1. The Effects of Colonization on First Nations
A Social Science Perspective

2. First Nations People are also known as:
- Indigenous People
- Aboriginal People
- Native People
- First Nations do refer to themselves as Indians due to language still embedded in historical documents

3. The term, “Indian” was introduced by Christopher Columbus who landed in North American and thought he had landed in India
Europeans did not realize that the continents of
North and South America existed

4. Health Before Contact
First Nation People were among the healthiest people on earth prior to contact
The Cheyenne, who inhabited the Great Plains
were the tallest people on earth
- Women averaged 5’ 10”
- Men averaged 6’ 2”
Diseases were non existent
- When First Nations migrated over the Bering Land Bridge during the last ice age (10,000 years ago), viruses and many bacteria were “frozen” and died

5. First Contact
First contact between Europeans and First Nations had devastating consequences
Many of the consequences still affect First Nation people today

6. Consequences Europeans viewed First Nations through ethnocentric eyes
- referred to them as “savages”
- the term, “savage” denotes inferiority
ethnocentric evolutionism
- assumes they are somehow
inferior or not as ‘developed’
as Europeans because they did
not use the same technology

7. European diseases decimated First Nation populations
- up to 90% of some communities were
wiped out
- elderly and children were more
susceptible
- elderly are vessels of cultural
knowledge

8. Traditional hunting and gathering routes
(trade routes) were interrupted
- guns were exchanged for
furs
- guns proved to be less effective
when hunting
* the sound scares away game
- traditional exchange of food resources
between tribes interrupted
- food became limited

9. Natural resources were quickly depleted
- species (ie: beaver) became
endangered
- forests were razed and sent
overseas
- waterways were polluted from
mining and forestry

10. 5. Native Religions were destroyed by Europeans, who were Christians
- undermined First Nation belief
systems
- desecrated sacred sites
- cultural creation myths containing
morals and values were destroyed
- power taken away from female
religious leaders in tribes

11. Social structure (hierarchy) challenged
- loss of elderly due to disease left
a leadership void
- female political power disregarded
- breakdown of authority of leaders

12. Alcohol and money undermined traditional practices
- addiction becomes a new
phenomena
- tobacco and grain alcohol had traditionally been used for ceremonial purposes
- traditional items are seen as inferior to European items

13. Reserves are given to First Nation People
- isolated - few employment
opportunities
- distance makes trading
difficult
- land is poor - soil is poor
- no valuable resources

14. First Nations people cannot own their own homes on reserves
- no collateral to use to start
a business
- no incentive to repair or invest in
their home
- buildings are built by government
contractors (lowest bidder)
- poorly built
- sub-standard materials

15. Patriarchal Government Policies
- policies of “parenting” the “savages”
- assimilation becomes the main goal
“Our objective is to continue until there is not a single Indian in Canada that has not been absorbed into the body politic and there is no Indian question, and no Indian department, that is the whole objective of this Bill.” Duncan Scott, Head of the Department of Indian Affairs,

16. Residential Schools
- government policy
- from 1920 to the late 1970’s it
becomes mandatory for all First
Nation children between the ages
of 7 and 15 to attend residential
schools
* Children are FORCIBLY taken from their homes for 10 months of the year!

17. Residential Schools
As early as 1620, Jesuit priests began educating First Nation people
By 1820, all Christian religions operated schools in Canada
The Federal government becomes involved in residential schools
1920 – Residential Schools become official government policy - law

18. Purpose of Residential Schools
Assimilation becomes the main goal of residential schools
If the First Nations are assimilated, then Canada becomes a homogeneous society

19. Effects of Residential Schools on First Nation Cultures
First Nation children were forcibly removed at age 7
Forbidden to speak Native languages
- when children returned home
after 10 months, difficult to
communicate with parents
Educated to be “civilized”
- practice European customs

20. 4. First Nation culture reinforced as “inferior”
Forced to adopt Christianity
Cultural practices forbidden
Physically punished, sexually abused
Forbidden the comfort of sibblings

21. Long separation from family (10 months)
- loss of culture, relationships
10. Traditional beliefs, skills and knowledge from one generation to the next is loss

22. First Nations Today
The residential school system and colonization impacts are still very visible today
An estimated 100,000 First Nations People alive today were in the residential schools
The trauma has been intergenerational

23. Results of Colonization and Residential Schools Today
A suicide rate that is 6 times the national average
An addiction rate is 3 times the national average
Diabetes is 3 times the national average
Domestic and sexual abuse is 3 to 6 times higher than national statistics
41% of aboriginal children under 14, live in poverty

24. The birth rate is 6 times the national average
- by 2050, First Nation people will
account for 10% of the Canadian
population
50% of First Nation people speak their language
40% of First Nation people live on reserves