Understanding Aboriginal Identity
Summary
TLDRThe 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
🎤 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.
📜 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.
🏞 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.
👑 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.
🌎 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.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Aboriginal identity
💡Indian Act
💡Colonialism
💡Residential schools
💡Stereotypes
💡Legal categories of Aboriginal people
💡Métis identity
💡Cultural survival
💡Language and culture
💡Community and kinship
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
[Music]
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
[Music]
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
[Music]
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
[Music]
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
[Music]
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
[Music]
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
[Music]
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
[Music]
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
[Music]
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
[Music]
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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