Oldal 30 [30]
ELIZABETH TROTT
acceptable to wear each others culturally specific clothing and enjoy each
others celebrations and parades." The publicity surrounding the appearance
of successful shared worlds can cover up the real difficulties of worlds with
different constructs for their concepts of interpretation.
Cultures and Historical Descent
Understanding the nation of Canada as of one of multi-cultures faces a further
complication, the misrepresentation of the Indigenous peoples. Although
the term Indigenous seems to suggest that all groups prior to the arrival of
the Europeans (the English and the French) can be regarded as one cultural
identity or race, Indigenous people living on the continent had (and still have)
many different racial origins, customs, skills of survival, rituals, symbols and
spiritual guidance. Multiple languages exist among the different Indigenous
cultures. Not all groups co-existed easily; lifestyles and skills marked out
turf that required defending. Some were nomadic, such as the people of the
foremost Artic regions, who moved as seasons and food supplies changed.
Others remained in permanent locations. Some original cultures survived
on the land in the northeast corners of Labrador and others farmed south¬
western parts of Ontario.‘
Amalgamating the various collectives under one label, Indigenous, masks
their differences and detracts from the fact that both violence and efforts
to learn and change were part of the history of original multi-cultures in
Canada.” Why are the various Indigenous communities not considered
"7 A former student of mine at Ryerson University, Riley Kucheran, with Indigenous cultural
roots is currently creating a successful fashion line of clothing in Toronto with references to
his own background.
In 1952, the Canadian Government in order to increase populations in the artic areas
of Canada moved indigenous people living in Labrador to locations in the North West
Territories. The government mistakenly assumed that various groups in the north had the
same survival skills. Arctic cultures were different and many of those who were moved
died that winter as they had not the skills to build shelters nor hunt on the open sea. See
Sarah Bonesteel, Canada’s Relationship with the Inuit: A History of Policy and Programme
Development, Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, Canada, 2008. This book is
no longer in print but is available online. The Trail of the Black Walnut, McClelland and
Stewart, 1957, was written by G. Elmore Reaman, a former professor at Waterloo Lutheran
College and the University of Waterloo, Ontario. He tracked the arrival of various
cultures, in particular the Pennsylvanians, into the southwestern parts of Ontario in the
late 1700s and years following. The immigrants encountered cultures already living there
that were farming, developing maple syrup, and using available natural resources to build
permanent lodges and shelters, 158. These Indigenous cultural groups were quite willing
to share knowledge, and learn about new farming tools from the immigrants arriving from
Pennsylvania. Mutual support was shared frequently without fear or violence. 49, 79-81.
Not all agree with a recognition of different Indigenous cultures. In her CBC Massey
Lectures, All Our Relations, Finding the Way Forward, Tanya Talaga, strongly supports
addressing Indigenous issues collectively. The lectures are available online and in print,
Toronto, House of Anansi, 2018.
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49
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