Overview of Different Indigenous Cultures in Canada
There are three broad categories of Indigenous People in Canada: Inuit, First Nations, and Métis.
Inuit: Approximately 70,545 Inuit live in Canada. While the Inuit population is the smallest of the three Indigenous Peoples, they live spread across the largest land mass. The Inuit are the people of the north, whose culture revolves around the long dark winters and the short bright summers. Nunatsiavut (Labrador), Nunavik (Quebec), Nunavut and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region of the Northwest Territories are the four main regions.
About 69% of the Inuit population lives in 53 Inuit communities or “Inuit Nunangat,” which means “the place where Inuit live.” Inuktituk is spoken throughout the 53 communities. Many Inuit also live in urban areas of Canada.
Inuit art is world-renowned and an important part of Inuit culture and economy. Take every opportunity you can to see the incredible work by Inuit artists. For example, look for the stylized owls of Kenojuak Ashevak, prints by Tivi Etok, sculpture by Gilbert Hay, and colourful illustrations by Agnes Nanogak Goose, to name a very of many.
First Nations: Canada is home to more than 600 First Nations communities representing more than 50 Nations and speaking more than 50 languages. The history of the First Nations is thousands of years old. The term “First Nations” was introduced in 1980 to replace “Indian,” which was both incorrect and considered offensive. The term Native American has never been common in Canada.
In terms of culture, while there are some similarities among the traditions, practices and beliefs of some First Nations, it would be a gross generalization to say much more than that. Better is to consider each First Nation unique in terms of culture and tradition and learn about each one as a new experience.
Of particular interest may be the creation stories, or the knowledge about nature and the place humans have in it, or the way in which learnings are passed from one generation to the next. Learn about the art and discover the motifs and styles that identify a piece as belonging to — or detracting from — a particular tradition. First Nations medicines and natural curatives are fascinating and may well change your perspective on well-being.
While each First Nation can become a life’s study, there is much to discover even on a vacation.
Métis: In 2021, 624,220 Métis were living in Canada, an increase of 6.3% from 2016. By definition, a Métis is someone whose ancestry is mixed First Nations and European, mainly French but also British. In fact, when “New France” ceded to Great Britain in 1763, French Métis and Anglo Métis became important distinctions for a time.
The Métis can often trace their roots to the early days of the fur trade. The women in the unions in eastern Canada were usually Algonquin and Ojibwe, and in Western Canada, they were Saulteaux, Cree, Ojibwe, Nakoda and Dakota/Lakota or a mix. A distinct culture developed, in part dependent on the European country of descent, which also influenced the language.
While Métis live across Canada now, the “homeland” is the Prairies and parts of Northwestern Ontario and British Columbia.
Coast Salish People and Their Traditions
The traditional territory of the Coast Salish People includes parts of British Columbia, notably southern Vancouver Island (Victoria) and Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, as well as Washington and Oregon in the United States. It is an especially large group with numerous Nations and many distinct cultures, customs and languages.
Traditionally, the Coast Salish People were deeply connected to nature with lifestyles and activities revolving around the seasons. Because of their proximity to water, they relied heavily on fishing, especially salmon. You will see salmon depicted often in Coast Salish art. They developed land management practices to ensure their food security and used dozens of different plants for food, medicine and supplies, such as baskets, matts and twine. Longhouses are an example of Coast Salish architecture. These beautiful structures were sometimes designed to house more than 40 people.
First contact with Europeans dates to 1791, when Spanish explorers sailed the Strait of Georgia. In 1808, Simon Fraser arrived via Fraser Canyon. Fort Vancouver was established in 1824. European contact and trade increased as more forts were built to accommodate fur traders. Treaty negotiations began in the 1850s. These treaties continue to have negative effects on the Coast Salish People.
“Unceded” is an important term when discussing treaties in British Columbia. In effect, it means the First Nations never agreed to or signed the treaty giving their land to the Canadian government. As much as 95% of British Columbia, including the city of Vancouver, is unceded traditional First Nations territory. Despite not having anything even resembling an agreement, the colonists took over. First Nations people were moved to out-of-the way areas, completely disrupting their way of life, cultural practices and often their means of survival.
Coast Salish lands, which extended into coastal US, were further divided by the US-Canada border. In fact, it is believed that the Coast Salish are the most displaced of all the First Nations.
Among the many tragic effects of colonization, smallpox epidemics stand out. In some cases, entire communities were lost to the disease. In 1862, a smallpox epidemic started in Victoria and spread quickly. Police forced First Nations living in encampments near the city for work to return to their communities, a decision considered by some to be an act of genocide.
European response to Potlatches is another example of the negative effects of colonization. A Potlatch is a very special Coast Salish cultural practice. Potlatches were elaborate events, replete with regalia, feasts, dancing, singing and ceremonies. Territories, names and ranks were established, and marriages, births and funerals were celebrated. Wealth was displayed, possessions were destroyed to demonstrate prestige, land was redistributed, and gifts were given — in fact, the word Potlatch is derived from a word meaning “gift.”
However, European society, particularly missionaries and government officials, disapproved of Potlatches, considering them anti-christian and wasteful. Furthermore, the ceremonies involved the distribution of land — and First Nations land had all been taken. Consequently, Potlatch regalia was confiscated, and Potlatches were banned by the federal government from 1884 to 1951. While some communities hold Potlatches now, they are small events compared to the grand celebrations of the past.
