First Nations of Canada Unit

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First Nations of Canada Unit
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DEFINITIONS

• Aboriginal the descendants of the original
  inhabitants of Turtle Island (North America).
• This is an umbrella term used to categorize all
  people of Indian, Metis and Inuit ancestry into a
  single entity.
• Usage is acceptable if your intention is to
  categorize all nations into a single entity.

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Terminology

• Crown refers to the government (term comes from
  the fact that we are decedents of a monarchy
  get it crown for king of queen)
• Aboriginal refers to all peoples that are
  considered to be the first people to inhabit the
  land.
• First Nations the native people of Canada to
  replace the word Indian.
• Inuit the native people of northern Canada
• Metis people who are half First Nations and half
  European (mostly French)
• FNIM initial commonly used in Canada for First
  Nation Inuit Metis
• FSIN initials commonly used in
  Saskatchewan/Canada Federation of Saskatchewan
  Indian Nations.
• SICC initials for Saskatchwewan Indian
  Cultural Centre
• AFN Assembly of First Nations
• Band a body of First Nations who share land.

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Terminology cont

• Reserve land given to the a group of First
  Nations in which they can live and govern. In
  Saskatchewan we have approximately 60 Reserves.
• Off-reserve a term used to describe people,
  services or objects that are not part of a
  reserve but relate to First Nations people.
• Tribal Council a regional group of First Nations
  members (think of it as a bunch of Bands joining
  together). Some tribe names include Algonkin,
  Cree, Cheppewa, Haida, Huron, Iroquois, Shuswap,
  Assinaboine, Ottawa, Dakota, Dene,
• Indian Act a Canadian legislation first passed
  in 1876 but amended (changed) several times
  since. Indian Act outlines who is considered
  Indian. It sets out the federal govt
  obligations to the First Nations people. It also
  regulates the management of the Indian reserves,
  Indian moneys and other resources.
• Status Indian a person who is registered as an
  Indian under the Indian Act.

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Terminology cont

• Non-status Indian an Indian who is not
  registered as an Indian under the Indian Act.
• Treaty Indian a Status Indian who belongs to a
  First Nations group that signed a treaty with the
  crown.
• Treaty an agreement signed between a specific
  tribe and the crown.
• Tribe a group of Indians who lived and worked
  together.
• Urban Reserve a reserve of land occupied by
  First Nations in a Treaty that resides in a city.
  Saskatoon has many urban reserves.

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First Nations

• First Nations new term, referring to the
  ancestors of the original inhabitants who are
  classified by the term Indian
• replaces the term Indian except in reference to
  the Act
• Umbrella term for those recognized by the Indian
  Act.

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Terminology

• Indian legal term under the Indian Act The
  Act defines who can be an Indian
• May have three legal definitions
• Status means you fit under the Indian Act
  registered, thus have status every Indian
  has status
• Treaty has status, plus belong to a First
  Nation that signed a treaty
• Non-status claim Indian/First Nations status,
  yet are not registered under the Act. They
  identify with a First Nations or Inuit Community
  culturally or linguistically

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(No Transcript)
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FIRST NATIONS IN SASKATCHEWAN

• (Commonly used term in brackets)
• NEHIYAWIK (Cree)
• DENE (Chipewyan, but not recommended)
• ANISHINABE (Ojibway Saulteaux)
• SIOUX Lakota (Sioux), Dakota (Sioux), Nakota
  (Sioux) Assiniboine Stoney but not recommeded)

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Part II Identity

• Current requirements
• Must produce records denoting Metis ancestry
• Must be accepted by the Metis community as being
  Metis
• Must expressly hold herself/himself to be of
  Metis ancestry
• Must have origins in the Metis Homeland
• Must be accepted by whites as well as Indians
  feel lost as they dont know where they fit in.

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The Traditional Metis Homeland
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Traditional First Nations Spirituality
God/Creator/Great Spirit
Sun/Moon/Earth/Stars
Rock/Fire/Air/Water
Plant Life
Insect World
Swimmers/Flyers
Four Legged Creatures
Humans
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HELPFUL WEBSITES
http//www.fsin.com/ FSIN website
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numbered_Treaties
Numbered Treaties Website www.google.ca
Google http//www.aboriginalcanada.gc.ca/acp/site
.nsf/eng/ao04576.htmlgeneral Aboriginal Canada