PMAL201: Thinking and Working Across Culture

Self reflection part 2

Student Name: Anjali Pareshkumar Trivedi

Student I’d: 239494050

Professor: Afa Javadova

 1. Where do the Cree People situate themselves?

The Cree, also known as nehiyawak, nihithaw, nehinaw, and

ininiw, are the most populous and widely distributed
Indigenous peoples in Canada. They occupy a vast territory
that spans from Alberta to Quebec in the Subarctic region, as
well as portions of the Plains region in Alberta and
Saskatchewan. Their geographic distribution is larger than
that of any other Indigenous group in Canada. The Cree
people closely relate to the Innu (Montagnais-Naskapi) and
Atikamekw in both culture and language. Additionally, many
Cree First Nations in western provinces have blended
populations of Ojibwa, Saulteaux, Assiniboine, Denesuline,
and others. The Oji-Cree of Manitoba and Ontario represent a
distinct group with mixed Cree and Ojibwa culture and
heritage. Furthermore, Métis people often descend from
Cree women and French-Canadian fur traders and voyageurs.

1. How many Nations create the Plains Nations?

The Plains cultural area in Canada encompasses several

unique Indigenous nations, including the Siksika, Cree,
Ojibwe (Saulteaux), Assiniboine (Nakota), and Dakota
(Sioux). These nations share a vast territory extending from
southern Manitoba to the Rocky Mountains, and from the
North Saskatchewan River south into Texas. The Plains
Indigenous peoples have rich histories, distinct languages,
and unique cultural practices. Additionally, intermarriage
between Plains Cree women and European newcomers gave
rise to the culturally distinct Metis people, who often
consider the Plains their physical, cultural, and political
home.
2. What Treaties are in Saskatchewan that intersects with the various
Nations?

The federal government and First Nations signed Treaties 2,

4, 5, 6, 8, and 10 between 1871 and 1906 in the area that is
now Saskatchewan. These treaties are significant
agreements that intersect with various Indigenous Nations.
A key component of these Treaties is the allocation of
reserve land to First Nations people. Additionally, it has
been formally recognized that 33 Saskatchewan First
Nations did not receive the amount of land promised under
the Treaties. To address this, the Saskatchewan Treaty Land
Entitlement Framework Agreement was established in
1992, aiming to fulfill outstanding Treaty land entitlements.
Subsequent agreements have been signed to address these
obligations, ensuring that First Nations receive the land they
were promised.

3. Who are the Inuit?

The Inuit, also known as Inuktitut for “the people”, are an

Indigenous people primarily inhabiting the northern regions
of Canada. Their homeland, known as Inuit Nunangat,
encompasses the land, water, and ice within the Arctic
region. In addition to Canada, Inuit communities exist in
Greenland, Alaska, and parts of Russia. The Inuit are
descendants of the Thule people, who emerged from the
Bering Strait and western Alaska around 1000 CE. They
spread eastward across the Arctic, adapting to the harsh
environment through their rich cultural heritage, language
(such as Inuktitut), and traditional practices. The Inuit’s close
relationship with the land, wildlife, and ice remains integral
to their identity and survival.
4. Where is the Inuit territory?

The Inuit, also known as Inuktitut for “the people”, are an

Indigenous people primarily inhabiting the northern regions of
Canada. Their homeland, known as Inuit Nunangat, encompasses
the land, water, and ice within the Arctic region. In addition to
Canada, Inuit communities exist in Greenland, Alaska, and parts of
Russia. The Inuit are descendants of the Thule people, who
emerged from the Bering Strait and western Alaska around 1000
CE. They spread eastward across the Arctic, adapting to the harsh
environment through their rich cultural heritage, language (such
as Inuktitut), and traditional practices. The Inuit’s close
relationship with the land, wildlife, and ice remains integral to
their identity and survival.

5. What did you learn about Inuit families in Angry Inuk?

In the documentary “Angry Inuk”, filmmaker Alethea Arnaquq-

Baril sheds light on the impact of anti-sealing campaigns on Inuit
communities. These communities have long relied on seal hunting
for their sustenance and cultural practices. Despite technical
exemptions, the economic value of seal products plummeted due
to the campaigns, threatening their way of life. The film highlights
the flawed thinking of anti-sealing campaigners and the
challenges of applying a Western lens to indigenous relationships
with the Arctic environment. It emphasizes that seal hunting is not
barbaric but rather a generations-old practice deeply rooted in
Inuit kinship with the land.

6. Who are the Maliseet People?

The Maliseet, also known as Wolastoqiyik, meaning “people of

the beautiful river” in their language, have long resided along the
Saint John River in New Brunswick and Maine, as well as the St.
 Lawrence River in Quebec. Historically, the Europeans referred to
the Wolastoqiyik by a Mi’kmaq word, Maliseet (or Malecite),
roughly translating to English as “broken talkers.” The name
indicates that, according to the Mi’kmaq, the Wolastoqiyik
language is a “broken” version of their own. Today, there are
Wolastoqiyik communities in Quebec, the Maritimes, and Maine.
In the 2016 census, 7635 people identified as having Wolastoqiyik
ancestry.

7. Who is the Beothuk?

The Beothuk, also known as Wolastoqiyik, were Indigenous

people of Newfoundland. Their population is uncertain due to
early contact. While some believe they are extinct, Mi’kmaq oral
tradition suggests Beothuk descendants live on in other
Indigenous communities. Archaeological evidence shows their
presence before European colonization. They were primarily
coastal, fishing, hunting seals, and birds. Distinctive Beothuk
artifacts include intricately decorated bone, antler, and ivory
pendants found in grave sites.

8. What do the East Coast Nations have in common?

The East Coast Nations in Canada share certain commonalities

despite their diverse languages, cultures, and histories. One of the
most striking parallels is their relationship to nature and their
dependence on the land and its resources for existence. Whether
along the rugged coastlines of the Atlantic provinces or the shores
of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, these Indigenous communities have
deep connections to their environment. Their traditional
practices, artistic expressions, and kinship with the land bind them
together, even as each nation maintains its unique identity.

9. How many West Coast Nations are there?

 The West Coast of Canada is home to several Indigenous nations,
collectively known as the Northwest Coast Indigenous Peoples.
These nations have rich cultural heritage and inhabit the coastal
regions of British Columbia. Some of the key West Coast Nations
include the Nuu-chah-nulth, Kwakwaka’wakw, Haida, Coast
Salish, and Haisla. Each of these nations has distinct languages,
traditions, and histories, contributing to the vibrant tapestry of
Indigenous cultures along the West Coast.

10. What do the West Coast Nations have in common?

The West Coast of Canada is home to several Indigenous nations,

collectively known as the Northwest Coast Indigenous Peoples.
These nations have rich cultural heritage and inhabit the coastal
regions of British Columbia. Some of the key West Coast Nations
include the Nuu-chah-nulth, Kwakwaka’wakw, Haida, Coast
Salish, and Haisla. Each of these nations has distinct languages,
traditions, and histories, contributing to the vibrant tapestry of
Indigenous cultures along the West Coast.

11. What is one thing you learned about their culture?

One fascinating aspect of West Coast Indigenous culture is their

intricate and symbolic artistry. From totem poles to cedar bark
weaving, their creative expressions are deeply rooted in spiritual
beliefs, family histories, and the natural world. Each design,
whether on a mask, a canoe, or a ceremonial regalia, carries
layers of meaning and connects generations. The vibrant colors,
animal motifs, and geometric patterns tell stories of ancestry,
transformation, and the interconnectedness of all living beings.

12. Who are the Métis People?

 The Métis are people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry,
recognized as one of the three Aboriginal peoples in Canada. The
term “Métis” has different historical and contemporary meanings.
It describes both communities of mixed European and Indigenous
descent across Canada and a specific community known as the
Métis Nation. The Métis Nation originated largely in Western
Canada, radiating from the Red River Settlement. Despite political
marginalization in the past, they are now recognized as an
Aboriginal people with rights enshrined in the Constitution of
Canada and clarified by Supreme Court decisions.

13. How was their culture created?

The Métis people are a post-contact Indigenous nation, born from

the unions of European fur traders and First Nations women in
the 18th century. These marriages gave rise to the Métis, who
formed a distinct culture, collective consciousness, and strong
Nationhood in the Northwest. Their blending of European and
Indigenous traditions created a unique and rich Métis culture,
evident in their music, dance, and artistic expressions.

14. What is the history of the Métis people?

The Métis people emerged in eastern Canada in the early 1600s

with the arrival of European explorers and their unions with
Indigenous women. One of the earliest Métis baptisms found was
for André Lasnier, born in 1620 in Port Latour, Nova Scotia, but
baptized in France in 1632. These mixed European-Indigenous
unions gave rise to the Métis, who formed a distinct culture,
collective consciousness, and strong Nationhood in the
Northwest. Their blending of European and Indigenous traditions
created a unique and rich Métis culture, evident in their music,
dance, and artistic expressions.
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