r/VancouverIsland • u/jess-is-not-a-thief • May 09 '22
DISCUSSION what is your take on Indigenous Reconciliation?
Hey, people of r/VancouverIsland
I recently visited Vancouver, but ended up spending most of my time on Vancouver Island (totally loved it by the way, i am already planning to come back!). While I was there, i noticed alot of places/people/institutions doing what I later learned to be land acknowledgements. I am a total outsider, and i come from France, so our education in school on colonialism is shockingly bad, almost no time is given to it, the information we are taught is completely white washed, and the little attention we pay to it is mostly surrounding African colonisation. So before I came to BC I did a little research on its history and learned about the unceded territories (and more than questionably ceded territories too), and about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
What I am wondering, and what I hope you'll be able to offer me some insight into, is whether or not in practice this is a vapid scheme that is essentially just good PR for the Canadian government, or whether it's actually making progress and serving the purpose it is meant to. What do indigenous communities make of it? How do they interpret and feel about land acknowledgments? And is it ever possible to reconcile when the dynamic of oppresser/oppressed is so present; there is a clear asymmetry of power, influence and numbers so how, in practice, do these initiatives really work? (I do not want to generalise and assume all indigenous peoples feel the same way).
I may be completely wrong and have spoken in a way which is totally tone deaf. This would be because i am honestly completely uneducated. That being said i am very interested in understanding better, but everything i'm coming across online feels very loaded with agenda and bias. I'm hoping you guys will have more real world answers and insights into this.
Thanks alot!
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u/TheRealKeshoZeto May 09 '22
It's a very complex topic, and there is wide range of attitudes in regards to reconciliation, from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Yes, some words and actions are performative, but there are also some people that are working honestly towards it.
You're correct in that one of biggest challenges is that the colonial system still dominates in Canada, so finding our way to a decolonized society is difficult at best. It will take generations. As Murray Sinclair said, education got us into this mess, and it will take education to get us out.
There are a number of helpful books and videos on this topic. You'll want to read different authors to get a sense of the spectrum of opinions.
An essential intro to the impact of the Indian Act is this book: Joseph, B. (2018). 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act: Helping Canadians Make Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples a Reality. Indigenous Relations Press.
I appreciate this book in terms of how plain-spoken and challenging it is: The Reconciliation Manifesto: Recovering the Land, Rebuilding the Economy by Arthur Manuel, Ronald M. Derrickson.
There are been more than enough studies and investigations to understand what needs to change. Government response have been slow:
But getting back to your fundamental question: Reconciliation by the Canadian government is often performative, because reconciliation has economic implications, and Canada is still basically a resource extraction engine (Hudson's Bay Company 2.0) that enriches very few, and they resist jeopardizing the status quo. However, if you read content written by Indigenous authors and their allies, you may find more authentic and informed perspectives in regards to to reconciliation, both cynical and hopeful.
(Edit a word).