Why a blog about First Nations Peoples?

Past and present, our peoples are still being treated as less than second class citizens even as we strive to acclimate ourselves to a societal structure which differed greatly from that of our ancestors. As a people we need to feel affirmed. We need to be aware of the contributions made by other First Nations peoples in Canada, and indeed, all throughout North and South America, and the Caribbean islands. We need to have role models, and we need to understand the social forces which have shaped and influenced our communities, both on reservations and off. We need a means of feeling connected to the experiences of our ancestors, our lost cultures and languages, in all regions across Canada.

The greater Canadian community, indeed, the world, needs to know a history of Canada that includes all of our histories, especially those which the government, working with various Christian religious institutions, tried so hard to eradicate. “The Indian Act” of 1850 and its various amendments outline this in detail. I have not been able to find any of the original texts online in their entirety; however, I did find this gem of a page.

The truth needs to be told, we deserve to know where we come from, and I hope we can share this learning journey together.