Essay

Does the land play a key role for almost everything living on Earth? It does play a key role for everything that lives on the planet. For some cultures it plays a role in religious beliefs and the First Nations people are prime examples of this. The land is a staple in First Nations culture. This differs from modern day cultures, where the land plays a less significant role. It is a common belief that First Nations people should adopt modern society’s values by using land for conventional building instead of spirituality. So, in other words, different cultures are deciding to suppress the First Nations people once again, as has been done many times in the past century. First Nations people should not have to “get with the times” in terms of outer pressures to their land from the government and industry. This is because the land they are on is a key part of their belief system, they have papers to prove the land is theirs, and they are governing and educating themselves in a positive way.

One reason that the First Nations should be allowed to manage their own land is that it is an intricate and integral part of their culture and identity. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) library of historical records, the ownership of the land reinforces indigenous beliefs and culture, which improves their ability to celebrate these: “Land provides sustenance for current and future generations; it is connected to spiritual beliefs, traditional knowledge and teachings; it is fundamental to cultural reproduction; moreover, commonly held land rights reinforce nationhood.” This is important because it shows that their land affects their ability to celebrate their cultural beliefs. Clearly the land gives indigenous people freedom of religion and self-expression, which is in our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and is given to every inhabitant of Canada. Dr. Leroy Littlebear echoes this in his article where he acknowledges that all of the indigenous beliefs are built on the land:

Although there is much diversity between First Nations, Métis, and Inuit, a deep and abiding connection to the land is common. Dr. Leroy Littlebear says that “The land is a sacred trust from the Creator. The land is the giver of life like a mother. The ecological aspect of Indigenous knowledge is all about the land. The land is a source of identity for Aboriginal People.”1 Elder Bob Joseph explains that “traditional knowledge, languages, cultural practices and oral traditions built up over the millennia are all connected to the land.”2 Living in balance with the land and each other connects with Indigenous languages.3 Learning from the land interconnects with learning from the natural world, which survival is dependent upon. Indigenous cultural understandings of the natural world are embedded in language and stories connected to the land, water, air, and fire.

This shows that the indigenous receive education from the land itself. The indigenous people derive educational value from the land upon which they reside, but non-indigenous Canadians are educated in a different manner, typically in the form of public and private facilities. Public and private schools separate the children from connecting to nature, and instead decide to teach kids that they can use the land for industrial purposes. The education that Canadians have received focuses mainly on economic and legal value of the land; ironically, this education would help us better comprehend the legal ramifications of the First Nations’ possession of the property they reside on.

The First Nations people are allowed to decide what their land is used for - whether for religious purposes or otherwise, and that has been outright stated on the Government of Canada website: “The Supreme Court of Canada has confirmed that Aboriginal title gives the holder the right to use, control, and manage the land and the right to the economic benefits of the land and its resources.” Here, the Supreme Court says that Aboriginal people should have control of their land outright and that it is a facet of their religious beliefs. This furthers the point that the First Nations have complete decision making capacity over their decided property by the government. With having a claim to this land, they use it not only to strengthen their society, but also to educate future generations to be useful and accustomed to this way of life. What they put the First Nations people through is less about telling you how to run your home, than it is about telling you they own your home, even though you legally bought it.

Fort Nelson shows that they have modernized in their own way, and do not need to conform to Canadian culture and society to be successful in financial endeavors. According to the Fort Nelson website, “Fort Nelson was first established in 1805 as a fur trading post. During construction of the Alaska Highway it became a larger settlement due to the influx of people. Today Fort Nelson’s economy is diversified into oil and gas, forestry and tourism.”

In conclusion, First Nations society does not have to advance to modern day society because they have the capability to educate themselves in the manner that they are learning is useful, along with the fact they have full claim to their land in writing. In modern day society, religion is still respected and valued as an integral part of many people’s lives; it should be valued the same for the lives of First Nations people. Their way of life has shown to work for thousands of years, and their ownership of the land should be a respected practice of their religious beliefs