~Indigenous Literature~ By: Khwaish, Manaya and Vaishali

Nationhood

Borders

The mother wanted to keep her identity as a Blackfoot and not as a Canadian or American

The mother had pride over her nationality and that was the answer she wanted to go with

“Canadian Side or American Side?” asked the guard. “Blackfoot side,” she said. (King 138)

In Canada there are many Indigenous cultures who do not identify as Canadian, but rather as Metis, Inuit and First Nations

They follow Indigenous rituals and ceremonies

A Coyote Columbus Story

Christopher Columbus is from Spain and comes to Turtle Island to sell the Indians

"We could sell Indians" (King 127)

Christopher Columbus had no right over the land or the people

“Christopher Columbus grabs a big bunch of Indian men and Indian women and Indian children and locks them up in his ships” (King 127)^

Christopher Columbus assumes these people are Indian

The Indians were being separated from their land and nation

Stone Mother

"Our Mother Earth holds our histories in her dirt" (Winder 44)

A Seat in the Garden

"There aren't any Indians around here." (King 88)

Although Canada is their land and home, Indigenous peoples live on reserves

Indigenous peoples don’t consider themselves as Canadians

Totem

The totem belongs with the land

One of the totems was found to be connected with the floor since it went right through the ground

The totems represent Indigenous peoples and what went through them

The museum management represent the government who stole the land and got rid of Indigenous peoples

“that is goes right through the floor” (King 15)

Joe the Painter and the Deer Island Massacre

The Indians in the story were called Indians

Every time Joe mentioned the Indians, he’d specifically used the term ‘Indian’

That shows that the Indians didn’t want to associate with another nationality

Despite this land belonging to Indians, they lived far away on reserves

Some of the Chief’s family lived on reserves

Others lived far away

That’s why it took some people many days to come for the play

Magpies

“Body-stealing is against the law” (King 28)

Ambrose can’t even fulfill the granny’s wish on the reserve

The RCMP accused Ambrose for stealing a dead body without even asking him for what’s the reason behind why he kept the dead body on the tree.

Identity

Identity

Culture defines us and we identity with it

There are multiple cultures within the Indigenous community such as Métis, Inuit, and First Nations

Magpies

Fulfilling a promise is a part of their identity

“There is that criminal. There is that thief. Then he uses words I don’t understand.” (King 28)

Ambrose was having a hard time fulfilling the granny’s promise because of the RCMP

They weren’t allowed to put a dead body on the tree

Coyote

Christopher Columbus calls the people “Indians” (King 127)

Indigenous peoples don’t recognize themselves as Indians

Indigenous peoples belong with this land and they were taken away

Totem

The totems were not causing disruption, but they were doing what they were meant to

The actions that were being performed were a part of their identity

The museum stole their identity from them

“Sort of like laughing” (King 15)

Joe the Painter and the Deer Island Massacre

Joe wants Indians to play the part of Indians in his pageant

“My pageant is going to have Indians in it.” (King 104)

He’s giving the chance to Indians and not giving their identity to others

Indians have long hair

“Your Indians don’t look like Indians” (King 112)

Long hair and braids is a massive part of their culture, but not all Indians have long hair

The Indians lived on reserves and far away from town

The Indians in the story lived on reserves since that is the land given to them

It shows how reserves are their home and where they prefer to live

The Indians were singing folk songs

“Bernie and James got out a drum and started singing a few social songs and some of the families danced for a while” (King 111)

Singing songs and dancing around a fire is a crucial part of their identity

It’s a ritual, ceremony, and tradition that is performed when one is extremely happy

Borders

The identity of Blackfoot wasn’t being accepted

“Canadian side or American side? Asked the guard. “Blackfoot side, she said” (King 138)

Indigenous people don’t recognize themselves as Canadian or American but rather their own Indigenous cultures

A seat in the Garden

“You know, he looks a little like Jeff Chandler” (King 87)

Red is referring the Indians as Jeff Chandler

Footprints in the Snow

“I am the white bear from the Great White North” (Batzel 7)

Poem depicts her story and what she’s been through

Spiders

Mentions their honour song

The song is meant for all life including spiders and two spirit girls

“hey-ya-hey-ya-hey-en” (Proulx-Turner 63)

Past vs. Present

Past vs. Present

Over the years, many things have changed and evolved

Past

Indigenous peoples were taking care of this land together

Everything was fair and equal

Nature, animals, and humans

No problems

Turtle Island

Folk songs

Hunting and fishing

Sharing and accepting

Colonizers created Residential Schools

Present

Split the country into provinces and territories

The government is making all the decisions for the country

Buildings, railways, infrastructure

Water crisis, healthcare, education, and many other issues for the Indigenous communities

North America

Stopping Indigenous peoples from doing what they want

Overfishing and buying food from stores

Unfair and selfish

Over 1000 unmarked graves found at residential schools

Turtle Island vs. North America

Turtle Island

Indigenous call this land “Turtle Island”

Indigenous peoples believe this land was made on the back of a turtle

This was the first name created

Based on creation stories and their beliefs

Indigenous peoples lived on this land and took care of it

Indienous languages such as Cree, Ojibway, Inuktitut

North America

Colonizers changed the name to “North America”

Split into countries such as Canada, America, and Mexico

Colonizers expanded the continent

Made governments and leaders

Changed everything according to their own will

Languages Including English, Spanish, French

Many different people of different beliefs live here

Erasure

Assimilation

The Indigenous community hasn’t been recognized over the years

A plethora of Canadians do not know who Indigenous peoples are

Assimilation and erasure have taken place over the years

Residential Schools

They were taught to forget their language and culture

They were given new names and if students said anything in their language, they were beaten

Converted them from Indigenous into Christians

Indigenous peoples were thought to be lower than Christians and so the government wanted European people as the future of the country

Many student forgot their culture and identity

A huge number of students died and over 1000 students’ death was not recorded or reported to their families

Many unmarked graves of young students were found in May 2021

215 unmarked graves were discovered at the Kamloops Indian Residential School

Students were as young as 3 years old

After this discovery, over 1000 more unmarked graves were found in Canada

Sixties Scoop

Indigenous children were taken from their families as soon as they were born

This act was done without the consent of parents

The kids went to non-Indigenous families

A Coyote Columbus Story

Columbus found North America and Indians

The other coyote doesn’t know the real story and read this from a book

“Christopher Columbus” “That is the one who found America. That is the one who found Indians” (King 12)

This land and Indigenous peoples were always here and “were never lost” (King 129)

The facts in the book are not real

Christopher Columbus wanted to sell Indians to become rich

Attempted to separate Indigenous peoples from their land and their home

Totem

The museum is trying to get rid of the totems

They try many different techniques to get rid of the totem poles, although they were connected to the ground

“We could get the chainsaw and cut it off close to the floor” (King 15)

The sounds made by the totem are annoying and are seen as a “problem” (King 14)

“I think the museum should do something about the problem” (King 14)

The museum management wanted to shut down the totem poles and silence them

“cut the pole down and then cover the stump with pruning paste. That way it won’t grow back” (King 17)

They were getting government assistance to get rid of the poles

Borders

No acknowledgements of Indigenous cultures

Guards only wanted the Indigenous peoples to identify themselves as a Canadian or an American.

If anyone ever said Blackfoot or another culture, the guards did not accept the answer

“Canadian? said the guard. Blackfoot. said the mother” (King 137)

Joe the Painter and the Deer Island Massacre

A seat in the garden

Joe and Red were trying to get rid of the big Indian in the field

They don’t want Indians standing in their corn field

Magpies

They were living on a reserve

“I’m just doing what Granny asked. Nothing wrong with that” (King 28)

RCMP doesn’t approve Ambrose for putting a dead body on a tree, even though it was Granny’s wish

Stone Mother

"they tried to silence us, pierced our tongues with needles then taught our then-girl grandmother how to sew like machines” (Winder 33, 34)

Punishments in Residential Schools

“Our land was stolen” (Winder 39)

Shows erasure and assimilation and how it was done

Important Events

Important Events

Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls

Many girls and women have gone missing or died

The government, police, and RCMP haven’t taken much action

Babies as young as three months old

Water Crisis

Reserves aren’t getting clean and fresh water

This is causing diseases and other medical concerns

94 Calls to Action

Child Welfare, Education, Health, Justice, Many More

Apologies

2008

Former Prime Minister: Stephen Harper apologized for Residential Schools

2017

Current Prime Minister: Justin Trudeau apologized to Newfoundland and Labrador residential school survivors

2021

Justin Trudeau: apologized for the unmarked graves found at residential school sites

2SLGBTQ+

The 2S stands for ‘Two-Spirited’

Two-Spirit is a term used by Indigenous

It has now been added to the acronym in Canada to recognize Indigenous peoples

Orange Shirt Day

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Opportunity to talk about Residential Schools

September 30th

Started by Phyllis Webstad who wore a orange shirt to a residential school

Important Facts

Treaties

Contracts signed between Indigenous peoples and the Crown

Presentations in School

Learned about experiences and opinions about Indigenous peoples

Artifacts

The government have not return the indigenous people objects to them instead they put it in a museum as artifacts without their permission or consent

Sovereignty

Magpies

Live on reserves

Follow their own rules

Benny and Ambrose tricked the RCMP, so Ambrose can fulfill Granny’s wish without getting in trouble or going to jail.

“Body-stealing is against the law” (King 28)

The RCMP thought Ambrose stole the body and hid it on the tree so no one finds it.

Ambrose had permission to put Granny’s dead body on the tree because it was her wish

A Coyote Columbus Story

While living alone on the land, Indigenous peoples did want they wanted to and made their own rules

“Some of them go fishing. Some of them go shopping.” “movie”, “vacation” (King 124)

Indians can’t deny not going with Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus represents himself as superior to them

“Christopher Columbus sold the Indians, I says, and that one become rich and famous” (King 128)

The Indians are used for Columbus’ own benefit

Totem

The museum wanted to get government assistance to remove the totem poles

The totems couldn’t make the choices for themselves

“If we can’t solve it, we may have to get some government assistance” (King 17)

When the totems did as they wish, they were stopped

Canadians have to follow the rules set by the government

Indigenous peoples follow self-government meaning they make their own rules

They live on reserves

Borders

Indigenous peoples have to right to self-government but the mother could not make that choice

The mother did not the chance to freely express herself

She couldn’t make her own choices and had to make a choice between something she knew she was not a part of

“Citizenship? Blackfoot” (King 141)

A seat in the garden

The Indians have the choice to do whatever they want, and they don’t have to follow what Joe and Red are telling them to do

“He says he would like it if you would build him a…a…bench right about…here.” (King 93)

The Indians used trickery to make Joe and Red build a bench for them

Joe the Painter and the Deer Island Massacre

Indians can’t freely express themselves

They were doing a play that represents history

The audience didn’t clap at first and the mayor called it inappropriate

“The mayor didn’t like it [pageant]” (King 120)

They can’t make the choice for themselves and have to listen to what the mayor says, even if it’s wrong

Indian Singing in 20th Century America

Talk about how Indigenous peoples balance two different lives

There is one where they have full control over, can do as they wish, and no one can stop them

“we dance in two worlds, inevitable as seasons in one, exotic curiosities in the other” (Tremblay 8, 9, 10)

Stereotypes

A Coyote Columbus Story

Christopher Columbus found American and Indians

“That is the one who found America. That is the one who found Indians” (King 123)

America and Indians were always and “were never lost” (King 129)

European never found this land, but rather they stole it and call it theirs

Christopher Columbus is a hero

He used Indigenous peoples for his own benefit

He stole land and called it his

Magpies

A person is either cremated or buried

“In that cottonwood at Heavyshield’s cabin.” (King 24)

When someone dies, they are either cremated or buried, but the granny asks to be placed in the cottonwood at the heavyshield cabin on the tree when she dies.

A Seat in the Garden

“The old winos?” (King 89)

Joe refers to Indians as a homeless person who drinks wine or other alcoholic beverages

“The drunks?” (King 89)

Joe thinks the Indians are always drunk

“The guy speaks English.” (King 89)

Joe assumed that the Indians can’t speak English and that they can only speak their native language

He thought they were foolish and didn’t know how to speak English

“Lemon water,” said the third Indian. “My wife makes it without any sugar so it’s not as sweet as most people like.” (King 90)

“How can you guys drink that stuff?” said Joe (King 90)

He thought they only drink beer or other alcoholic beverages.

Thinks how Indians can drink lemon water without sugar.

“You guys blind? He’s behind you.” (King 93)

Calling them blind because the Indians stood together facing the beets instead of checking what the ‘spirit’ wants.

Totem

The totems are found to be annoying

The management wanted to get rid of the totems as they were found to be annoying

They cut the totem poles down and tried to ignore them

Indigenous peoples did what they were meant to do and still they were treated that way and seen as horrible people

Walter said that there are no totem in the entire museum

“Walter assured her that there wasn’t a totem pole in the entire place” (King 13)

They were sure that no totem poles can be there and when they were found, the museum management was surprised

The totems are Indigenous peoples who have been living on this land

Many people think that these totem poles or Indigenous peoples aren’t here, but in reality they are everywhere

They say that the totem is a mistake

I’m sure it’s all a mistake” (King 14)

The people call the totem poles a mistake as if they weren’t supposed to be there

The totem poles were always there

They were connected to the land

There are many stereotypes associated with the Indigenous culture that are strongly false and way far from the truth

These stereotypes are written in books and even taught in schools

Borders

You can either be Canadian or American

“But you have to be Candian or American” (King 141)

Indigenous people are not limited to only Canadian or American

They have many cultures within Indigenous communities that should be accepted

All Indigenous peoples know each other

The guard assumed that the mother who is Blackfoot would know another person who is also Blackfoot

“I have a friend I went to school with who is Blackfoot. Do you know Mike Harley?” (King 140)

All the bad things were found on the American side and good things were found on Canadaian side

The kid thought the bad things that were abrupt were only found on the American side

Only good things are found on the Canadian side such as sweetgrass

Joe the Painter and the Deer Island Massacre

All Indians look the same way

“Your Indians don’t look like Indians” (King 112)

It follows a stereotype that all Indians look a certain way and all the same

They have the same hair and clothes

This is incorrect because not everyone from the same culture looks the same

The pageant is a periodic play, meaning people have changed

Indians can only have long hair

“No one’s going to believe that Indians in 1863 had crew cuts. They got to have long hair with braids” (King 112)

Joe thinks that Indians can only have long hair with braids

Wrong because everyone has their own way of expressing themselves

People grow and change their way of dressing and a lot of that can come from pressure

Joe called his friend “Chief” (King 102)

“Howdy Chief” (King 102)

“Joe was the only one in town called me Chief” “I wasn’t a chief and Joe knew it but he didn’t smile when he said it” (King 102)

Chief’s family was surprised to hear this at first

“Everyone sort of looked around casual-like and skinnied their necks to see who Joe was talking about” (King 110)

Joe called him Chief due to the sole fact that he was Indigenous

Not every Indigenous person is a chief or called by that name

Colonialism

Taking control over a country

Changing the country according to one’s will

A country that already belongs to someone

Residential Schools

Children were taken from their homes

Was to remove and isolate children

These schools were introduced by the canadian government and Christian Churches

Sixties Scoop

Government changed welfare laws

Remove children from their families

Covert Indigenous children into Christians

Magpies

Granny and her family were put on reserves

Her body could not be put in a tree according to Indigenous traditions

They wanted Ambrose to set the body according to Christian beliefs

Borders

Colonizers neglected all Indigenous cultures

Indigenous peoples could only choose Canadian or American although that’s not how they identify themselves

Stone Mother

“colonialism has always been about them not seeing us as human but as object, a thing” (Winder 36, 37)

Indigenous peoples were never treated the right way, rather they were less superior and not even human

They were taken advantage of for the colonizers own good

“Our land was stolen” (Winder 39)

Shows genocide and assimilation

Significant people

Significant people

Government

Members of the government played a huge role in residential schools

Justin Pierre James Trudeau

Current Prime Minister of Canada

Made several apologies to Indigenous families over the years

John A. Macdonald

Adopted the residential school system

Catholic church members

Leader of residential schools

Egerton Ryerson

Played a role in residential schools

Chief Tecumseh

Chief and warrior who fought in the war of 1812

Louis Riel

Founder of Manitoba and leader of the Métis people

Satire

Satire can be related with Europeans and Indigenous peoples in many ways

The Europeans can be the ones committing the crimes but the blame is on the Indigenous peoples

Totem

The museum directors call the totem a problem when the totems are only doing what they have to

The totem poles are a great representation and extraordinary way to show history

The museum members are trying to get rid of the totems and the history

The museum is creating the problem by removing the totems from where they belong

In that sense the totems aren’t the problem, the museum members are

“I think the museum should do something about the problem” (King 14)

Coyote

Christopher Coloumbus “found America” and “found Indians” (King 123)

How can one find something that isn’t lost?

Christopher Columbus wanted this land, but did not find it

All these facts were written in a book

“I read it in a book” (King 123)

The facts written in this book and many other history books are untrue

Joe the Painter and the Deer Island Massacre

Mayor calls the play inappropriate whereas their reaction is inappropriate

The mayor tells Joe that is was inappropriate and he “didn’t like it” (King 120)

The play only showed history and what happened in the past

“You can’t muck around with history. It ain’t always the way we’d like it to be but there is it. Can’t change it.” (King 108)

The audience’s and mayor’s reaction to it was inappropriate as they didn’t clap or appreciate the play

The Chief asked the same question over and over again

“Chief, you hard of hearing … we been talking about Portuguese fishermen? Course I mean Indians” (King 106)

The fact that he used sarcasm because the Chief asked an unintelligent question

It created a light mood for the reader

There is also some humour

Borders

The government has accepted the many Indienous cultures but still doesn’t accept them as a nationality

“Citizenship? Blackfoot, my mother repeated” (King 137)

Indigenous peoples were first on this land and their own culture isn’t being accepted

When the news became viral and everyone knew that’s when they accepted Blackfoot as a answer and opened up the borders

A seat in the garden

“The old winos?” (King 89)

“The drunks?” (King 89)

Joe called the Indians drunk when he was the one drinking

Magpies

“Granny falls and hurts her leg. So, that leg is pink. Then it looks blue. Another time it is black. Yellow for a long time. That leg. Granny’s leg.” (King 21)

Granny talks about dying when she looks at her leg and sees a yellow bruise.

If you have a yellow bruise that doesn’t mean you’re dying