how these connections provide a sense of security and belonging. The paragraph also highlights the importance of retaining cultural practices like language preservation and community programs that foster cultural pride in younger generations.

20:08

🌎 The Future of Aboriginal Identity

This final paragraph focuses on the evolving nature of Aboriginal identity and the positive changes emerging from within the community. It acknowledges the impact of colonialism but emphasizes that Indigenous people are pushing back against these external definitions, reclaiming their narratives. The importance of social media and youth engagement in politics and law is highlighted, suggesting a promising future for Indigenous communities as they create new stories and take control of their identities. The narrator concludes that legal definitions cannot define Aboriginal identity, which is rooted in community, family, culture, and language.

Keywords

💡Aboriginal identity

Aboriginal identity refers to the unique sense of self and community that Aboriginal people in Canada maintain, which is shaped by their history, culture, and legal definitions. In the video, it emphasizes the tension between the personal, cultural understanding of identity and the rigid legal categories imposed by the Canadian government, such as the Indian Act.

💡Indian Act

The Indian Act is a federal law in Canada first passed in 1876 that governs the legal identity of Aboriginal peoples, specifically defining who is considered 'Indian' under Canadian law. The video explains how this act controls many aspects of Aboriginal life, identity, and legal standing, contributing to the external imposition of identity categories on Indigenous peoples.

💡Colonialism

Colonialism refers to the historical process through which European settlers imposed their control, laws, and structures on Indigenous peoples in Canada. The video discusses how colonialism shaped Aboriginal identity by forcing external definitions and legal categories, stripping away Indigenous cultural practices, and leading to issues like residential schools and identity struggles.

💡Residential schools

Residential schools were government-funded, church-run institutions in Canada aimed at assimilating Aboriginal children into mainstream Canadian society by removing them from their families and stripping them of their language and culture. The video highlights the long-lasting negative effects of this system, including physical, emotional, and cultural trauma, which has shaped Aboriginal identity across generations.

💡Stereotypes

Stereotypes about Aboriginal people in Canada, such as the 'noble savage' or 'degraded savage,' are simplified and often racist representations of Indigenous peoples. The video discusses how these harmful stereotypes have contributed to public misconceptions and have negatively impacted the self-perception and external perception of Aboriginal peoples, leading to dehumanization.

💡Legal categories of Aboriginal people

These are the classifications defined by the Canadian government, including 'Status Indian,' 'Non-Status Indian,' 'Métis,' and 'Inuit.' The video explains that these categories are imposed through the Indian Act and have often limited Aboriginal people’s ability to self-identify, with complex rules that govern who legally qualifies as Aboriginal under federal law.

💡Métis identity

Métis identity refers to the cultural and ethnic identity of people of mixed Indigenous and European ancestry, particularly tied to historical Métis communities in places like the Red River settlement. The video showcases how Métis people maintain a distinct cultural identity, often connected to land, community, and traditions such as hunting and raising bison, while also dealing with legal and social challenges in proving or asserting this identity.

💡Cultural survival

Cultural survival refers to the efforts of Indigenous peoples to maintain their languages, traditions, and ways of life in the face of colonial oppression and assimilation policies like the Indian Act and residential schools. The video touches on the importance of language retention, cultural practices like jigging, and the efforts of families and communities to keep their heritage alive despite past trauma.

💡Language and culture

Language and culture are central to Aboriginal identity, with the loss of language often seen as equivalent to losing one's culture. The video stresses the significance of teaching Indigenous languages and cultural practices in schools, such as Cree and Métis traditions, as a way to strengthen identity and ensure cultural continuity for future generations.

💡Community and kinship

Community and kinship refer to the close family and social ties that are fundamental to Indigenous ways of life. The video emphasizes the importance of knowing 'where you're from,' highlighting how identity is deeply rooted in community connections, traditions, and shared experiences. These ties offer support and a sense of belonging, critical for navigating challenges like stereotypes and colonial policies.

Highlights

Alexandra Lazarovich introduces herself as a member of the White Fish First Nation, expressing her experience with others' opinions of her identity as an Aboriginal person.

Racist stereotypes about Native people often portray them as either noble or degraded savages, distorting their lived experiences.

Alexandra shares her personal experience of being mocked in high school by peers who imitated stereotypical 'TV Indian' behaviors.

Partial truths and stereotypes have influenced Canadian public perceptions of Aboriginal peoples, affecting both individual and collective identities.

The legal control over Aboriginal identity in Canada has been historically managed by the federal government through various treaties, acts, and laws.

The Indian Act of 1876 established several legal categories for Aboriginal people, and its influence on identity remains significant today.

Aboriginal identity is also shaped by cultural perceptions and legal definitions, which are sometimes arbitrary and externally imposed.

The Indian Act's categories include 'Status Indian,' 'Non-Status Indian,' 'Métis,' and 'Inuit,' with each group facing different legal restrictions and rights.

Historical policies such as residential schools, which forcibly removed Aboriginal children from their families, have had lasting traumatic effects on Aboriginal communities.

The Métis people, with mixed First Nation and European ancestry, have maintained cultural ties through community practices like hunting and ranching.

Entrepreneurs within Métis communities, such as a buffalo rancher, demonstrate how cultural traditions continue through economic activities tied to their heritage.

Aboriginal identity is more than a legal category—it's a deep connection to community, culture, and family. For many, retaining the language is key to preserving their cultural identity.

Many Aboriginal individuals face identity challenges, especially when they don’t fit stereotypical or external definitions of 'Indigenousness.'

The personal experiences shared by members of Aboriginal communities highlight their pride in their culture and desire to give back to their communities.

The ongoing effects of colonialism shape current laws and identity issues, but many Aboriginal communities are pushing back, creating new stories and narratives of their own.

Young Aboriginal people are embracing social media and law to redefine their future, ensuring that identity is no longer solely shaped by colonial history.

Transcripts

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my name is Alexandra lazarovich and I'm

a member of of the white fish First

Nation growing up in Canada I've heard

many opinions about who I was or who I

was supposed to be as an Aboriginal

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person as native people we know that

there's certain stories that are told

about us and that are lived about us and

then they become part of our lived

experience racist stereotypes of native

people typically arise around the polar

opposition of of noble and uh degraded

Savages they are uh degraded versions of

their own ancestors drunks you know

welfare people ask you where you learn

to talk so well or ask you whether you

only had to read half the books in law

school parents or grandparents didn't

want to identify as Aboriginal because

of the prejudism that some of them had

to face the reality was it was there

there in high school they would run

around me and do wo and and that was one

instance I think where I felt my

goodness you know these people don't

even know who I am they only see the TV

Indian

person all of these are images which

don't conform to anything about lived

reality and in any case when that arises

then people are endangered in various

ways and they become dehumanized and

they become the subject of all kinds of

dangerous

practices for decades partial truths and

stereotypes have formed the Canadian

Public's ideas of Aboriginal

peoples but how have these perceptions

affected our individual and Collective

sense of identity what are the factors

that shape who we are as Aber virginal

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peoples long ago when explorers sailed

West from Europe in their Wooden Ships

they sought a Northwest Passage to the

Orient what they found was a new

world since the first early interactions

between European colonists and

Aboriginal peoples of Canada a number of

treaties acts and laws were established

early settlers made up labels to

identify Aboriginal peoples which are

still used today Indians Eskimos

indigenous na of American First Nations

treaty status non-status Urban Indian

init and maate

ultimately the legal control over who is

an Aboriginal person still resides with

the federal

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government being Aboriginal is both a

public or cultural perception but it's

also a legal category the Indian Act

today uh creates a legal several legal

categories of Aboriginal people people

and uh uh those people have that legal

standing only through participation in

that

system there are many distinct

Aboriginal cultural groups across Canada

from CRE to ajibu to gitan to Blackfoot

each with their own unique customs

culture and

traditions however the Canadian

Constitution only groups Aboriginal

people into three legal categories

Indians mate and

int when you think about it historically

our community ities had our own ways of

defining who is a Community member and

it wasn't based on race or blood Quantum

or or any of those things we had ways of

adopting people into our Nations uh ways

of integrating between nations U and

ways of continually evolving and

defining ourselves is who we are

identities have always been changing

throughout time right and we've always

had the right to do that and it was with

this you know interference on the part

of the state that suddenly it became so

prescribed and so stattic about who's

what and what you

are why as indigenous people in Canada

are we distinct in terms of identity

issues is because it's been formed for

us by the

state the Indian Act is federal

legislation first passed in

1876 for over a century the Indian Act

has controlled every aspect of

Aboriginal life and

identity to be federally recognized as

an Indian individuals must be able to

comply with a very distinct standard of

government regulation laid out in the

Indian

Act these are the different legal

categories of Aboriginal

people status Indian a person who is

legally registered as an Indian under

the Indian Act non-status Indian a

person who is not registered as an

Indian under the Indian Act Inu an

Aboriginal people in Northern Canada who

live in none of it Northwest Territories

Northern Quebec and Northern labat

mate people of mixed First Nation and

European ancestry who identify

themselves as mate as distinct from

First Nations people innuit or

non-aboriginal people First Nations a

term that came into usage in the 1970s

to replace the word Indian however no

legal definition of it

exists the laws of Canada have primarily

been exclusive the main focus of them is

to limit who can be who can be in Indian

at a loss I think of a much Fuller

deeper richer understanding of who we

are as a

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peoples if you look at the various

definitions of

indigenousness it comes down to

different a particular set of things

sometimes it's priority are you the

descendant of the group that was there

first sometimes it has to do with

cultural practice uh for example do you

have a particular kind of spirituality

and you are not not a member of of a

world religion like um Islam or

Christianity are you a speaker of uh

your indigenous

language my problem with all this is

that it's easy to find people deficient

on those terms checklist Notions of

indigen do you have these and these

properties don't work because there are

IND people who are rightfully indigenous

people who don't fit those criteria it

was in the past you know um decided at a

certain point in history history and

it's kind of arbitrary sometimes about

who was where and how which communities

get defined as what always from an

exterior Source right and we have to

always be mindful of the fact that this

wasn't ours to begin with it was a very

deliberate strategy of dividing us so

that we begin to fight amongst ourselves

among the meager resources that are

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there for more than 100 years the Indian

stated that status Indians were

considered to be Wards of the state and

were unfit to take care of themselves

and their

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children Aboriginal children across

Canada were forcibly removed from their

homes and sent to residential schools a

boarding school system created by the

Canadian government and run by the

churches it was a way to strip

Aboriginal children of their language

and culture and assimilate them into

Canadian Society

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many students at residential schools

were subjected to severe physical

psychological and sexual

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abuse for many survivors attending

residential schools was a negative

experience that impacted generations of

aborginal families and created a deep

sense of Shame about being Aboriginal

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these historical and legal perspectives

are aspects of how our identity is

formed but it was time to examine our

backgrounds and cultural

influences I spoke with three members of

Aboriginal communities in

Alberta no matter where I meet

Aboriginal people one of the first

things you ask is where you from we have

identify with that no matter who we are

as Aboriginal people where are you from

eh the Keiko

settlement we're in the Northeast part

of the settlement now so we're heading

west and to the other end of the

settlement is 20

km and then 20 km to the

South what does Kiko mean again that

means our home

free

so this is it this is our home

the kikino mate settlement is 107,000

Acres you know 4 and 2/3 townships

that's a good chunk of land it creates

you know opportunity for

us the matey people were always good

hunters and were always kind of tied to

the hunting and

uh and having that ability to live off

the land so you know those ties have

always being there on Keiko here uh I am

an entrepreneur have a buff Buffalo

Ranch here by Ranch we have horses we

have pets my wife's a dog breeder so the

entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well

here these big guys here they're our

team that pull our

carriages this here is

Max and Jake

here a lot of our history was around the

horses and everything else too and you

know in the early years it was

transportation and give me some a lot of

times your life probably depended on it

another way is keeping the culture alive

is through the raising bison uh ties to

our history in that I've always had the

dream of owning my own bison ranch when

I was

young we as the mate settlement members

I guess are fortunate we don't have

blood Quantum as part of the makeup of

our

uh of what makes you mate te or not um

the mate National Council U definition

is you have to be tied back to the Red

River you know so any one of those other

nationalities with an Aboriginal woman

could create a matey person you know

know skin color you see it where I know

my wife faced that a few times where

she's light fair skinned and light hair

and people oh she's not

matey how do you

prove your mate te how how do you prove

your identity you know whether your ties

go back to Red River or back to script

or what ever right you know some of

those issues are coming forward now so

that's another process that we will have

to

Define I grew up thinking I was full

Aboriginal you know like I was just

originally from the reserve and it

wasn't until I moved to the settlement

that I actually developed the sense of

know that I was a matey person and

that's who I was I went through a really

trouble old time in my life I started

getting into drinking a lot and drugs

yeah and missing school you know just

not having a care in the world and I got

really kind of depressed and you know I

had a lot of like uh issues with suicide

Suicidal Thoughts around that thing and

kind of you know I just felt like I was

stuck there and that there was nothing

to do

so I called my dad and um I told him

kind of what I was going through and he

invited me to live with him and ever

since then I've been living in Buffalo

Lake and that was since the age of

14 I identify myself as a mey and I am

proud of it I like I love being who I am

I love having the Heritage that I have

I'm very proud of it I really feel tied

to the Mii community and I really want

to go and give back to my community

before I give back to anywhere else

because that's where I got my roots from

and that's

where I kind of developed into the

person that I am

today I wanted to look into my own

family rots and learn more about how my

family stayed strong and kept our

culture

alive can you tell me about you being an

Indian princess I've always been an

Indian

princess well how old were you when you

won that title I think I was 19 years

old I just got back from Ontario uhhuh

and um there was this princess

pageant and my mom said okay you want to

run I'll make you I'll make you whatever

you need you know so she made me my

outfit so I became the Indian princess

but we had to sell all these tickets but

we also had to I had to make a speech at

uh at the Friendship Center and there

were five

panelists and so we had to I had to talk

about My Views as to what I wanted to do

right it's not a it's it's a role

right and I think a lot of people have

to understand that there different roles

you play

but being Indian is not a

role being Indian means who you are the

very person you are the very essence of

your soul the roots that you come

from I was born in guart Alberta small

community on the shores of ler Slave

Lake um very uh from very humble

beginnings my mom and dad uh had to do a

lot of things to be make a living and we

were brought up with an ethic that said

that you had to work really hard in

order for you to be able to get where

you want to go and my mom was the

driving force of our culture and making

sure that we knew who we were we always

had that that that sense of Pride that

sense of knowing the sense of my grandma

was always around our ants were always

around that maternal and matenal line

was always lived to the fullest by my

mom she knew if we didn't we didn't know

who we were that we'd get lost somewhere

where and she never wanted that so she

was always strong in terms of what she

taught us and how she taught us and

knowing who we were knowing the very

essence of that

identity she taught us everything about

life and

family and how to survive in this

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world when you have strong ties to your

community you can go anywhere in this

world and you always feel safe that you

have a place to go

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home I know that the retention of your

culture a lot of it is based on the

retention of your language if you lose

your language you lose your

culture and we're very fortunate here to

have our own School in kikino cultural

programs that they put in into the

curriculum is awesome you know they're

they're teaching them cre they're they

have fiddle groups in that and they also

did jigging you know that's part of the

mate culture that's being taught in our

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school people know that I'm Aboriginal

by my skin tone but they'll know a matey

if they know about a matey Sash and a

lot of people take curiosity to this

because they see the different colors

and they figure it symbolizes something

so I'm glad when they ask to me I guess

it's just identif it helps to identify

who I am when I'm in public a sash still

is a symbol of my matey culture and my

matey identity but at the same time I'm

still going to use it for the same

things our ancestors did which is a tool

whether it's you know a scarf or just

something to wrap around your bag and

carry

so when I would actually wear my my

matey sash around my neck people would

be like oh nice scarf and I'd be like

actually it's not a scarf what it is

it's a matey Sash and I would start to

you know kind of tell them

about matey Heritage everything that I

do know I'd be willing to share because

I just want people to know that are

people out there and that we

exist identity for me was just knowing

that I have Aboriginal culture not only

because of the color my skin it's just

uh knowing that you know I I have those

Aboriginal

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Roots part of the current indigenous

world is those adverse circumstances and

the scarring that that creates but it

can also create positive outcomes you

know uh people can uh be motivated to uh

reestablish their connection to what it

was their parents and ancestors had in

mind and how to live and all people all

across Canada are doing

that we we have to be realistic about

the fact that our societies and our laws

have been impacted by colonialism but we

don't have to be defined by that people

are on on all different kinds of levels

uh pushing back the the colonial story

and creating new stories for ourselves

so much of what's written about Native

people whether it's in the media or

whatever is produced about about us is

negative and it kind of pathologizes

indigenous people and so I wanted to

write something I was like well no it's

not all negative and in spite of all

that people are up against look at this

magnificence that that is there in terms

of people's identities we have to start

making sure people know and understand

their language they have to be able to

uh understand their the teachings in

order for them to be able to uh come

together as a people again young

Aboriginal people in this country are

operating at a whole other level now and

a lot of them are becoming very

sophisticated in terms of Law and

politics and they're communicating this

to each other with all kinds of social

media and a new world is coming it's up

to us as the Next Generation to just

take that step forward and you know not

have to lean back on what had happened

to our people that you know it's up to

us to push forward and just to you know

create the change and be the difference

for our future Generations

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as an Aboriginal woman I've come to

understand that Aboriginal identity is a

unique and personal journey and legal

definitions don't have the power to

Define

us we have to look to our vibrant

communities our loving families our

beautiful culture and unique language to

form our identity

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