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Aboriginal communities in Canada - Coggle Diagram
Aboriginal communities in Canada
The First Nations Métis and Inuit, the original inhabitants of the land that is now Canada, severely threatened and in some cases extinguished by colonial forces, indigenous culture, language and social systems have shaped Canada's development and continue to grow and prosper despite extreme adversity.
Who are Indigenous Peoples in Canada?
The Inuit live in the northern regions of Canada, the Métis have mixed European and indigenous ancestry and live mainly in the Prairie and Ontario provinces, and the First Nations are the original inhabitants of the land that is now Canada and occupied territories south of the Arctic..
The Indian Act is the main law governing Indian affairs in Canada and divides Indian peoples into two categories: status Indians and non-status Indians. Status Indians are registered with the Indian Registry and receive identification cards containing information about their identity and registration number, while non-status Indians are not registered with the federal government.
All indigenous peoples in Canada are protected by Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, which guarantees their rights.
Many Indigenous nations have signed treaties with the government of Canada, which allow the use of Indigenous lands in exchange for annual payments or other benefits. These treaties are the basis of the partnership between Indigenous peoples and Canada, both from a constitutional and moral perspective.
History
Indigenous peoples have a long history in Canada.
Colonization and white settlement altered their traditional ways of life.
Colonial policies, such as the Indian Act and boarding schools, attempted to control and assimilate the Indians.
These practices and policies have had historical and continuing consequences on indigenous generations.
Racism, loss of land and lack of access to resources and services have affected the health and well-being of indigenous people.
The reports of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women highlight the ongoing reconciliation work.
Demographics
As of the 2021 census, there were 1,807,250 Indigenous people in Canada, representing 5% of the population.
The First Nations population was 1,048,405, Métis numbered 624,220 and Inuit numbered 70,545.
The indigenous population has experienced steady growth, being 42.5% higher between 2006 and 2016, and 9.4% higher between 2016 and 2021.
The indigenous population is projected to grow to more than 2.5 million in the next 20 years.
First Nations communities, both on and off reserve, have experienced population growth.
Métis are more likely to live in urban areas, with nearly two-thirds of the population residing in cities.
The majority of the Inuit population lives in Inuit Nunangat, a region in the Arctic that encompasses land, water and ice.
Regional and Cultural Diversity
Canada's indigenous peoples are divided into 10 cultural areas, the first six of which are located within the country.
Political boundaries do not reflect traditional lands and some indigenous peoples extend beyond borders.
These cultural areas are based on linguistic divisions established by Edward Sapir in 1910.
Cultural areas do not represent distinct cultures, but rather geographical and cultural groupings that can be mixed.
Contemporary indigenous peoples may live far from their ancestral lands and form new communities in urban areas.
Each cultural area has variations and should not be generalized to all indigenous peoples.
Research on these cultural areas was often conducted by non-indigenous people and the colonial context in which it was conducted must be considered.
Despite this, the research remains valuable as a historical tool.
Canadian Culture
Honesty
Tolerance
Fairness
Unity in diversity
Modesty
Informality
Sensitivity