Jump to content

What is native culture and should it be promoted?


Recommended Posts

Now that we live in the days of reconciliation and have had the Truth and Reconciliation Commision (TRC) complete it's report, we are told culture is one the things that was denied aboriginals by the white man.  What exactly is native culture and should it now be promoted?  A simple search on the internet of native or aboriginal culture will reveal some surprising things that most people might not be aware of.  Some might say American native culture is not the same as Canadian native culture prior to colonization.  But we should remember prior to colonization, there was no border, no U.S.A. and no Canada.  It was simply North America.  There were various tribes throughout north America which of course had different practices and some similar practices and beliefs between them.  I believe Shamins or medicine men were a fairly common feature.  Worship of animals, birds, etc. was another common feature.  A belief in spirits and of course methods to cleanse of evil spirits by medicine men. This deserves further investigation and to what extent this would be associated with aboriginal culture today.  This article seems to indicate these beliefs still exist  and are practiced in American tribes.  It is worth noting one of the purposes of the Indian residential schools was to move native children away from these beliefs and practices.  Are we now living in a time when natives will be encouraged to return to these belief systems?

 

Native American Culture - What is Culture?
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings that characterizes a group of people in terms of their beliefs, practices and behavior. These patterns of behaviour and beliefs are practised across social units in a population and endure across generations of Native American tribes. The culture and history of the Native Americans of North America are referred to on most pages. Discover facts and information about the beliefs, rituals, traditions and ceremonies of the Native Americans including the mysterious Skinwalkers, Vision Quests, Power Animals, the Thunderbird and the Supreme Being referred to as the Great Spirit. Fascinating facts and information about Native American Culture. For additional facts refer to Native American History

Native American Culture - Religion, Beliefs, Rituals and Ceremonies *** (warpaths2peacepipes.com)

 

 
Edited by blackbird
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, Michael Hardner said:

Not sure what you are looking for ?  You are seeming to asking whether to censor them.  Is this Cancel Culture stuff ? 

I think BB is wondering if we should have some kind of increase in the federal budget for promoting it, for education (it would be a complete farce, they'll say stupid things like "Pocahontas invented MTV but the white man stole it", etc, but whatever), should Ron MacLean be compelled to bother us about it when we try to watch HNIC like what happened with BLM propaganda, etc. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Michael Hardner said:

Not sure what you are looking for ?  You are seeming to asking whether to censor them.  Is this Cancel Culture stuff ? 

No, we always hear talk about the native culture on CBC, CTV, as if it is something to be promoted but never hear exactly what it is.  I am not saying to censor them.  What people want to believe or do on their own is part of freedom of religion.  It is the woke folks on CBC that seem to promote something undefined in some ways and condemn white society for depriving natives of their culture. I am wondering what this native culture that is never defined exactly is that is being mentioned. 

For example, there was a court case in B.C. not long ago over the public school allowing an aboriginal to conduct a smudging ceremony in a classroom.  The mother of a student said that her child was being forced to participate in a pagan religious ceremony which is contrary to her families beliefs as a Christian.  There was a lot of discussion or debate about this with the public school and government taking the position in court that it was not a religious ceremony and therefore was not improper in the classroom.  The judge ruled in favour of the school and department of education and rejected the argument of the parent.  The government seemed in this case to be forcing a pagan religious ceremony down the students throat (literally with the smoke) while claiming this is just teaching aboriginal culture to students.

Edited by blackbird
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, blackbird said:

Now that we live in the days of reconciliation and have had the Truth and Reconciliation Commision (TRC) complete it's report, we are told culture is one the things that was denied aboriginals by the white man.  What exactly is native culture and should it now be promoted?  A simple search on the internet of native or aboriginal culture will reveal some surprising things that most people might not be aware of.  Some might say American native culture is not the same as Canadian native culture prior to colonization.  But we should remember prior to colonization, there was no border, no U.S.A. and no Canada.  It was simply North America.  There were various tribes throughout north America which of course had different practices and some similar practices and beliefs between them.  I believe Shamins or medicine men were a fairly common feature.  Worship of animals, birds, etc. was another common feature.  A belief in spirits and of course methods to cleanse of evil spirits by medicine men. This deserves further investigation and to what extent this would be associated with aboriginal culture today.  This article seems to indicate these beliefs still exist  and are practiced in American tribes.  It is worth noting one of the purposes of the Indian residential schools was to move native children away from these beliefs and practices.  Are we now living in a time when natives will be encouraged to return to these belief systems?

 

Native American Culture - What is Culture?
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings that characterizes a group of people in terms of their beliefs, practices and behavior. These patterns of behaviour and beliefs are practised across social units in a population and endure across generations of Native American tribes. The culture and history of the Native Americans of North America are referred to on most pages. Discover facts and information about the beliefs, rituals, traditions and ceremonies of the Native Americans including the mysterious Skinwalkers, Vision Quests, Power Animals, the Thunderbird and the Supreme Being referred to as the Great Spirit. Fascinating facts and information about Native American Culture. For additional facts refer to Native American History

Native American Culture - Religion, Beliefs, Rituals and Ceremonies *** (warpaths2peacepipes.com)

 

 

Do we really live in "the days of reconciliation? Or are federal and provincial governments (along with their corporate donors and benefactors) just trying to figure out what the price is they have to pay to get all of native land claims settled? 

What all of the first nations have in common are holistic beliefs that everything material and spiritual are part of one, integrated reality, with humans just being part of the creation, and NOT special, favored creatures of a divine overlord who rules over and is separate from his creation. So, this was the big stumbling block in the way between native thinking and later European settler colonists, whose presumptions of cosmology and philosophy were based on thinking of themselves as separate from nature, and given some divine right to "subdue" and plunder nature for whatever they could extract that would be useful for making products. That plus placing land on the lists of commodities to be bought and sold, is still an insurmountable obstacle in traditional indigenous and modern "civilized" thinking.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Right To Left said:

Do we really live in "the days of reconciliation? Or are federal and provincial governments (along with their corporate donors and benefactors) just trying to figure out what the price is they have to pay to get all of native land claims settled? 

What all of the first nations have in common are holistic beliefs that everything material and spiritual are part of one, integrated reality, with humans just being part of the creation, and NOT special, favored creatures of a divine overlord who rules over and is separate from his creation. So, this was the big stumbling block in the way between native thinking and later European settler colonists, whose presumptions of cosmology and philosophy were based on thinking of themselves as separate from nature, and given some divine right to "subdue" and plunder nature for whatever they could extract that would be useful for making products. That plus placing land on the lists of commodities to be bought and sold, is still an insurmountable obstacle in traditional indigenous and modern "civilized" thinking.

 

 

Many aboriginals did at one time attribute a spiritual identity or power to birds such as eagles and animals.  Many people still do.  This may include Hinduism and Buddhism.  There are many people who are not particular followers of any religion, but who seem to be followers of mother earth and elevate the environment to almost god status and consider man as just another animal.

"Animism (from Latin: anima, 'breath, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things—animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather systems, human handiwork, and perhaps even words—as animated and alive. Animism is used in the anthropology of religion as a term for the belief system of many indigenous peoples, especially in contrast to the relatively more recent development of organised religions."  Wikipedia

This is much different that the European civilization which arrived in the last number of centuries and brought with them a Judeo-Christian civilization.  The Bible teaches that God created man in his own image and gave man a special status on the earth which includes dominion over all creatures.  This special position given to man is described in Psalm 8:

"

 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. 2  Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. {ordained: Heb. founded} 

3  When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4  What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5  For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6  Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: 7  All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; {All…: Heb. Flocks and oxen all of them} 8  The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. 9  O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!"   Psalm 8  KJB

This of course is a completely different view of man and all creatures than what aboriginals held.  They were not aware of the existence of the Holy Scriptures and what many believe to be God's revelation to man.  This is why it was felt missionary work needed to be done to get the message out to the aboriginal people.  If aboriginals were to continue worshiping creatures and not the true God of the Bible, this could present problems in many ways.

The Bible does not teach or condone the idea of stealing someone else's land.  But in a country the size of Canada, it is easy to see how settlers would find much unoccupied land over such vast areas as Canada is.  Thus the government after Confederation and in the early 20th century was able to grant farmland to immigrants at very low cost or for nothing.  Aboriginals were generally not a farming race.  They were more hunter-gatherers.
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Right To Left said:

Do we really live in "the days of reconciliation? Or are federal and provincial governments (along with their corporate donors and benefactors) just trying to figure out what the price is they have to pay to get all of native land claims settled? 

What all of the first nations have in common are holistic beliefs that everything material and spiritual are part of one, integrated reality, with humans just being part of the creation, and NOT special, favored creatures of a divine overlord who rules over and is separate from his creation. So, this was the big stumbling block in the way between native thinking and later European settler colonists, whose presumptions of cosmology and philosophy were based on thinking of themselves as separate from nature, and given some divine right to "subdue" and plunder nature for whatever they could extract that would be useful for making products. That plus placing land on the lists of commodities to be bought and sold, is still an insurmountable obstacle in traditional indigenous and modern "civilized" thinking.

 

 

What settler religion is your second paragraph describing?  Stewardship of the Earth is an important tenant of many Christian denominations.  You’re setting up Indigenous beliefs as morally superior to non-Indigenous.  People are entitled to practice their faith, as our constitution protects religious freedom.  Leave it there.  You think pre-contact Indigenous communities were safer and more harmonious that colonial ones?  If that were so, why didn’t settlers emulate that society and vote to implement its tenants?  People have had the democratic choice to do that for over 150 years.  No takers?   Indigenous hunted and killed too.  Some also farmed in temporary settlements.  Property wasn’t an issue until more and more immigrants came, so I guess we should ask whether immigration should’ve been banned in order to protect Indigenous races.  Sounds like a form of suprematism.  

Edited by Zeitgeist
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, blackbird said:

 The government seemed in this case to be forcing a pagan religious ceremony down the students throat (literally with the smoke) while claiming this is just teaching aboriginal culture to students.

And the Court ruled on it.  You can't win them all I guess.  

 

Are examples of Christian religion being forced on non-christians as well. including very recently.  You take it to the courts, and see what happens.  There isn't anything different about this, really. Maybe you're just learning how the courts work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The OP makes a point that aboriginal culture is not one thing, but several of which some share a few characteristics.  I would add to that: these things vary from tribe to tribe, and even band to band.   I hesitate to call any "nations" as that is a concept that came long after colonization. While they should be allowed to exist I really question what Canada's obligation is to PAY for their restitution, promotion, etc.  I find that just as objectionable as giving other fairy tales, such as religion and kind of free ride on the taxpayer's back (or more to the point, on our grandchildren's back).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, cannuck said:

The OP makes a point that aboriginal culture is not one thing, but several of which some share a few characteristics.  I would add to that: these things vary from tribe to tribe, and even band to band.   I hesitate to call any "nations" as that is a concept that came long after colonization. While they should be allowed to exist I really question what Canada's obligation is to PAY for their restitution, promotion, etc.  I find that just as objectionable as giving other fairy tales, such as religion and kind of free ride on the taxpayer's back (or more to the point, on our grandchildren's back).

While we're on the question of government funding and promoting religions, we should not forget the vast amount of money given to the Aga Khan Canada Foundation.

" Just over the last nine years, the AKF has received over $472 million from Global Affairs Canada, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (2). For the period including this year, as the economy collapses around us, the AKF received over $31 million! And how much more has the Aga Khan received from Canadians that has not been reported since the Ismailis were resettled here by Pierre Trudeau in 1972 (100)?" 

"The sad reality is that most of this money will be used to enrich the lives of Ismailis over other people, build Mughal architecture around the world, promote Islam, fund lavish lifestyles and horse racing, and even support a fake god on Earth (3)(4)(5)(99)(101). In 1975, the Aga Khan declared himself to be “the living god” and “the spokesman for almighty Allah,” a concept endorsed by his followers and supporters (6)! But who exactly is this “god” and why is he treated like royalty? "

The United Nations: Aga Khan's Throne (Part I: Money Laundering) - Civilian Intelligence Network

The amount of taxpayer's money which the government contributed to in effect support Islam in the world is stunning.

Now we need to constantly be examining what government is doing with our money as they have proven to be completely irresponsible.  We should also be examining exactly what it is the government is doing as it bring aboriginal culture into the public school system in BC (and other provinces).  I believe this has been mandated by the BC NDP government.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, blackbird said:

While we're on the question of government funding and promoting religions, we should not forget the vast amount of money given to the Aga Khan Canada Foundation.

" Just over the last nine years, the AKF has received over $472 million from Global Affairs Canada, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (2). For the period including this year, as the economy collapses around us, the AKF received over $31 million! And how much more has the Aga Khan received from Canadians that has not been reported since the Ismailis were resettled here by Pierre Trudeau in 1972 (100)?" 

"The sad reality is that most of this money will be used to enrich the lives of Ismailis over other people, build Mughal architecture around the world, promote Islam, fund lavish lifestyles and horse racing, and even support a fake god on Earth (3)(4)(5)(99)(101). In 1975, the Aga Khan declared himself to be “the living god” and “the spokesman for almighty Allah,” a concept endorsed by his followers and supporters (6)! But who exactly is this “god” and why is he treated like royalty? "

The United Nations: Aga Khan's Throne (Part I: Money Laundering) - Civilian Intelligence Network

The amount of taxpayer's money which the government contributed to in effect support Islam in the world is stunning.

Now we need to constantly be examining what government is doing with our money as they have proven to be completely irresponsible.  We should also be examining exactly what it is the government is doing as it bring aboriginal culture into the public school system in BC (and other provinces).  I believe this has been mandated by the BC NDP government.

This will push the country towards radical secularism, e.g. France or worse, China.  I think that all government expenditures foreign and domestic deserve hard scrutiny.  It seems our own ombudsmen aren’t doing their jobs.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's nobody's job to 'save' or 'protect' native cultures other than those communities. Tons of people have come to Canada with hundreds of different cultures. Most assimilate into the Canadian mainstream - as they should. 

I don't wear a kilt or eat sheep's stomach and I don't want to. Be aware of where you come from but it's silly to try to relieve ancient cultures today except as a hobby.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Nefarious Banana said:

Mom once quipped  "The buffalo are gone, they're not coming back.  Get over it."

 

the warrior culture was honourable, the Indians had their own empires

Mohawks, Lakota Sioux, Apache, Comanche 

but the NDPIndians who side with the Communists throw their own culture under the bus

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Both sides need to get along. This cancel culture and breaking down statues and such needs to end. We need to get to the truth, even with these sites. Both sides will need to compromise and alot of corruption on both sided needs to be ended. Its taken to long to get to this point, lets not tear the country apart and go backwards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

one time on Operation Salon I ended up surrounded by a hundred Mohawks,  maybe more

they were trying to pull the Maple Leaf down, they wanted to burn the flag I suppose

so I went out to stop them from seizing the colours

I appealed to their culture

sorry, but I have to kill & die to defend this flag, you are forcing me to go to war against you, and to my own death

they talked amongst themselves, then decided it wasn't honourable to make me do that, since I stood no chance

turns out, Mohawk Warriors haven't changed much since they saved Canada from the Americans on Queenston Heights

lucky for me, they weren't NPDIndians, these Mohawks were the real deal

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I even dated a Mohawk girl once, for a couple months, her name was Dawn

she was stunningly beautiful, red hair, green eyes, perfect swimsuit model body

but she said I could never be her boyfriend, because her family would never accept that

I got a taste of the ethno nationalism there, backfiring on me for a change

ah well, it was fun while it lasted

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/22/2021 at 11:01 AM, blackbird said:

 Are we now living in a time when natives will be encouraged to return to these belief systems?

     

Belief systems or to return to their original culture?

What is culture anyways?   To me it will be the traditions to live and harvest; to produce goods, tools implements, to celebrate whatever they celebrate at whatever time they do that; songs, dances, dresses; preparation of food, folklore and one of the most important of all  - speaking their own language.

I do not see these people trading their motorboats for canoes, their F-150 Fords for horses, their modern day fishing nets for whatever primitive nets they had in the past, their rifles for bows and arrows.

I also do not see the Canadian government releasing their grip on those people and their land.  Would those blue blooded Irish Canadians consider going back to Ireland and vacate the land for the indigenous cultures to flourish again?

Throw into this the mess, the Canadian immigration has produced into this country to make it "multicultural"

No, nobody is returning to anything - there will be just the usual fight for the bone and a bigger share of the pie while conditions become more and more adverse.

The forecast for the central BC interior for next Tuesday is temperatures of 49C during the day and 27C during the night.

Enjoy what we have finally built!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Canadians or for that matter our government does not give a rats ass about the first nations culture or reconciliation, or it would have already been done. Everyone gasps at the fact there are now over 1000 graves of children as if it was something new or recently discovered, these facts were released months ago in the feds report, and nobody even blinked at their estimate over 4000 dead or missing. 

Yes our government will stand in front of the TV and say lots of stupid shit, or make promises it has no intention of keeping. They spew what ever you want to hear. And yet nothing of any real movement  has been done to the native file in regards to treaty violations or broken promises for decades....Does the government have any intentions of living up to treaties over 200 years old, they can't even keep promises they made yesterday. And as much as i would like to leave all of this on the liberals shit pile it belongs to all governments. 

Millions will be spent on digging these children up and finding out what killed them, who they are, and returning the remains to their families, give them proper markers etc... What should have been done a long time ago, and then Canada will bury all of it in some deep governmental hole out back and be done with it...  They may even pay out all the claims against the government from the survivors...but is anything else going to get solved here, no way... The is no will from the people, there is nothing in it for them... It does not effect HNIC, beer, or poggy checks...

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/22/2021 at 3:27 PM, Right To Left said:

Do we really live in "the days of reconciliation?

No. Reconciliation is a moving target.

There will always be negative people whose favourite hobby is bitching about how shitty everything and everyone around them is, and making excuses for why they never managed to get their own shit together. We need to be in the days of tuning them out.

Their sad saga always starts with: "Back in 1949..." or "In 1793..." and it ends with "and that's why the people who work 60+ hrs a week are doing so much better than I am."

I get that it's a tragedy that children died in residential schools but the people who are making the loudest, dumbest noises are the exact people who would have been screaming: "We need to educate those children. We can't let them wander the frozen north, living in the stone age, while we're chillin' in our 19.5 degree living rooms watching TV."

Edited by WestCanMan
  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/22/2021 at 2:42 PM, WestCanMan said:

I think BB is wondering if we should have some kind of increase in the federal budget for promoting it, for education (it would be a complete farce, they'll say stupid things like "Pocahontas invented MTV but the white man stole it", etc, but whatever), should Ron MacLean be compelled to bother us about it when we try to watch HNIC like what happened with BLM propaganda, etc. 

You are mixing up the natives and the woke fads. The real natives are no woke. However, the fake natives that only care about the free skidoos would do.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Firstly, we need to stop using words like “native” and “indigenous”. Science many years ago agreed that the Western Hemisphere was populated from north to south by way of immigration across the Bering Strait, then a land bridge. Human remains are oldest the further north and far predate Mayans or Inca.

 

Thus, our so called “natives”, just as I am, are descendants of immigrants. Yet, as a Norwegian-American-Canadian, I don’t belong to a group which warrants a special Federal Cabinet position and gets billions a year. We’ve been accustomed to drilling our own water wells on farms and having fine drinking water in my family’s history.

Canada is so messed up it’s probably best to start over.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Speaking of “native culture”, I wrote to APTN and asked about their annual operating budget and what is the source of their funding. I received acknowledgement of my inquiry and await answers - if I ever get them.

I expect they are almost entirely funded by tax dollars to prop up their “culture” and make them feel good. We shall see, which I highly doubt.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Tell a friend

    Love Repolitics.com - Political Discussion Forums? Tell a friend!
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      10,712
    • Most Online
      1,403

    Newest Member
    nyralucas
    Joined
  • Recent Achievements

    • Jeary earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Venandi went up a rank
      Apprentice
    • Gaétan earned a badge
      Very Popular
    • Dictatords earned a badge
      First Post
    • babetteteets earned a badge
      One Year In
  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...