Tag Archives: Indigenous History

The Continuing Relevance of Museums in Canada

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Group of young university students handle archeological materials in classroom setting.

This summer, the Government of Canada helped to promote visits to museums through the Canada Strong pass. While initially focused on seven of the country’s nine national museums, other provinces and territories also opted to offer reduced and free admission. Ultimately, 87 museums across the country were part of the initiative, and early data indicates that it helped to boost attendanc. While the removal of admission fees increases accessibility, and – in turn – public enjoyment and appreciation of museums, the reality is that museums across the country are suffering from a lack of resources. To be effective stewards of the cultural heritage that they care for, museums need adequate financial support.

On the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation

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Ten years ago, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) issued its final report on the history of residential schools in Canada. Mandated to “inform all Canadians about what happened in residential schools”, the “TRC documented the truth of Survivors, their families, communities and anyone personally affected by the residential school experience.” It found that residential schools were part of a… Read more »

Fort McKay Métis Nation – What’s Old is News

By Sean Graham This week I talk with Peter Fortna, author of The Fort McKay Métis Nation: A Community History. We talk about the origins of the Nation, which is located in northeastern Alberta, the community connections between the Métis and First Nation, and how colonial government structures have influenced community relationships. We also discuss the role of resources and… Read more »

Lessons from the Past: How Mark Carney and the Liberals Can Tackle Housing Challenges in First Nations with a Renewed Focus on Building Homes and Reconciliation

A black-and-white copy of a house blueprint. It is a modest one-and-a-half story home with a little porch. The cladding is labeled "1X8 rustic". The roof is labeled "shingles". A feature on the roof is labeled "ventilator." The whole image is labeled "perspective view."

The Indigenous and Northern Housing plan within Canada’s current National Housing Strategy is a good start, but it does not go nearly far enough to meet the long-standing housing needs of First Nations communities. With the new Liberal platform prioritizing the rapid development of affordable and sustainable homes, Prime Minister Mark Carney has a chance to begin remedying some of the historical and ongoing injustices that First Nations peoples encounter regarding housing on reserves. This can be accomplished by integrating the AFN’s proposal into the National Housing Strategy, providing a streamlined process for First Nations to benefit, and working directly with First Nations to meet the specific needs of each community, steering clear of the paternalistic dynamics that have largely fueled the housing crisis experienced by First Nations communities throughout Canada.

Alaska, Indigenous Resilience, & the Second World War – What’s Old is News

https://media.rss.com/whatsoldisnews/2024_11_07_05_07_53_be7eb30e-8d63-44a2-b2fd-af0c4d6025b5.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadBy Sean Graham This week, I talk with Holly Miowak Guise, author of Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from World War II. We talk about the lived memory of the Second World War in Alaska, the American occupation of Alaska, and the diversity of the local population. We also discuss local community responses to the… Read more »

ActiveHistory.ca repost – The Northwest Territories and the Manhattan Project

ActiveHistory.ca is slowing down our publication schedule this summer, but we’ll be back with more new posts in September. In the meantime, we’re featuring posts from our archive. Thanks as always to our writers and readers! The following post was originally featured on December 22, 2022. As the film Oppenheimer hits the big screen and renews discussion of Canada’s role… Read more »

The Evolution of Game Law Impacting First Nations Hunters in Northwestern Ontario

Painting of two people dragging a moose through the snow.

Jennifer Bate Indigenous peoples have used their deep-rooted understanding of the land and wildlife to feed their families and communities for generations. However, by the end of the 19th century, First Nations communities in Northwestern Ontario found their traditional way of life threatened by encroaching settlement and new government-imposed hunting legislation. Although early game laws contained clauses exempting First Nations… Read more »

Should non-Indigenous scholars learn Indigenous languages? What it’s been like learning Kanyen’kéha as a settler historian

Photo of a blonde woman in a green sweater holding three books. The book at the front of the stack is titled "Kanyen'keha Tewatati (Let's Speak Mohawk)."

Elizabeth McKenzie A few weeks back, I was presenting at a conference in Niagara Falls on some of my research that looks at the Haudenosaunee Confederacy’s longstanding, continual sovereignty, and the failure of the League of Nations in 1924 to uphold the rights of the traditional governing council in the wake of a Canadian military coup at Six Nations of… Read more »

History Slam 205: Asiniskaw Ithiniwak Storytelling & The Gift of the Little People

https://activehistory.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/History-Slam-205.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadBy Sean Graham As a child, William Dumas’ father told him the story of European fur traders arriving on what is now commonly referred to as Hudson Bay. The encounter between the Asiniskaw Ithiniwak (Rocky Cree) people and the Europeans resulted in an endemic, greatly reducing the local population. In telling the story, Dumas’… Read more »

History Slam 192: Challenging Sex Discrimination in the Indian Act

https://activehistory.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/History-Slam-192.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadBy Sean Graham In 1994, Lynn Gehl applied for registration as an ‘Indian’ with the federal government. Unable to provide evidence as to the identity of her paternal grandfather, meant that, under the terms of the Indian Act, she was not entitled to registration, despite her paternal grandmother having status. What followed was a… Read more »