Indigenous Studies - Chapter 2

What were the first theologies to mention Indigenous?

• History and Anthropology - yet it was told from a western point of view

When were the three sisters introduced?

1200 CE - Corn, Beans, Squash

From the Haudenosaunee

They all benefited one another when planted together. Like a cycle

What are the Tenets of Native Science?

• Space/Land

• Constant Motion/Flux

• All things are animate and spiritual

What is the importance of Space/Land?

Land is central importance - creates primary source of identity

Thinking of people as apart of the land, often times naming themselves after the land that they resided in 

What is the importance of Constant Motion and Flux?

In western culture, people want it to stay the same

• It is essentially, ongoing interaction with creation

• Human’s are at nature’s will

• Watch patters overtime to adapt

• Trickster tales show nature of change - how things are created, and teaches moral guidance

What is the importance of all things being animate and spiritual?

Western belief is that all things are inanimate if it does not have “life”

• Yet, everything is alive

• Animals, plants, rocks, are sentiment beings

• Responsibility to all things 

• Relationships must be forged & maintained 

Ex: Sacred Pipe, Sacred Rock (Mistasinly) prior to being blown up 

What is the importance of relationship?

• We have relationship to all creation

• Responsibility to maintain good, harmonious relationships

What is renewal?

• Creation goes through cycles of life, patterns, and phases

• Birth, life, then death

• Ceremonies were important during this time to maintain harmony and balance

What is oral tradition?

• Stories passed through songs, dances, teachings

• Dynamic and living process

• Holistic process - Parts of some things are interconnected 

What was the way of life for Inuit people?

dorset people - last people to settle in canada in arctic

These were the hunter gatherers, dogsledding, vast travelling, stories.

relationships in these communities were less formal, small populations

Harsh climate shaped their worldview for isolation

Made the kayaks

Who are the Algonquian speakers?

Live in the subarctic forest - taiga - boreal forest

what are the two ecozones

tundra - far north extremely cold, little vegetation

northern ontario hudson bay area - hudson bay lowland, warmer regions

Dene People

Moved south after volcanic eruption

Hudson bay lowland

Tundra-boreal forest transition zone

Caribou, birds, greens, medicines, 

Kept in small family hunting groups with informal social relations 

Stories of travelling, hunting, shaped culture