Glossary
from SABAR Strategic Alliance for Broadcasters and Aboriginal Reflection
A
ABORIGINAL
The most inclusive term in general usage in Canada today, “Aboriginal,” as a term includes Indians (status and Non-status), Métis, and Inuit and was popularized with its use in the repatriated Canadian Constitution of 1982.
Aboriginal people: When referring to “Aboriginal people,” you are referring to all the Aboriginal people in Canada collectively, without regard to their separate origins and identities. OR, you are simply referring to more than one Aboriginal person.
Aboriginal peoples: The descendants of the original inhabitants of North America. The Canadian Constitution recognizes three groups of Aboriginal people — Indians, Métis and Inuit. These are three separate peoples (in the case of Indians, it is inclusive of several dozen more peoples) with unique heritages, languages, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs. By adding the ‘s’ to people, you are emphasizing that there is a diversity of people within the group known as Aboriginal people. Because the term “Aboriginal people” generally applies to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, writers must take care in using this term. If they are describing a particular departmental program that is only for First Nations, like band funding, you should avoid using “Aboriginal people” which could cause misunderstanding.
Capitalize “Aboriginal” as you would other designations like “Francophone,” “Arabic” or “Nordic.”
AMERICAN INDIAN
A term used in the United States to describe the descendents of the original peoples of North America. Not commonly used in Canada. See also Native American in this section.
C
Ceremony – An established or prescribed practice that has spiritual meaning.
Circle – The Circle has always been an important symbol for Aboriginal people. Many Aboriginal people see time as cyclical (not linear) and view life as a circle from birth, to death, to spiritual rebirth. When meeting in a circle, everyone is equal, with an equal voice. See also Talking Circle in this section.
Clan – Many First Nations have clan identities. People of these nations are born into or assigned a clan identity. Belonging to the clan provides one with responsibilities one must follow.
Clan Mother – In Haudenosaunee culture, a matrilineal society, the Clan Mother (or Iakoiane) holds important political and societal roles. She works within the clan to select the candidate for Chief and presents him for approval. She also acts as an advisor to the chief. She is responsible “to look out for the welfare of the clan by overseeing the actions of the Chief and ensuring that he is performing his duties in accordance with the Great Law.” (http://www.haudenosauneeconfederacy.ca/clanmothers.html). She has a duty to ensure that the Haudenosaunee ways continue.
Clan Mothers have an important role in raising children, in providing names to babies in her clan, and, in ensuring that children are raised in the ways and customs of the Longhouse. They can also be called upon to help or give advice to families in crisis. The Clan Mother title is hereditary through a clan, and is usually passed on to a female relative.
Connectedness – A relationship of the self with family, community, nation and world.
Cultural Appropriation – Use of Aboriginal cultural motifs, themes, “voices” or images without appropriate context or in a way that may not represent the real experience of the people from whose culture it is drawn.
Creation Stories – The stories of a people that explain how the world and living things came to be the way they are. In some Aboriginal traditions these kinds of stories are accorded a different class or status from everyday stories with protocols governing when and how to tell Them.
Creator – Many Indigenous peoples believe in a Creator. How the Creator is referenced and the story of creation is culture specific. The Creator is seen as present everywhere and informs respect for all of creation.
Custom – A traditional Aboriginal practice. For example, First Nations peoples sometimes marry or adopt children according to custom, rather than under Canadian family law. Band councils chosen “by custom” are elected or selected by traditional means, rather than by the election rules contained in the Indian Act.
D
Dream Catcher – Hoops on which a web resembling a spider’s is crafted, they are used as a protective measure to filter away bad dreams and negative energies. The Dream Catcher is now part of the material culture of many First Nations; its origin is apparently Ojibwe.
Drum – Often regarded as an evocation of the heartbeat of Mother Earth, the drum is an intrinsic part of ceremony.
E
Eagle Feather – Special significance is attached to the eagle and its feathers. A symbol of respect and honour, it is a sacred item, often used in ceremonies. To be given an eagle feather is the highest honour that can be earned within many Aboriginal cultures.
Elder – A man or a woman whose wisdom about spirituality, culture and life is recognized. The community and individuals will normally seek the advice and assistance of elders in various areas of traditional as well as contemporary issues. There are cultural protocols that should be followed when seeking an Elder’s assistance. Protocols vary, so ask, and remember deference and respect figure highly. Advanced age is usual, though not compulsory, for an elder.
F
Fasting – A ceremony common to many Aboriginal cultures. It often takes place over a period of days, usually with the support of an elder, medicine person or guardian helper. Fasting is usually done in the spring and fall – otherwise it is specific to something needed for the person or family.
First Nation(s) – A term that came into common usage in the 1970s to replace the word “Indian,” which many people found offensive. Although the term First Nation is widely used, no legal definition of it exists. Some Aboriginal peoples have also adopted the term “First Nation” to replace the word “band” in the name of their community.
Capitalize “First Nation” as you would other designations like “Francophone,” “Arabic” or “Nordic.”
First Nations people: Many people today prefer to be called “First Nations” or “First Nations people” instead of “Indians,” a term they never agreed to under the Indian Act. Generally, “First Nations people” can be used to describe both Status and Non-Status Indians, although it generally applies only to those people who are members of a First Nation. The term is rarely used as a synonym for “Aboriginal peoples” because it usually doesn’t include Inuit or Métis People.
Four Directions – Common to many cultures, in ceremony, the four directions are often acknowledged, greeted, or thanked. Each direction has its own set of related associations with spirit and life and are often represented by four colours: yellow in the east, red for the south, black (and sometimes blue) for the west, and white for the north.
I
Indian – The term “Indian”’ collectively describes all the Indigenous people in Canada who are not Inuit or Métis. Along with Inuit and Métis, Indian people are one of the three cultural groups recognized as Aboriginal people under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. There are legal reasons for the continued use of the term “Indian.” Such terminology is recognized in the Indian Act and is used by the Government of Canada when making reference to this particular group of Aboriginal people.
There are three categories for INDIAN in Canada: Status Indian, Non-Status Indian, and Treaty Indian.
Indigenous – Native to the area, peoples who have occupied a territory since time immemorial. The term has gained prominence as a term to describe Aboriginal peoples in an international context. Indigenous is considered by some to be the most inclusive term of all, since it identifies peoples in similar circumstances without respect to national boundaries or local conventions. However, for some it is a contentious term, since internationally, and in the United Nations context, it often defines groups primarily in relation to their colonizers.
Inuit – Inuit are the Aboriginal people of Arctic Canada. This region is referred to by Inuit as “Inuit Nunagnat”: it includes the Inuvialuit Region of the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), Nunatsiavut (Northern Labrador), and the ice, land, and water within these regions.
Although the majority of Inuit live above the tree line there are communities in the Inuvialuit region, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut that are treed communities.
The word “Inuit” means “the people” in the Inuit language and is used when Inuit are referring to themselves as a culture. Inuit is also the plural form of “Inuk”
Avoid using the term “Inuit people” as the use of “people” is redundant. Furthermore, according to the national organization Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, “Inuit” is the preferred form, and not “the Inuit” or “Inuit people.”
Capitalize “Inuit” and “Inuk” as you would other designations like “Francophone,” “Arabic” or “Nordic.”
Inuit are not covered by the Indian Act. However, in 1939 the Supreme Court interpreted the federal government’s power to make laws affecting “Indians and Lands reserved for the Indians” as extending to Inuit.
The term “Eskimo”, applied to Inuit by European explorers, is considered a pejorative term and is no longer used in Canada.
There is sometimes confusion regarding the Innu (Naskapi and Montagnais Fir
L
Language – According to the Site for Language Management in Canada (www.salic-slmc.ca), “Native languages are among the oldest languages in the world, many of them dating back thousands of years. They are thus far older than English and French.” Aboriginal languages consist of distinct language families, within them varying numbers of diverse languages exist. For example, the Algonquin family includes approximately twenty one languages, among them, Mi’gmaq, Maliseet, Ojibwe, Cree and Blackfoot. Belonging to the same language family does not imply that the languages are similar; they are not – except perhaps to language scholars.
It is useful to remember that the name for a language used within the language’s speaking community will most often differ from ones you are familiar with. For example, the Mi’kmaq have a language conference called L’nui’sultinej, which translates to “let us speak in Mi’kmaq”. L’nu at the beginning of that word refers to the Mi’kmaq culture.
As is the case with Indigenous languages generally, many Aboriginal languages are considered threatened or endangered. The reasons for this situation are numerous. Moving to cities usually meant few opportunities to speak anything other than English or French. During the Residential school era, systematic repression of Aboriginal languages came about by disallowing the use of the languages at the behest of the Government of Canada. Languages have been lost due to other institutions of power including the church, education, and yes, even the media.
The languages continue to be marginalized. A contemporary example of this is in education, where with the exception of Aboriginal languages being taught as a subject, there are few educational situations where an Aboriginal language is the language of instruction.
Losing or reducing the amount of original language use means more than losing a different vocabulary, it is about losing a whole instruction on how to live one’s life. When Aboriginal people stop speaking their original languages, the relationship with cultural ways diminishes: stories, history, geography, medicine, ceremony, food sources, whole teachings are lost or forgotten because the original languages are compromised.
M
Métis – Métis are people of First Nation and European ancestry. They have a unique culture that draws on their diverse ancestral origins, including Scottish, French, Ojibwe and Cree. Prior to Canada’s crystallization as a nation, Métis were the children of First Nation women and European men.
While the initial offspring of these First Nation and European unions were individuals who possessed mixed ancestry, the gradual establishment of distinct Métis communities, outside of First Nation and European cultures and settlements, as well as the subsequent intermarriages between Métis women and Métis men, resulted in the genesis of a new Aboriginal people – the Métis. Métis people maintain their own distinct culture, language (Michif) and traditions. The Canadian Constitution recognizes Métis people as one of the three Aboriginal peoples. Note that the Métis Nation (Métis National Council) has a more specific definition of who are Métis. It restricts membership to those who can trace ancestors to the “historic Métis Nation”. A person cannot be a registered member of both a First Nation and the Métis Nation. Today, the term is also used broadly to describe people with mixed First Nations and European ancestry who identify themselves as Métis, distinct from First Nations people, Inuit, or non-Aboriginal people. (Many Canadians have mixed Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal ancestry, but not all identify themselves as Métis.)
Accent or no accent? Many people and groups, particularly in the West and the North, have dropped the accent in Métis. Both spellings are acceptable in English. Regardless of your preference, it is a good idea to always check the names of individual Métis organizations before you publish them. For example, the Metis Council of Ontario and the Metis Association of the NWT do not take an accent; the Métis National Council does take an accent. Capitalize “Métis” as you would other designations like “Francophone,” “Arabic” or “Nordic.”
N
Native – A collective term referring to Indians (status and Non-status), Métis, and Inuit. It continues to be supplanted by Aboriginal. It nonetheless appears in legitimate form as program and departmental names at universities and in academic journal titles.
Native American – A term commonly used in the United States to collectively refer to the First Nations people in the United States.
Non-Status Indian – An Indian person who is not registered as an Indian under the Indian Act. Non-Status Indians are people who consider themselves Indians or members of a First Nation but do not meet the criteria established in the Indian Act. This may be because they are unable to prove ancestry, the identity of a parent is unknown or undisclosed, or have lost their entitlement to registration through direct enfranchisement, that of a parent, or through marriage. Many Indian people in Canada, especially women, lost their Indian status through discriminatory practices in the past. Non-Status Indians are not entitled to the same rights and benefits available to Status Indians.
O
Off-Reserve – A term used to describe people, services or objects that are not part of a reserve, but relate to First Nations.
R
Registered Indian – An Indian whose name is recorded in the Indian register maintained by the federal government in accordance with the Indian Act. See INDIAN in this section
Reserve – A reserve is a tract of land, set aside through the Indian Act or through treaties for the use of a specific band or First Nation. The band has “exclusive user rights” to the land, but the legal title is held by the Crown. Some bands have more than one reserve. The Indian Act states this land cannot be owned by individual band members.
Use caution in determining whether this word is appropriate. Many First Nations now prefer the term “community” or “First Nation community”, and no longer use “band” or “reserve” when referring to the community.
Capitalize “reserve” when used as part of a name. Unless you are naming a specific reserve, the word “reserve” can remain lowercase. Reservation is an American term.
S
Status or Registered Indian – A person who is registered as an Indian under the Indian Act. The act sets out the requirements for determining eligibility for registration, which can change (for example with Bill C-31 in 1985 and more recently Bill C-3 to respond to the McIvor Decision). These requirements are created by Canada, and have little to no connection to the standards First Nations employed for belonging or citizenship in their Nations. Status or Registered Indians are people who are entitled to have their names included on the Indian Register and are recognized as Indians under the Indian Act, which defines an Indian as “a person who, pursuant to this Act, is registered as an Indian or is entitled to be registered as an Indian.” Status or Registered Indians are entitled to certain rights and benefits under the law. To see eligibility requirements: www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100032472
T
Treaty Indian – A Status Indian who belongs to a First Nation that signed a treaty with the Crown. Indians: A term used historically to describe the first inhabitants of what Europeans described as the ‘New World’ and used to define Indigenous people under the Indian Act.
The term “Indian” is considered outdated by many people, and there is much debate over whether to continue using this term.
Popular usage typically employs the term “First Nation” instead of “Indian,” except in the following cases:
- in direct quotations
- when citing titles of books, works of art, etc.
- in discussions of history where necessary for clarity and accuracy
- in discussions of some legal/constitutional matters requiring precision in terminology
- in discussions of rights and benefits provided on the basis of “Indian” status
- in statistical information collected using these categories (e.g., the Census)
Capitalize “Indian,” “Status Indian,” “Non-Status Indian,” and “Treaty Indian” as you would other designations like “Francophone,” “Arabic” or “Nordic.”
Tribe – A tribe is a group of Aboriginal people sharing a common language and culture. The term is used frequently in the Unites States, but only in a few areas of Canada (e.g., the Blood Tribe in Alberta). Use caution in determining whether this word is appropriate.
