[PJB]

Simple question. Why is the native culture so much more important than say the Ukrainian culture or British culture?

[WBenson]

Ukrainian and British culture still thrive in their native homes. Since this is the home of native culture, it is more important, as Canada is the only country where it exists, and thus the sole keeper of it.

[PJB]

Good point. But, why? Canada was formed by other cultures that have become part of our nation. Why is there so much importance and attention placed upon maintaining a culture that is not one single culture but many. Natives are as much, if not more diverse than the rest of Canada yet there is so much attention on maintaining a culture that is as different and diverse as yours and mine.

Is it a guilt trip?

[Heavy_Metal]

PJB wrote:

Good point. But, why? Canada was formed by other cultures that have become part of our nation. Why is there so much importance and attention placed upon maintaining a culture that is not one single culture but many. Natives are as much, if not more diverse than the rest of Canada yet there is so much attention on maintaining a culture that is as different and diverse as yours and mine.

Is it a guilt trip?

you hit the nail on the head.....we feel reeeeaaallll bad for stealing their country and essentually committing genocide as we populated the continent.

You also have to think, there is NO WAY the early settelers could have survived the first few winters on this land mass without the help of the native populations. Essentually we owe them everything, the fact that we are just realizing this now is just fucking sad.

[PJB]

WE owe them? Europeans planted the first wheat crops in the west. Europeans mapped out 99.9% of this country. I fail to see that we did not help the natives just as much as they helped the first settlers. We are being told to glorify a culture that varies from region to region. Granted the natives in the eastern part of Canada helped the first arrivals from Europe but I wonder how much the settlers that came west helped the natives.

I respect and value everyone's culture and feel that Canada is a great country because of it's diversity but to have one culture basically forced into the mainstream school curiculum over every other one strikes me as a little wrong.

[Clogeroo]

We don't owe them anything. The fact is they were killing each other on this continent long before the second wave of Europeans came here. Why not read about what warring tribes did to their enemies after being captured. This whole innocent Indian picture has to end and they are no better than we are and are just as greedy and self righteous as us. It is quite evident that the most dominant culture in this country is not that of the Indians. It is clear that our laws and government are not one based on those of the Indians. Most Indian culture mostly pertains to the Indians themselves since it is their heritage. It has little or no meaning to me and the only thing in common we share is geography and we are human beings.

[wildrosegirl]

I always thought it was because the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

[PJB]

Clogeroo...You make good points. However, we have to admit that the natives were here prior to European settlement and we did infringe upon their* lands. We did bring diseases that they were never faced with. We did force upon them a religion that a majority of them still embrace. Let's face it...We did do some nasty stuff.

Now the shoe seems to be on the other foot as they are asserting their rights and we don't seem to like it.

The native culture is sacred to natives but I really don't think that it makes up such an important part of what is now Canada. We should respect it just as much as they should respect ours. We are not teaching Scandanavian or Ukrainian or Dutch or German or whatever cultural learning in mainstream schools yet we are now offering and, in some cases making manditory, native culture.

I still say Why?

[Pimpbrewski]

Don't get it.

Why is one culture more important than another one? For example, look at Quebec, they always say that they got their culture and that it makes them unique and so forth. BS.

There are many cultures out there. Nothing against that. But not one is above the others.

[ShepherdsDog]

Quote:

Since this is the home of native culture, it is more important, as Canada is the only country where it exists

don't think so sparky,

what about every other nation in the americas? there are some thriving native populations in those countries........natives that actually made it past being mesolithic nomads.

[PJB]

Good point there SD...Look at the civilizations created by the Mayan, Inca and Aztecs...Amazing is an understatement. What happened to them? We happened to them or they killed each other off. Goes to show you where we are headed.

[ShepherdsDog]

my major point was the onus of preserving native 'culture' shouldn't be canada's. there are plenty of places in the americas where it is still thriving.

[sasquatch2]

Yeah, I always was very entertained by the urban legend that the pre-columbian people were a bunch of tree hugging pacifists.

Perhaps that ersatz Indian (Archie Bellamy, an englishman) GREY OWL inauguated this notion.

[RUEZ]

sasquatch2 wrote:

Yeah, I always was very entertained by the urban legend that the pre-columbian people were a bunch of tree hugging pacifists.

Perhaps that ersatz Indian (Archie Bellamy, an englishman) GREY OWL inauguated this notion.

One of the great historical sites in the Nechako region is the site of a massacre of one Indian Nation on another. Women and children included.

[PJB]

Hey guys....We all know that the natives were the most peaceful race in the world....Don't you watch those little vignettes on TV.

I find it amazing that we have yet to see any of our native 'elders' here yet...Perhaps it is too late or too early...Not making any assumptions