Qu'est-ce que les frontières signifient pour les Premiers Peuples au Canada? (document en anglais)

The notion "Spaces and exchanges" deals with the geographical and symbolic areas that all societies occupy and the interactions between men and different societies. Our modern-day world is changing quickly and seems to be a smaller place due to improvements in communications and transport. Interactions and exchanges across the borders have become easier and faster. These different interactions have transformed and characterised our modern-day world – sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.

I'm going to focuse on the Canadian's borders, in fact : what do borders mean to First Peoples in Canada?

1. First peoples in Canada

What do you know about aboriginal tribes in Canada? In what region do they live?

– Aborigines make up more than 1.3 million (3.5%) of Canada’s population (33.2 million)…

– Canada’s Aborigines live mostly in remote regions in the North, in the Canadian Arctic or on reserves (more than 50%)…

– The Blackfeet territory stretches over both sides of the USA-Canada border which is a problem for the Blackfeet who can’t go from one point of their territory to another without having to go

through customs…

- Canada’s first peoples are seldom in contact with other cultures (but sometimes need their help, like in the extract from The Snow Walker)…

- First Peoples don’t reject other cultures. They only disagree with the way other cultures treat them and steal the resources of their land…

2. Territory vs country

a. Explain what vision First Peoples have of the land.

According to First Peoples, the land belongs to everyone, not just a nation or a community…

– Large stretches of land shared by everyone. The notion of border does not exist. (e.g.: Laetitia’s mother in the text “Citizenship?”)…

b. What does this imply about the way First Peoples react to borders?

– Different visions of the notion of borders: First Peoples do not recognize and do not need any borders, whereas American or Canadian societies are built inside borders…

– First Peoples’ lands often straddle one border (Canada or America)…

– First Peoples have been forced to live within artificial borders (reserves)…

– Life on reserves may prove difficult for First Peoples who have been assigned these artificial borders…

– More people living on reserves cross these artificial borders and live either in Canada or in the US to have a better life…

3. Recognizing First Peoples in Canada

-First Peoples have begun to be recognized, for example Nunavut was created in 1999, and its citizens are now listened to and respected.

– The Inuits have been fighting to stop the exploitation of their land

...