Indigenous Territory and the Cree Nation

Comprehensive practice flashcards reviewing the concepts of Indigenous territories, United Nations criteria, nations in Québec, Cree geography, political structure, historical treaties, and territorial development.

How is colonization defined in the context of North American history?

Colonization is the act of claiming, occupying, and exploiting a foreign territory, which occurred in North America beginning in the 16th century when Europeans settled lands ignoring the rights of Indigenous peoples.

What is the definition of an Indigenous person, and which three Indigenous groups are recognized by the Government of Canada?

An Indigenous person is someone born in the territory where they live whose ancestors were the original inhabitants before Europeans arrived. The Government of Canada recognizes three groups: First Nations, Inuit, and Métis.

What three criteria define an Indigenous territory?

1) A territory officially recognized by the government of a country; 2) A territory that is home to an Indigenous population; 3) A territory where Indigenous peoples have self-government, which comes with certain powers.

According to the United Nations (UN), what three conditions must a people meet to be considered Indigenous?

1) Have existed in the territory long before the arrival of the Europeans; 2) Have a deep attachment to the land of their ancestors and a distinct culture; 3) See themselves as different from the people controlling the territory.

What structure is shown in this image, and what was its original traditional purpose?

An inukshuk: a stone structure constructed in the shape of a human figure, used by the Inuit as a landmark, particularly when hunting (this specific monument stands before the Parliament Building in Québec City as a sign of friendship).

What is meant by the geographic concept of "nordicity"?

The lifestyle characteristics of people living in northern regions who must adapt to cold, snow, and isolation.

How many officially recognized Indigenous nations exist in Québec, and which major groups do they belong to?

There are $11$ officially recognized nations in Québec, belonging to the Inuit ($1$ nation) and the First Nations ($10$ nations divided into Algonquian and Iroquoian families).

Which nations in Québec belong to the Algonquian and Iroquoian linguistic families?

Algonquian family: Abenaki, Algonquin, Atikamekw, Cree, Malcite, Mi'kmaq, Innu, and Naskapi. Iroquoian family: Huron-Wendat and Mohawk.

How is a "nation" defined in modern usage?

A community of people inhabiting a territory that they govern, who generally share a common history and culture.

What share of global population and languages do Indigenous peoples represent?

Indigenous peoples make up $5\%$ of the world's population, and approximately $70\%$ of all languages spoken on Earth are Indigenous languages.

According to 2013 GITPA data, what is the continental distribution of the global Indigenous population?

Asia: $78\%$, Africa: $12\%$, North America: $5.6\%$, South America: $3.4\%$, Oceania: $0.9\%$, and Europe and Russia: $0.1\%$.

Which Indigenous territory in Québec is highlighted on this map, and what has it been officially called since 2014?

The Cree territory, located in the Nord-du Québec administrative region near James Bay and Hudson Bay; since 2014, it has been called Eeyou Istchee Baie-James.

What is the total area of Cree territory in Québec, and what countries have a comparable land area?

It covers $330\,000\,\text{km}^2$, representing nearly one-fifth of Québec's total area, which is equal to the area of Finland or Vietnam.

What are the primary rivers that make up the hydrography of the Cree territory?

Rupert (one of the largest rivers in Québec), Broadback, Nottaway, and La Grande.

What are the vegetation and climatic characteristics of the Cree territory?

Vegetation consists of boreal coniferous forest in the south and taiga (lichen) to the north. It features a cold continental climate where winter lasts from October to May with temperatures dropping as low as $-55^\circ\text{C}$.

When did European trade reach James Bay, and when did the Hudson's Bay Company gain control of the territory?

Europeans reached the James Bay region and began trading furs for manufactured goods by $1600$, and by $1670$ the territory fell under the control of the Hudson's Bay Company.

What was the Indian Act, and until what year were Indigenous people in Canada prevented from voting federally without losing status?

The Indian Act required Indigenous people to live on reserves with limited rights and barred them from owning land or voting. Indigenous people could not vote in federal elections without losing their status until $1960$.

What languages are taught in the Cree School Board curriculum?

Schools in the Cree School Board provide education in French, English, and Cree.

What airline was established by the Cree in 1982 to service northern communities?

Air Creebec, founded in $1982$ to offer flights to and from Eeyou Istchee Baie-James.

Why were the non-Indigenous towns of Chibougamau and Radisson settled in the Cree territory?

Chibougamau was settled in the 1950s to develop mineral resources, while Radisson was founded in the 1970s to house workers building hydroelectric facilities.

Under the land category system in Cree territory, who has the right to hunt, trap, and fish on Category I and Category II lands?

Hunting, trapping, and fishing can only be conducted by Indigenous people. Non-Indigenous individuals must obtain explicit permission from the band council.

What special regulation applies to Category III lands under the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement?

Category III is public land accessible to everyone for hunting and fishing, but only Indigenous peoples possess exclusive rights to trap and hunt fur-bearing animals.

What is the role of a local Cree Band council?

Elected by each community, the Band council oversees local administrative and community matters, including health care, education, and justice.

Why was the Grand Council of the Crees created in 1974?

It was established to represent the Cree nation in negotiations with the Government of Québec when the government planned to construct major hydroelectric dams on Cree land.

What did the 1975 James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement establish?

Signed between the Government of Québec, the Cree, and the Inuit, it recognized ancestral rights, granted defined territorial rights to Indigenous communities, and allowed the provincial government to exploit natural resources.

What was the outcome of the 2002 Peace of the Braves (Paix des Braves) agreement?

It granted the Cree in Québec greater autonomy and responded to Cree demands concerning natural resource development projects on their ancestral lands.

What are the distinctions between Indigenous Land Claims, Economic Claims, and Cultural Claims?

Land Claims demand management over ancestral territory; Economic Claims seek a fairer share of profits and jobs from resource development; Cultural Claims demand protection and transmission of languages, traditions, and heritage.