Voices From Here

As you watch these videos with your students, encourage them to think about authorship: how were these pieces created? To whom do they belong? Encourage students to think about who is speaking and how they know their topics: did they live through the experience? Are they a Knowledge Keeper? Are they a subject-matter expert? Why is it important that Indigenous Peoples speak for themselves? Historica Canada asked participants how best to share their stories and handle the nuance of filming interviews in person. However, you will not hear the interviewer conducting the interviews. What kind of questions do you think the interviewer asked the participant? Historica Canada also edited the interviews for clarity and shortened them for classroom use. How does editing alter what is shared? Historica Canada presented versions of the videos to interviewees and made modifications based on their feedback. Why do you think this is an important part of making oral history videos? Consider the elements that aren’t in the spoken- word interview. Ask students to think about photos, text panels, B-roll (supplemental) footage, etc. Invite students to consider the settings of interviews and how the settings tie into what is shared. For instance, was the interview conducted on the speaker’s traditional territory or in a different setting? THINKING ABOUT MAKING HISTORY In 1876, the Dominion of Canada passed the Indian Act to regulate the lives of First Nations peoples and assimilate them into Euro-Canadian culture. The Act dictated who Canada considered an “Indian” and placed “Status Indians” under the jurisdiction of the Minister of the Interior, acting as Superintendent- General of Indian Affairs. Status Indians were not considered citizens. Individuals and bands could become “enfranchised,” which required giving up their Status in exchange for the rights of a citizen, allowing them to pursue secondary education, become a doctor, enlist in the army, or vote — all as a tactic to force assimilation. Over the years, amendments to the Indian Act banned cultural ceremonies, forbade Indigenous Peoples from hiring lawyers, and institutionalized children at residential schools, often against the will of their families. The federal government also imposed the elected Chief and band council governance system, which effectively eliminated Indigenous forms of governments, law, and sovereignty. Many bans were in effect until 1951, and until 1985 Indigenous women would lose their Status and rights if they married a non-Indigenous man. The Act continues to govern the relationship between First Nations and the Government of Canada. The Indian Act did not include the Métis and Inuit, who have not had Indian Status and the rights and restrictions conferred by this status, despite being Indigenous Peoples. THE INDIAN ACT 5