Contemporary Indigenous Studies Vocab

indigenous

includes the collective of all original inhabitants of lands worldwide

First Peoples

references the diverse populations who have inhabited the land known as Canada since time immemorial (include the “s”)

time immemorial

a period of the distant past that is not defined by historical dates

first contact

first time an Indigenous group makes a connection with Europeans, may be face-to-face or contact made through objects, ideas or disease

colonialism

system/policy of dominance and control by one power over an area/people that often includes the exploitation of resources for the explicit purpose of benefiting the colonizing country

colonisation

process of settling/appropriating a place and establishing a central system of power over the land and original inhabitants of the area

unceded territory

lands originally belonging to the First Peoples that have not been surrounded or acquired by treaties or agreements with the government

ceded territory

lands granted to a party in a treaty, often ceded as a result of military/political pressure, the principal means that Europeans used to acquire control over territory

First Nations

first main Indigenous (Aboriginal) group recognized in Canada, often used to reference “on reserve” communities, mainly refers to people who hold status under specifications of the Indian Act

Metis

second main Indigenous (Aboriginal) group recognized in Canada with a specific culture, history and traditions

Inuit

third main Indigenous (Aboriginal) group recognized in Canada, mainly in Arctic region, legally/culturally distinct from other Indigenous groups

treaty

agreement made between Government of Canada, Indigenous groups, and provinces/territories that define ongoing rights and obligations on both sides, are historical/modern

Aboriginal

commonly used in legal terms in Canada/Australia, not commonly accepted by Indigenous Peoples

native

means “originating in a particular area”, overgeneralizes to include flora/fauna, generally should be avoided

Indian

imposed term with negative connotations, used in colonial policy and legislation, do NOT use outside of legal reasons

Native Americans

refers to Indigenous Peoples in (north) America; typically prefer referring to their own nation first

The Indian Act

primary law that the Canadian government uses to administer “Indian” status, local First Nations government and manage reserve land, outlines government obligations to Indigenous Peoplesand their rights, including provisions for education, healthcare, and resource management.

reserve

legally-defined geographical area set aside by a government for use by a specific First Nations group; refer to as a “community”

self-identification

ability to identify as Indigenous, regardless of location, surname, or proof of ancestry