The True Savages in Canadian History;
Dehumanization in The Orenda
Canada’s history with the First Nations residents has not been an easy path, beginning in the 17th century, when European settlers arrived in the New Land. The First Nations residents greeted them with kindness and promises of trade, while the European settlers arrived with violence and disease, killing thousands. In the more recent future, the Canadian government took away children from their native families and tried to forcefully assimilate them into the Canadian society, yet the natives are still today known as the “uncivilized people”. From an outsiders view the native way of life, may seem unusual or uncivilized but it is a culture that centers its view on respect for …show more content…
Torture and death are imminent in this gruesome time period and as the Jesuit missionaries often say the torture methods that the Huron use are “barbaric” and “savage”. However it is the violence that missionaries inflict that is the most harmful. Throughout the torture ceremonies that take place the captured soldiers are treated with respect. Their wounds are, “cared for tenderly” and on the night before the torture they observe strict rules such as, “no one [will] partake [in] sexual intercourse as a sign of respect” (273). When the torture begins all who observe will, “act in a calm and orderly behaviour” and there will be “no drama or inappropriate behaviour” (273). The Natives remain respectful in their torture methods and only seek harm for vengeance, while the civilized people harm without reason. When Snow Fall is in New France, she is sexually assaulted by one of the soldiers, but she is not the only one. Hot Cinder, a Native boy is also raped by the missionaries, who promised to him, “secrets of the Captain of the Day” (332). This commonality of rape proves how the missionaries and settlers do not view the Natives as people. By calling them savages and animals they try to dehumanize the Natives in order to atone for their heinous deeds. The act of rape itself shows that no respect is shown to the victims and it appears to happen quite often among the civilized people. The missionaries believe …show more content…
It is often said that Natives are violent, and barbaric, but what is often forgot is that there are two sides to every story. Canada’s history is not always a pleasant topic, with bloodshed on either side. The Natives were victimized and exploited. They were driven out of their homes, told they were animals, and that their beliefs were nonsense. They were and still are oppressed. However, in Joseph Boyden’s The Orenda, the truth is shown on how the Christian missionaries are the true savages, through their acts of dehumanizing, violence, trickery and deceit, as well as their lack of respect for
Dehumanization in The Orenda
Canada’s history with the First Nations residents has not been an easy path, beginning in the 17th century, when European settlers arrived in the New Land. The First Nations residents greeted them with kindness and promises of trade, while the European settlers arrived with violence and disease, killing thousands. In the more recent future, the Canadian government took away children from their native families and tried to forcefully assimilate them into the Canadian society, yet the natives are still today known as the “uncivilized people”. From an outsiders view the native way of life, may seem unusual or uncivilized but it is a culture that centers its view on respect for …show more content…
Torture and death are imminent in this gruesome time period and as the Jesuit missionaries often say the torture methods that the Huron use are “barbaric” and “savage”. However it is the violence that missionaries inflict that is the most harmful. Throughout the torture ceremonies that take place the captured soldiers are treated with respect. Their wounds are, “cared for tenderly” and on the night before the torture they observe strict rules such as, “no one [will] partake [in] sexual intercourse as a sign of respect” (273). When the torture begins all who observe will, “act in a calm and orderly behaviour” and there will be “no drama or inappropriate behaviour” (273). The Natives remain respectful in their torture methods and only seek harm for vengeance, while the civilized people harm without reason. When Snow Fall is in New France, she is sexually assaulted by one of the soldiers, but she is not the only one. Hot Cinder, a Native boy is also raped by the missionaries, who promised to him, “secrets of the Captain of the Day” (332). This commonality of rape proves how the missionaries and settlers do not view the Natives as people. By calling them savages and animals they try to dehumanize the Natives in order to atone for their heinous deeds. The act of rape itself shows that no respect is shown to the victims and it appears to happen quite often among the civilized people. The missionaries believe …show more content…
It is often said that Natives are violent, and barbaric, but what is often forgot is that there are two sides to every story. Canada’s history is not always a pleasant topic, with bloodshed on either side. The Natives were victimized and exploited. They were driven out of their homes, told they were animals, and that their beliefs were nonsense. They were and still are oppressed. However, in Joseph Boyden’s The Orenda, the truth is shown on how the Christian missionaries are the true savages, through their acts of dehumanizing, violence, trickery and deceit, as well as their lack of respect for