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Clarifying Terminology and Sharon McIvor on the Term "Squaw"

6/12/2013

6 Comments

 
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Culture is always fluid and open to shifting across space, time, and between people.  Also, culture is, and cultural constructs are, always subject to politics and power.  While this is the case, the terminology used to refer to Indigenous people is particularly contentious and power laden.  This may help.

In Canada “Aboriginal” is a government term.  While government officials as well as some Indigenous people use this term, it is offensive to many Indigenous people as it implies off-centre.

In Canada “Indian” is a term Canada applies and relies on in the federal legislation known as The Indian Act.  An “Indian” is a person who is registered under The Indian Act.  Some people are offended by this term, and others use it due to its place in The Indian Act.  In addition to this, other people have claimed “Indian” as their own, ascribing their own meaning to the term.

“First Nations” is a term that Indigenous people created.  Despite this origin many people do not like it as it implies a hierarchy where other people are second.  In addition, “First Nations” specifically references “First Nation” members/citizens.  Many people not registered as an “Indian” under The Indian Act are for the most part excluded from being “First Nation” members/citizens.

Although many people are not familiar with “Indigenous,” it is a preferred term.  It must be remembered though that we are all “Indigenous” to the earth and so a geographic location is best stated as an important qualifier.

“Native” is a term that is less politically laden and is therefore somewhat useful.

Indigenous Nations have their own names.  For example, through colonization the people in the Ottawa River Valley of Ontario and Quebec Canada have been named the “Algonquin.”  Traditionally and historically the Algonquin of the Ottawa River Valley relied on totems and geographic names such as the Beaver Nation or the Kiji Sìbì Anishinaabe (People of the Great River).  While today some Indigenous people remain with the term “Algonquin,” others have opted to return to their traditional titles.  In some situations people are making a conscious choice to remain with “Algonquin” due to the fact that sometimes the cultural hegemony is good to work with rather than against.  The point here is that the use of the term “Algonquin” is not always a sign of an oppressed mindset.

The term “squaw” has Indigenous origins where the meaning was descriptive of a young woman and not derogatory in nature.  While the process of colonization has ascribed a negative meaning to this term some women such as Sharon McIvor are reclaiming it from the oppressor’s filthy, racist, and sexist mindset and practices as in “I am an old squaw”.  Me too.  Thank you Sharon!

Lynn Gehl is an Algonquin Anishinaabe-kwe from the Ottawa River Valley.  She has a section 15 Charter and section 35 Constitutional challenge regarding the continued sex discrimination in The Indian Act,  is an outspoken critic of the Ontario Algonquin land claims and self-government process, and she recently published a book titled Anishinaabeg Stories: Featuring Petroglyphs, Petrographs, and Wampum Belts.  You can reach her at lynngehl@gmail.com and see more of her work at www.lynngehl.com.

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6 Comments
Manuel-Michel Jarrin-Côté
6/12/2013 01:37:37 pm

It is something of a fact that being "politically correct" has always brought its own sense of skewed mentality. I share your thought process, and I too have a great dislike attributing the terms First Nation, Aboriginal, Indian,etc... Indigenous is the best descriptive marker; attaching it to location reaffirms its original placement. Although 'tribe" is an American designation, it can be used in reference to Indigenous peoples in Canada.
The same can be said for attributing positive political identifiers to men and women of Caucasian Canadian ancestry. While the term "ally" seems very positive; the alternative (if one does not share the point of view of its definition) can be destructive for attracting support and be more inclusive of those in mainstream Canadian society to join Indigenous societies as one.
I personally don't care to be labelled as an "ally" or by any other term. I feel that we should concentrate less on what it is that we are trying to define, and focus towards what makes common sense for all of us.

Reply
Lynn Gehl
6/16/2013 02:22:40 pm

Manuel-Michel Jarrin-Côté,

Thank you for your comments. People need and require terms and constructs to communicate. No one term, word, construct, model, or theory will serve everyone as there is no such thing as a universal truth. Regardless of this limitation, humans cannot do away with them - we can only strive to become sensitive to racist, sexist, ableist terms and avoid them when needed.

I am sure many people do not like the word "ally", others though find it a useful term as it begins to provide people who are not Indigenous to Turtle Island with a lens to think through so they do not interfere in a harmful way.

We live in a socially stratified society. What is common sense to the most oppressed will not be common sense to people less oppressed. To deny this is to deny our society is socially stratified. What is common sense to the Turtle is what all allies need to stand behind.

Lynn

Reply
red
6/30/2013 12:29:24 pm

Re clarifying terminology:

http://www.iaaw.ca/esquao-awards/

Esquao or "squaw" is an honorable word, the uses it was put to in near history were not, nor are the modern uses, which are sugggestive and porny in imagery. Just because the person is native does not mean they are connected to the traditional, honourable way.

Another misuse of a native term is the primarily white, heterosexual male appropriation of the term "two-spirit". This blogger has an opinion on that:

http://culturallyboundgender.wordpress.com/2013/03/09/toward-an-end-to-appropriation-of-indigenous-two-spirit-people-in-trans-politics-the-relationship-between-third-gender-roles-and-patriarchy/

Reply
Lynn Gehl
7/1/2013 07:49:07 am

Thank you. It is unclear to me what you mean by "Just because the person is native does not mean they are connected to the traditional, honourable way." What is you point with this sentence?

Lynn

Reply
red
7/1/2013 08:38:51 am

My observation is that many natives have not been the beneficiary of receiving their culture because of the harm of, primarily, residential schools and the aftermath of that. I read the above post, where the commenter was if I understand her correctly, saying she didn't receive her culture until she took native studies.

I think many native youth are swayed by trend, as are many whites, and that culture is primarily white, and American, but the harm of that is compounded for native youth. (Not to say all trend is bad...although I can't exactly come up with a positive example there must be something.... ).

Reply
Lynn Gehl
7/1/2013 09:15:56 am

I am not sure what post you are talking about? Are you talking about a comment on a different blog? Lynn

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copyright Lynn Gehl
www.lynngehl.com