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Running head: IMPACT OF LOSS 1

The Impact of Loss for Indigenous Communities Douglas College

RESEARCH PAPER 2 For Indigenous people, their culture is the essence of who they are, who they belong to, where they come from, and how they relate to one another. Culture is the accumulated teachings of ancestors. It is the accumulation of traditions, customs, protocols, values, ceremonies such as the Potlatch, rituals that are passed on from generation to generation, languages, ways of knowing and being, and connections to the land and the life-sustaining resources of the land. Culture is essential to the overall well-being of Indigenous communities and individuals. However, if preserving and submerging within one’s culture and being involved in the rituals associated with ceremonies and traditions is the essence of Indigenous identity. Losing one’s culture or being detached from it can also affect the breakdown of one’s identity. This paper will entail, the impact of colonization, assimilation of Turtle Island, the impact of the lost language of Indigenous communities throughout Canada and what should be done to revitalize and preserve Indigenous Communities. Turtle Island is North America in the traditional teachings of First Nations peoples (Newcombe, 2011). It is considered the home of various First Nations tribes and the ancestor of European settlers who later colonized the United States and Canada. Colonial programs that were put in place to integrate Indigenous peoples with European settler society. These programs included Canada’s residential schools and the 1960s mass forced adoption of Indigenous children into white families. (CBC, 2008). Indigenous Canadians were vital to early European trade networks that exploited exportable Canadian natural resources; They were also politically, economically, and socially marginalized during the settlement that accompanied these and later industries. The significance of land for Indigenous people is now better understood as scholars have found that their oral traditions are story-based and linked inextricably to landmarks and geographic areas. (Lederach, 2005). In addition, while the English and French fought for control of Canadian trade routes, Canadian Indigenous

RESEARCH PAPER 3 peoples suffered the introduction of European illnesses, alcohol and the politics of European contact. Therefore, many scholars speak in terms of pre- and post-contact. Canada’s first law allowed control by the Hudson Bay Company over beaver pelt exportation to Europe (Duhamie, 2008). Indigenous Canadians who were exposed to European contact had lived traditionally as hunters and gatherers and were marginalized while Canada’s natural resources were exported back to Europe. Some argued that Canada’s Indian Act of 1876 intended to integrate First Nations Peoples into European settler culture (Younging, 2009). More aggressive assimilation policies implemented through mandatory, church-run and government-funded residential schools rid First Nation peoples of their languages and cultures and integrate them into European Settlers society (Galley, 2009). The lasting outcomes of these policies that were set in place by European settlers, had a lasting impact on reserves and Indigenous people today such as, living conditions on the reserves that have continually deteriorated. Canada’s Department of Indian and Northern Affairs reported that in 2006 that 50 percent of peoples on reserves were on social assistance, and 90 percent were unemployed (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, 2006). Many of Canada’s reserves still do not have adequate electricity or safe drinking water (Levasseur & Marcoux, 2015). Displacing Indigenous people on reserves have often disconnected them from nature and permanently damaged their sense of identity. We can link many of these challenges back to the land and the effects of displacement. Lynda Gray is a member of the Tsimshian Nation and the Gisbutwada Clan (Killer whale). Lynda has been the executive director of the Urban Native Youth Association in Vancouver for the past four and a half years. (Gray, 2011). Gray details the importance of language in Indigenous communities, Language is the basis of culture. It evolves to meet people’s needs in relation to their environment, belief system and interactions with others. The Inuit, for example, have many words for snow as they

RESEARCH PAPER 4 realize the significance of different snow and how it impacts their daily lives in relation to their ability to hunt, gather, travel, or exist. (Gray, 2011). Gray also expands on the words and their greater meaning and the significance of every word for Indigenous peoples. Most First Nations languages have words that have a significant meaning in relation to the Creator, greetings, honouring, positions of responsibility and other things that cannot be translated into English without losing its true meaning and significance. (Gray,2011). Gray also highlights one of the many reasons preserving First Nations Language is crucially important, one of those reasons being that the interactions with others are governed by protocols that are reflected in our languages and hold great meaning. (Gray, 2011). There are over 50 First Nations languages within 11 languages families in Canada, with over 60% of those being in British Columbia. This density of languages in a single region is only outnumbered by Oklahoma which has many language groups because of the forced relocation of many Nations to that area of America was expanding westward. In addition, only three First Nations languages in Canada–Inuktiut, Cree, and Ojibway are considered being safe from extinction: most others are on dangers of becoming extinct, and many are extinct. (Gray, 2011). Gray also describes the urgency for keeping languages intact and preserving for future generations. She also entails the harsh realities of some Nations only having as few as two fluent speakers remaining. Because of this grim reality, there is a mad rush across North America by First Nations people to preserve First Nations Languages by training new speakers, videotaping and audio recording speakers and documenting as much of their languages as possible. We no longer have time to ignore this issue, to not audio or video record them now will definitely lead to the loss of languages, and only writing the language would mean losing the nuances of speaking the language forever. (Gray, 2011). Even though governments brought this reality upon First Nations people by implementing policies and laws that led to forbid our children to speak their traditional language, they are not making

RESEARCH PAPER 5 meaningful funding contributions to ensure our languages are preserved and that they train new speakers. The funding that is put towards language preservation is a miniscule effort to save an important part of our culture. And Governments understood the importance of our languages in maintaining and transmitting cultural knowledge, which is why they attempted to kill our languages off. There is no good reason not to help revitalize it now. Governments paid teachers across the country to stop us from speaking our languages in residential schools through shamming, threats, physical punishment including pins stuck through children’s tongues, so governments should pay teachers now to help us relearn our languages. (Gray, 2011). Gray also suggests what may help to restore that which was lost to the First Nations, Métis or Inuit populations in Canada. She outlines ten ideas for four different sections which include, everyone, First Nations, Government of Canada and The Provincial and Territorial Governments can do. To highlight a few ideas from each section, to begin with, things everyone can do; Continually learn about the true history of First Nations people within Canada and the United States and share that knowledge with others. Continually hold federal, provincial, and territorial governments accountable for their policies, actions and laws that lead to the widespread social and economic challenges that First Nations people continue to face. Write letters, send emails, sign petitions, attend rallies, and use your vote wisely. Actively support First Nations, social services organizations through volunteering, donations, advocacy and partnerships. Second Things First Nations people can do, learn about and live the true traditional teachings of their ancestor which were based on including all community members, respect, spiritually, honour and love. Let go of the burden of your individual past and our collective past. Move on beyond the anger, silence, shame and anything else that is holding you back from the healthy life you deserve.

RESEARCH PAPER 6 Encourage and support other First Nations people to change their lives. Third things that the Government of Canada can do fully implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples. This does not mean a vaguely worded commitment to review, look at, endorse the “spirt of”, or any other stalling tactics. Rather, it means immediately implementing the Declaration in partnership with First Nations people. Honor all treaty, constitutional and moral responsibilities, quit using the court system to stall or stop living up to your responsibilities in the areas of treaties, child welfare, the Indian Act, First Nations Women’s rights, education, health, land claims, residential schools, and many other areas that have been stalled because of government actions or inactions. Immediately fulfill your responsibilities to the survivors of Indian Residential Schools and their descendants as was promised through the Prime Minister’s formal apology on June 11, 2008, in Parliament of Canada. This includes immediately reinstating funding for the Aboriginal Healing Foundation and the National Residential school Survivors Society, fulfilling responsibilities from the Gathering Strength Report and providing adequate funding to widespread national healing, cultural reclamation and community development initiatives. Lastly; thing the Provincial and Territorial Government must do, Pressure the government of Canada to fully implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples in partnership with First Nations peoples by formally supporting it through provincial and territorial legislatures and through direct pressure on the federal government. Fulfill your responsibilities in relation to First Nations land claims, treaties, and constitutional rights. Quit using the court system to delay or avoid fulfilling your responsibilities to First Nations People. (Gray, 2011). These are Gray’s ideas on restoring and revitalizing First Nations peoples by addressing the main impact on Indigenous Peoples.

RESEARCH PAPER 7 The lasting effects of language loss that was experienced by Indigenous communities throughout Canada have a lasting and devastating effects for Indigenous peoples, as language is primary and essential to their cultural heritage and identity, The long history of oppression of the indigenous peoples of Canada by Colonial settlers continues systemically today and stems from a precedent attitude which defines Indigenous peoples, cultures and languages as primitive and as barriers to civilization and modernity (Haque& Patrick 2015). As is widely known, these racist ideas motivated harsh policies which include the horrific system of residential schools aiming to destroy Indigenous cultures and languages, which have lasting trauma for Indigenous communities today. (Haque& Patrick, 2015). Despite resistance movements by Indigenous peoples in the 1960s and 1970s and the end of the residential school system in Canada. Indigenous peoples and their languages continue to be marginalized in federal policies that are entrenched in the racialized linguistic hierarchies (Haque & Patrick, 2015). When Indigenous communities voiced their concerns regarding poverty, cultural loss and dismal of their status as first citizens of Canada, the commission dismissed the communities concerns about language loss, concluding that Indigenous languages were primitive and therefore not meant to survive and the tremendous diversity among Indigenous languages was accordingly seen not as a sign of the great cultural richness of Indigenous Communities, but as a barrier to language maintenance and education as a to the accessing of government services( Haque & Patrick, 2015). The widespread language loss experienced by Indigenous communities in Canada has devastating effects for Indigenous peoples, as language is crucial to cultural heritage and identity. Therefore, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) asserts that the critical status of Canada’s Indigenous languages needs to be addressed as a crucial part of the reconciliation process. Both Indigenous communities themselves and the Canadian Federal Government have recognized the

RESEARCH PAPER 8 need to address language loss and are working to address this. Many Indigenous communities are implementing language revitalization projects to preserve their languages and to increase the numbers of speakers. (TRC, 2016). In promise with his goal, the Justin Trudeau government announced its commitment to implementing all 94 calls to action of the TRC, including the Language and Culture sub-sections which calls for acknowledging Aboriginal language rights and enacting an Aboriginal language Act. (Mas, 2015). In December 2016, prime minister Justin Trudeau showed the sincerity of his promise at a special assembly of Indigenous leaders by announcing his plans to introduce an Indigenous Languages Act hoping to preserve and revitalizing First Nations, Metis and Inuit languages in Canada. (Staff,2016). Ry Moran, the director of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, emphasizes that for successful languages revitalization we need a country that realizes we are collectively richer when we understand our national identity not just in terms of two official languages, but as a country full of rich languages that have existed here long before Canada was even dreamed of. (Moran, 2016). They proposed the Indigenous Languages in response to the TRC’s calls to action. It is, therefore, the Act should implement the goals set out in the Language and culture section as part of the federal government’s commitment to implementing the Calls to Action. However, policymakers would benefit from taking into consideration the Assembly of First Nations National First Nations Language Strategy, which was developed in 2007. This document laid out a twenty-year vision for the revitalized of a First Nations Languages Act, which entailed five goals, which are Increasing the number of First Nations people who speak their language by increasing opportunities to learn their language, second; increase the opportunities to use First Nations languages by increasing the number of circumstances and situations where First Nations languages can be used, third; Improve proficiency levels of First Nations citizens in speaking, listening to, reading and writing First Nations languages, fourth; Increase

RESEARCH PAPER 9 the rate of which First Nations languages can be enhanced revitalized and developed so they can be used in the full range of modern activities, lastly; Foster among First Nations and non- First Nations a positive attitude towards and accurate beliefs about First Nations languages so that multi-lingual ism becomes a valued part of Canadian society. (Assembly of First Nations, 2007). In conclusion, this paper has shown the impact of colonization, assimilation, and the impacts of Indigenous peoples trying to keep intact their languages. And. The exclusion of Indigenous peoples as the first inhabitants of the land and that has also included years of oppression of Indigenous communities which lead to language loss. There is an obligation to future generations to assist in the resurgence and revitalization of all Indigenous cultures.

RESEARCH PAPER 10 References

Assembly of First Nations, (2007). National First Nations Language Strategy. Retrieved from Assembly of First Nations website: http://www.afn.ca/uploads/files/education/languagesnationalstrategy2007. pdf

CBC News. (2008 May 16). A timeline of residential schools, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Available at: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2008/05/16/f-timeline-residentialschools.html

Duhaime, L. (2008). Canada’s criminal code: A history, In Duhaime’s Encyclopedia of Law (online book). Available at: http://www.duhaime.org

Galley, V. (2009). Reconciliation and the Revitalization of Indigenous Languages, In G. Younging, J. Dewar and M. DeGagné (editors), Response, responsibility, and renewal: Canada’s truth and reconciliation journey. Ottawa, ON: Aboriginal Healing Foundation. Gray, L. K. (2011). First Nations 101: Vancouver: Adaawx Pub. Haque, E., & Patrick, D. (2015). Indigenous languages and the racial hierarchisation of language policy in Canada. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development,36(1), 27-41. http://dx.doi.org /10.1080/01434632.2014.892499 Lederach, J.P. (2005). The moral imagination: the art and soul of building peace. New York: Oxford University Press. Levasseur, M. & J. Marcoux. (2015). Bad water: ‘Third World’ conditions on First Nations in Canada: Two-thirds of First Nations have been under at least 1 water advisory between 2004 and 2014.

RESEARCH PAPER 11 CBC (14 October). Available from: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/bad-water-third-worldconditions-on-first-nations-in-canada-1.3269500 marks start of'new era'. CBC News. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/truth-andreconciliation-final-report- ottawa-event-1.3365921 Mas, S. (2015, December 15). Truth and Reconciliation chair says final report

Moran, R. (2016, August 18). Opinion: Dreaming of a day when Indigenous languages are protected and honoured. Vancouver Sun. Retrieved from http://vancouversun.com

Newcombe, S. (2011 September 30). Canada and the United States Are in Turtle Island. Indian Country Media Network. Retrieved from: http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2011/09/30/canada-and-united-states-are-turtle-island

Staff, B. (2016, December 7). Justin Trudeau to introduce Indigenous Languages Act. Global News. Retrieved from http://globalnews.ca

TRC. (2016). Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (website), http://www.trc.ca/websites/trcinstitution/index.php?p=3 Younging, G. (2009). Inherited history, international law, and the UN Declaration, In Gregory Younging, Jonathan Dewar, and Mike DeGagné, (editors). Response, responsibility, and renewal: Canada’s truth and reconciliation journey (p. 365–377). Ottawa, ON: Aboriginal Healing Foundation.

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