...Question Aboriginal music (which includes song, dance and design) is uniquely connected to the creative life-force of the dreaming and according to Magowan (2011, p.43) ‘stories are often told in song as a means of making sense of the world and everything in it. Consider the role of music, story, art and ceremony and discuss their significance for social knowledge’s and education within Aboriginal communities. Aboriginal people have a deep spiritual connection to their country and to the creative life force of the Dreaming. Aboriginal people maintain their system of beliefs, law and culture through a variety of forms including music, stories, art and ceremony. Each of these forms enables Aboriginal people to make sense of the world and everything in it. Throughout this essay the role of music, story, art and ceremony will be discussed with reference to their significance for social knowledge and education for aboriginal communities. However, to understand the variety of forms that Aboriginal people engage in it is vital to have an understanding of the Dreaming which permeates through song, dance, stories, panting and social systems and is central to the existence of Aboriginal people, their lifestyle and culture. The Dreaming The Dreaming is a creative time in which spirit beings emerged from a pre-existent but lifeless substance for example water or land and travelled across the earth in a variety of forms including animals, plants and humans (Edwards 1998, p.17). As...
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...Aboriginal people • Aboriginal people are four times more likely to be living in crowded housing than non-Aboriginal Canadians. • Life expectancies of Aboriginal peoples are five to 14 years less than the Canadian population, with Inuit men and women showing the shortest lives. • Infant mortality rates are 1.5 to four times greater among Aboriginal Canadians than the overall Canadian rate. • Rate of numerous infectious and chronic diseases are much higher in the Aboriginal population than the non-Aboriginal Canadian population. • Suicide rate are 5 to 6 times higher. • Aboriginal peoples have high rates of major depression, 18% of the total Aboriginal peoples • 27% of them have problems with alcohol • 34% of them have sexual abuse during childhood. • Canada was one of four nations to vote against the adoption of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which include the improving economic and social conditions, the right to attain the highest levels of health, and the right to protect and conserve their environments. Policy Implications • In 1996 Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples made a number of recommendations, virtually all of which have not been implemented. 1. Recognition of an Aboriginal order of government with authority over matters related to the good government and welfare of Aboriginal people and their territories. 2. Replacement of the federal Department of Indian Affairs with two departments, one to implement a new relationship...
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...Canada is a nation of opportunity and freedom. People from all around the world immigrate to Canada to start a new life, to get away from war or poverty. But how about those who were here from the very beginning, before anyone else landed in Canada; the ones that are called First Nation people, or Aboriginals? What is the government doing for them? Why are First Nations people suffering the worst in Canada? The first nations have been oppressed by the Canadian society and continue to live under racism resulting in gender/ class oppression. “55.6% of the poor are aboriginals and a lot of them live in reserves around Canada that Canadian government have put them in. Even Though we have signed a treaty to show constitutional and moral basis...
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...ABORIGINAL ISSUES IN CANADA Teacher Name: Bob Gregory Student Name: Juan Carlos Bernal Student Number: 057638082 Date: Monday October 15th, 2012 References: Canada (1891). Indian treaties and surrenders, from 1680 to 1890 Volume I. Ottawa: Brown Chamberlin (Queen's Printer). URL: http://www.canadiana.org/ECO/ItemRecord/91942 Centre for Social Justice URL:http://www.socialjustice.org/index.php?page=aboriginal-issues Canadian Council on Social Development URL: http://www.ccsd.ca/cpsd/ccsd/c_ab.htm Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada URL: http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/ Assembly of First Nations URL: http://www.afn.ca/index.php/en The Indian Residential School Settlement URL:https://my.senecacollege.ca/bbcswebdav/courses/CAN275BA.GENH.20123/summary%20of%20court%20settlement.pdf Aboriginal Issues in Canada Many problems exists in aboriginal communities which include their living conditions, crime rates, suicide rates, lack of education and skill training, unemployment and other issues. The living conditions or quality of life for Aboriginals rank 63rd, or amongst Third World conditions. Health Canada states that as of May 2003, 12% of Aboriginal communities had to boil their drinking water and approximately 1/4 of water treatment systems on-reserve pose a high risk to human health. Almost 25% of Aboriginal water infrastructure are a high risk of contamination. House density is twice that of the general population. Nearly 1 in 4...
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...Aboriginal Issues Essay As I read the articles about the aboriginal people what stood out to me and impressed me the most was the over representation of Aboriginal people in our Canadian prison system. A shocking statistic that I read was that 2.8% of the Canadian population is Aboriginal but they account for 18% of our federal prison inmates. Aboriginal people have been faced with so many historic inequities such as being forced to move to reserves with almost none of the basic infrastructures needed to run a functioning society. Having their children taken from their families and put in abusive residential schools, being forced to learn and live by a foreign culture and beliefs as well as being faced with racial discrimination and having their rights ignored. Due to the history of injustice and discrimination aboriginal people have experienced higher unemployment rates and lower incomes leading to lives of poverty, substance abuse, and family violence. I think that the residential schools play a big role in the problems some of the Aboriginal people faced because when they took young children who had learned only a small amount of their families cultures and tried to teach them western cultures and beliefs. As well some of the children were sexually traumatized and beaten, which likely caused a lot of confusion and difficulties growing up. In my opinion because of all the injustice in the past there is a huge lack of trust that the aboriginal people have with the Canadian...
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...AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINALS Dana Weaver Ant101 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Prof. Steven Sager Sept 2, 2012 In this paper, I will explain in detail how the kinship system works with the Australian Aboriginals. I will also explain how this system relates to how the live and interact in their society. I also want to compare their kinship system with ours here in America. The Aboriginals culture is a very complex and diverse culture. The Indigenous cultures of Australia are the oldest living culture in the world. “They go back at 50,000 years. ( http://australia.gov.au) They survived that long because of their ability to adapt to their environment and change over time. The Aboriginals are divided into small groups called clans. The clan’s usually had a common ancestor and they all considered themselves related.”(Australian.gov.au) Members of tribes distinguished themselves from each other through their dialects.” There were probably about 600 tribes within Australia in 1788, when the first Europeans arrived.” (indigenousaustralia.info)Tribes that spoke closely related dialects often grouped themselves together under the term of being a nation. “Australian Aboriginal kinship is the system of law governing social interaction, particularly marriage, in traditional Australian Aboriginal culture.”( wikipedia.org ) It is an integral part of the culture of every Aboriginal group across Australia. “The system of kinship put everybody in a specific relationship...
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...Aboriginal Education: Has It Improved? Xiangli, Li (Bill) Student No. 214022362 AP/ESL 1450 R Thinking about the Contemporary Canada Mansour Safdari January 2015, Winter Outline Introduction: Ⅰ. Attention grabber: quotation back by the statistics. Ⅱ. Intro: With the progress of Canadian education, There is an increasing attention to the needs of Aboriginal children. Focusing on present-day Aboriginal education can reflect the status quo more precisely and will also bring benefits in overcoming the current obstacles for that Aboriginal students faced by native students. Ⅲ. Thesis: Through historical analysis and current situation, the paper will show that those some improvements have been made by the Canadian government, further changes are necessary to meet the requirements for the Aboriginal school-children. Body paragraph: Ⅰ. First and foremost, Along with the changes in Aboriginal education, I would like to ask “Has it improved?” And then I will start with the historical obstacles and gaps between Aboriginal children and native children. Ⅱ. Secondly, I would like to briefly show the difference between the past and present Aboriginal education and tell the readers what they are like. Like residential schools and educational system.More importantly, I would like to discuss the influences on the Aboriginal kids now. Ⅲ. Finally, I would like to demonstrate the progressions in education that the Aboriginal people...
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...were to civilize native people, mange reserve activity and control Indian Status. With all this power over the aboriginal peoples the treatment towards aboriginals was inhumane. Many Aboriginal peoples were mentally traumatized in residential schools, discriminated against and neglected in residential school. The Residential schools left many aboriginal peoples mentally traumatized. For example “Some children experienced… psychological…abuse” (Quinlan etal 66). Being exposed to such a horrifying ways of life students begin to develop low self-esteem throughout the years. Having...
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...The Aboriginals are an important and impactful group of individuals in Canadian history. They show how Canada has come a long way but also represent how we have a long way to go as well in ensuring the protection of Aboriginals and their culture. Aboriginals have been oppressed by the Canadian government for many years and continue to fight against restrictions in order to preserve their traditions. The mistreatment of Aboriginals is significant to Canadian history because of the mental and physical abuse they endured from Residential schools, the progressive changes from the Indian act, and the lack of basic needs being deprived on the reserves. The creation of residential schools is significant to Canadian history due to the physical and...
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...Aboriginal Spirituality ORIGINS Key Terms Aboriginal: Of native ancestry, inhabiting or existing in a land from the earliest times and before colonists. Animism: The attribution of a living soul to plants, animals, inanimate objects and natural phenomena. Elder: A person (male or female) venerated for age and wisdom. Faith keeper: Member of a nation selected to maintain the traditional ceremonies and rituals. First Nations: An aboriginal band, or a community functioning as a band, but not having band status. Does NOT include Inuit or Métis. Genesis: The origin, the beginnings, the formation of something. Indigenous: Originating naturally in a region, belonging naturally to an environment (of people) born in a region. longhouse: Iroquois home, cigar-shaped, about fifty metres long and ten metres wide, a dwelling shared by several families. Longhouse: The religion of the Iroquois. Monotheism: The belief in one God. Polytheism: The belief in or worship of more than one God. Oracy: The ability to express oneself fluently in speech and to understand a spoken language. Powwow: A gathering of Aboriginal people with ritual dances, drumming and chanting. Reincarnation: The belief in the rebirth of a soul in a new body or form Sachems: The supreme chief of a clan. Shaman: Medicine man or spiritual leader. Smudging ceremony: A purification ritual that includes the burning of sweet grass and drawing smoke ritually over body. Tipi: Cone shaped tent and dwelling found in...
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...bring the stick down on me. I’ve still got bumps and scars on my hands. I have to wear special gloves because the cold weather really hurts my hands. I tried very hard not to cry when I was being beaten and I can still just turn off my feelings…. And I’m lucky. Many of the men my age, they either didn’t make it, committed suicide or died violent deaths, or alcohol got them. And it wasn’t just my generation. My grandmother, who’s in her late nineties, to this day it’s too painful for her to talk about what happened to her at the school." (Hanson, 2009). It is clear that these schools have resulted in long term impacts, perhaps the most damaging of many on Canada's original peoples. "Statistics Canada estimates that of the 50 most prominent aboriginal languages in Canada, only three will survive past this century: Cree, Inuktitut and Ojibway." (Yesno, 2013). As stated earlier, each language carries with it a sense of identity and belonging. As languages are lost we lose knowledge of humanity. This loss affected traditional community and family life. The constant scorning of authorities caused low self esteem, fostering self abuse such as high alcoholism, substance abuse, and suicide. Due to the inferior view posed on youth by authorities, they found it difficult and, in cases, impossible to develop bonds with their elders therefore unable to learn the traditional ways of their people. Besides damaging family and community ties, the loss of indigenous languages further distanced people...
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...Government Ministries and Agencies Short Assignment Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada February 24th, 2015 I Responsibilities Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada is one of the federal government departments responsible for meeting the Government of Canada's obligations and commitments to First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Through these responsibilities, AANDC helps to maintain and strengthen the relationship between the Government of Canada and Aboriginal people. Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada role is to support Aboriginal people (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) and Northerners in their efforts to: * improve social well-being and economic prosperity; * develop healthier, more sustainable communities; and * participate more fully in Canada's political, social and economic development – for the benefit of all Canadians. Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada funds five social programs. It aims to assist First Nation individuals and communities to become more self-sufficient; protect individuals and families at risk of violence; provide prevention supports that allow individuals and families to better care for their children; and support greater participation in the labour market. Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) supports First Nation communities in the implementation of strong, effective and sustainable governments. Research has shown that effective governance is the single...
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...Aboriginal Land Claim Issues Canadian Aboriginal people have been fighting for land claims for many years. It is not often that Aboriginal people get their land reclaimed but just before Christmas it was announced that Ipperwash Provincial Park would be restored to the Kettle and Stony Point First Nations. Many people know this as the land where Dudley George was shot and killed by a police officer fighting for Aboriginal rights. This triumph is considered to be a historical event because Aboriginal people do not usually get land back instead of a cheque. The land was once an ancient burial ground and was surrendered in 1928 under suspicious circumstances. In 1936, after residents had requested for a park by the lake, the reserve was sold to the government. The government made the 2200-acre reserve into an army training camp in 1942. This forced the Stony Pointe people to move to an uncomfortable place where they now had to live. In 1993, the government still disagreed to return the reserve. This made Dudley George and some people from the Stony Pointe community move back onto the base hoping to get it back. On September 4, 1995, a few people moved into the park to notify people about the ancient burial ground. Police arrived on the scene two days later with force. It was that day an Ontario Provincial Police officer shot and killed Dudley George. First Nations have claimed that there had been many lies going around after that day. Such as the province disagreeing with...
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...Canada’s First Nations have a beautiful culture. Although we have done some things to help Canadian aboriginal people to preserve their traditions and culture, we could have done much more. We have wronged the First Nations People in many ways; we have treated them as less than ourselves and in some cases still do. Forcing children into residential schools, not allowing Canadian aboriginals to vote, taking away the land that they had lived on for years, these are just a few things that we, as Canadians, have done. 150,000 Indian children were taken away from their families to live at residential schools. The first residential school was opened in 1840 in Bradford, Ontario and by 1910 there were a total of 74 schools all across Canada. Residential...
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...argued to criminalize certain groups within society. Specifically, Aboriginal women as offenders in corrections have faced many difficulties. They often are sentenced younger, more often and for longer sentences than non-Aboriginal offenders. The over incarceration, over representation and criminalization of Aboriginal women within the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is attributable to a legacy of colonialism and sexism which placed them at a vulnerable place within society. Canada’s public policy post WWII regarding, social welfare, education and the labour market, exhibit how colonialism and sexism have created unfavorable cultural and socio-economic conditions for Aboriginal women, which make them more susceptible to be victims/survivors of violence, poverty and behaviours or circumstances in conflict with the law. As a result of these conditions, Aboriginal women are more likely to meet deplorable conditions while in prison, and the laws do not seem to accommodate Aboriginal methods of rehabilitation, restitution and justice. In order to understand the plight of Aboriginal women within the CJS, the issue will be approached from a feminist perspective. Further, the evidence will be sourced from secondary sources, mainly text and government reports. First a landscape of Canada’s colonial past’s impact on Aboriginal women; starting post WWII will be advanced. This will demonstrate the links between Aboriginal women’s experience with poverty, violence in all forms, and the...
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