Indigenous people are referred to as Natives, the first people of a colonized place or a place settled by another group of a different race/ethnicity. Natives are the inheritors and practitioners of unique cultures and ways of relating to people and the environment. They have retained social, cultural, economic, and political characteristics that are distinct from those of the dominant societies in which they live.
In Canada, indigenous people have been existing since time immemorial. They were the original inhabitants of the land that is now known as Canada. The Canadian census of 2016 by Statistics Canada states that more than 1.6 million people in Canada are indigenous; this is 4.9 percent of the national population. Though severely threatened — and in certain cases extinguished — by colonial forces, Indigenous culture, language, and social systems have shaped the development of Canada and continue to thrive despite extreme adversity.
Canada is home to three categories of indigenous people:
Inuit - they inhabit the northern region of Canada.
Métis - they occupy the prairie provinces and Ontario.
First nations - they were the original inhabitants of the land of Canada, often occupying territories south of the Arctic.
Over the past half-century, Canada has taken initiative to include more Indigenous people in its system. There has been a rise in Indigenous organization, constitutional recognition of Aboriginal peoples and rights, new treaties and respect for Indigenous oversight of economic development within their homelands, and important legal decisions in the country’s highest courts.
Despite Canada’s attempt at inclusivity, Indigenous people have suffered a long history of prejudice and discrimination. Upon excavation in the ruins of a residential school for indigenous groups in Canada, 700 children’s bodies were found.
Chief Bobby Cameron of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous First Nations said that he expects more graves will be found on residential school grounds across Canada.
"This was a crime against humanity, an assault on First Nations," he said. "We will not stop until we find all the bodies."
The bodies were discovered at the Marieval Indian Residential School, which operated from 1899 to 1997
How is the Canadian government helping the indigenous people?
In 2020 the Prime Minister of Canada announced a fund of 200 million dollars to provide support to the communities of indigenous people. $120.7 million to help Indigenous early learning and child care facilities safely operate during the pandemic. $59 million for First Nations to adapt to their own reserve community infrastructure. $25.9 million to provide immediate support to Indigenous post-secondary institutions in 2020-21.
On March 18, 2020, the Government of Canada announced $305 million for a new, distinctions-based Indigenous Community Support Fund (ICSF) through its COVID-19 Economic Response Plan to address immediate needs in First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities.
Indigenous peoples across Canada can also go to The Hope for Wellness Help Line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for counseling and crisis intervention.
What can we do to help the indigenous people?
Apply laws to protect the land rights of the indigenous people.
Educate people about the history of the indigenous people.
Hold Canada accountable for their past crimes against Indigenous communities. Their history and suffering should not be forgotten.
Don't speak over their voices. Listen patiently when they speak.
Support Indigenous artists, business owners, journalists, and community organizers.
In these harsh times due to the pandemic and an internal crisis of the genocide of 500+ indigenous people in Canada, all we can do is educate ourselves and others around us, hear them out, support their initiatives and donate when possible.
Written by Prapthi Manjunath
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