The Indigenous Peoples of Canada

Indigenous

:produced, growing, living, or occurring naturally in a particular region or environment (Merriam-Webster)

“Indigenous” is a term used in language to describe an original inhabitant of land. Within Canada, it encompasses the First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples (Parrott & Filice, 2007). The distinct categories of Indigenous peoples share many commonalities but their differences range from culture to location, making each group unique. The First Nations peoples are classified as those who inhabited the regions of North America below the Arctic (the far northern areas of Canada). The First Nations peoples were with whom the European settlers first interacted upon arrival in North America. Those who resided in Arctic regions are referred to as the Inuit, while the Métis are distinguished by their mix of First Nations and European lineage.

Indigenous children dressed in Powwow regalia. Powwows are discussed under Culture.

Within the categories of the First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples are subcategories that differentiate different ethnic groups. Each ethnic group comprises of characteristics that can vastly differ from region to region. For example, First Nations peoples in Canada comprise of 634 distinct communities and over 50 languages (Gadacz & Parrott, 2006). This website is a useful visual aid that highlights the interplay between various territories, languages and treaties.

2011: A Pie-Chart depicting populations based on identity

The Indian Act

The Indian Act, introduced in 1876, is a Canadian act of Parliament that further divides all Indigenous peoples into Status or Non-Status Indians. It is important to note that these labels are unlike categorization, which is mainly used to differentiate groups based on regions or cultures. The categories of Status and Non-Status are used to determine a registration status with the federal government that “officially” validates their identity. Possessing Indian status, according to the Government of Canada (2018) website, one “may be eligible for a range of benefits, rights, programs and services offered by the federal and provincial or territorial governments.” Several of these rights do not pertain to non-status individuals, making this a highly controversial issue.