20 Jan The idea of living in two wo

BC FIRST NATIONS GRADE 11

In this section you read that aboriginal people in Canada have begun “redefining themselves on their own terms.” For this assignment, you will explore what that means.

You will be writing a monologue spoken by a character who you will create. The monologue will begin roughly as follows:

As a Canadian aboriginal, I am equally defined by my past, present and future. Let me explain.

Begin by writing some notes.

Is your character First Nations, Inuit or Metis?
What can you tell us about your character’s family background?
From which traditional territory in BC does your character originate? Where does he or she live now?
What can you tell us about your character’s cultural background? Which traditional practices do they still take part in? Is there anything that they would like to know more about?
In your monologue, you will have to make reference to the following:

Indian Act
Indian Status
Reservation
Indian Band
You will need to hand in your notes as well as your monologue. You can complete this as a written monologue or an audio recording. You may be able to read this to your teacher in person – ask if that is possible.

TEXT ON SUBJECT ___ MUST READ

Aboriginal people today sometimes say that they walk in two worlds—the modern, multicultural world of Canadian society, and the traditional world and culture of their Aboriginal ancestry. How did this dual identity come about? What might it feel like to be a part of two very different cultures?

The idea of living in two worlds expresses the significant effect of colonialism on contemporary Aboriginal people. Many aspects of the traditional pre-contact lifestyle have changed, yet Aboriginal people still maintain a unique culture and world view. This section discusses the way contemporary Aboriginal identity has been shaped by colonial policies, and the ways in which Aboriginal people are redefining their identities on their own terms.