indigenous studies concept

Ceded vs. Unceded Land

• Ceded land: Land that Indigenous nations have formally surrendered through treaties, often under coercion or unequal terms.

• Unceded land: Land that was never surrendered or legally transferred; Indigenous people maintain that they hold original title.

Settler Colonialism/Colonization

• A structure, not just a historical event, where settlers come to stay and assert sovereignty over Indigenous lands, often erasing Indigenous presence, culture, and rights.

Restorative Justice

A justice approach that focuses on repairing harm through inclusive processes involving victims, offenders, and the community—often aligned with Indigenous legal traditions.

Reserves

Parcels of land set aside by the government for Indigenous peoples, often as a result of treaties or displacement. These lands are held in trust and are under federal jurisdiction in Canada

Genocide

• The deliberate and systematic destruction of a group, including cultural genocide. Canada's treatment of Indigenous peoples has been recognized as genocide by the TRC and the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

Gladue Reports

• Pre-sentencing or bail hearing reports in Canada that provide a judge with information about an Indigenous person's background to address over-incarceration and consider restorative alternatives.

Blood Quantum

A colonial concept used to determine Indigenous identity based on the “amount” of Indigenous ancestry, often used to limit rights or recognition.

Bills C-31

• (1985): Amended the Indian Act to allow women and their children to regain status lost through marriage to non-status men.

Bill C-3

• Bill C-3 (2011): Addressed gender discrimination in the Indian Act regarding registration and status.

Structural Inequality

Systemic disadvantages that affect Indigenous peoples through policies, institutions, and social systems (e.g., education, healthcare, housing).

UNDRIP (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples)

A global human rights instrument affirming Indigenous peoples' rights to self-determination, land, culture, language, and governance.

The White Paper (1969)

A Canadian government policy proposal aiming to assimilate Indigenous peoples by eliminating Indian status and treaties. It was met with strong opposition and led to renewed Indigenous activism.

Status vs. Membership

• Status: Legal recognition under the Indian Act.

• Membership: Belonging to a First Nation or community, which may differ from federal recognition and be defined by the community itself.

Intergenerational Trauma

The transmission of historical oppression and its negative effects (e.g., from residential schools) across generations within Indigenous communities.

Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC)

• A principle that Indigenous peoples must give consent to projects affecting their lands/resources, without coercion, and with full information before it happens.

Wampum Belts (esp. Two Row Wampum)

Traditional beaded belts used to record agreements and treaties. The Two Row Wampum represents a relationship of mutual respect and non-interference between Indigenous and settler nations.

Indigenous Agency, Food Sovereignty, and Futurity

• Indigenous agency: The power of Indigenous peoples to make their own decisions and shape their futures.

• Food sovereignty: The right to culturally appropriate and sustainable food systems.

• Futurity: Envisioning futures where Indigenous communities thrive on their own terms.

Cultural Revitalization and Decolonization

• Cultural revitalization: Efforts to reclaim and strengthen Indigenous languages, traditions, and ways of life.

• Decolonization: Dismantling colonial systems and supporting Indigenous sovereignty and resurgence.

Specific vs. Comprehensive Land Claims

• Address breaches of existing treaties.

• Deal with unceded lands where no treaties exist, often negotiated as modern treaties.

Cultural Appropriation vs. Cultural Appreciation

• Appropriation: Taking elements of a culture (especially marginalized ones) without permission or respect.

• Appreciation: Respectfully learning about and supporting a culture with consent and understanding.

Allyship with Indigenous Peoples

Ongoing, active support for Indigenous rights and sovereignty, guided by listening, accountability, and action—not performative gestures.

Indigenous Analogies and Creation Stories

These stories carry deep knowledge about relationships, land, values, and identity. They shape worldviews and teach law and ethics.

Settler Moves to Innocence

Actions settlers take to alleviate guilt without challenging colonial systems (e.g., tokenism, performative allyship).

Myth of Progress (Linear vs. Relational/Circular Time)

• Linear time: Western notion of constant advancement.

• Relational/Circular time: Indigenous worldview of interconnected cycles, balance, and relationship with all beings.

Renewed Federalism and Indigenous Nationalism

• Renewed federalism: Proposals to include Indigenous nations as equal partners in Canada’s federal structure.

• Indigenous nationalism: Asserts Indigenous peoples as distinct nations with rights to self-determination and governance.

Modern Treaties, Self-Government Agreements, and Surrenders

• Modern treaties: Comprehensive land claim agreements.

• Self-government agreements: Allow Indigenous communities to govern themselves in key areas.

• Surrenders: Often coerced ceding of land or rights under colonial pressure.

Doctrine of Discovery and Terra Nullius

• Doctrine of Discovery: A legal and religious framework used by colonizers to claim lands not inhabited by Christians.

• Terra Nullius: "Nobody's land"—used to justify colonial occupation, ignoring Indigenous presence.

Nunavut, Sovereignty, and Self-Determination

• Nunavut: A territory established in 1999 for the Inuit with its own government.

• Sovereignty: The right to self-rule.

• Self-determination: The ability of Indigenous peoples to choose their political, economic, and cultural paths.

Protection, Assimilation, and Civilization

• Colonial strategies used under the guise of helping Indigenous peoples:

  • Justifying control “for their own good.”

  • Erasing Indigenous identities.

  • Imposing Western norms and institutions.