Jessica Starks Unequal Communities: Exploring the Relationship between Colonialism, Patriarchy and the Marginalization of Aboriginal Women addresses multiple topics in regards to the effects of colonialism, the introduction of the Indian Act and its detrimental effects in pertinence to the Indigenous Peoples of Canada, specifically First Nations women. Stark also explores the colonial/pre-colonial political identity of Indigenous women. In addition, Stark examines how patriarchal design of the Indian Act served in its ability to not only redefine the roles of women, but to oppress and alienate them from their communities through the membership and band council provision of the Indian Act. Stark concludes her essay with the notion or idea
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Furthermore, that as a result of forced patriarchy, women were often silenced on matters affecting their well being as well as the well being of their communities, thus leaving them with a feeling of disempowerment. In contrast to this, Stark voices that before colonialism, many Indigenous communities across the country followed philosophies such as the “medicine wheel” or “circle of life”(Stark, pg.47) principles and ran on a matriarchal system in which the women were revered as the givers of life. Stark also states “As the givers of life, their motherhood was honoured and understood as requiring them to care and nurture the entire community.”(Stark, pg.47). In addition it is asserted that in this matriarchal type of setting that the voice of the women was heard and weighed equally with that of the men in regard to important decision making, perhaps even more so than anyone else in the tribe due to the high level of respect given to them as the givers of life. Stark also stresses that, before colonization both men and women were responsible to each other in maintaining and perpetuating a type of balance and cooperation in which men were responsible for supporting and helping women fulfill their responsibilities to their respective communities and vice
Furthermore, that as a result of forced patriarchy, women were often silenced on matters affecting their well being as well as the well being of their communities, thus leaving them with a feeling of disempowerment. In contrast to this, Stark voices that before colonialism, many Indigenous communities across the country followed philosophies such as the “medicine wheel” or “circle of life”(Stark, pg.47) principles and ran on a matriarchal system in which the women were revered as the givers of life. Stark also states “As the givers of life, their motherhood was honoured and understood as requiring them to care and nurture the entire community.”(Stark, pg.47). In addition it is asserted that in this matriarchal type of setting that the voice of the women was heard and weighed equally with that of the men in regard to important decision making, perhaps even more so than anyone else in the tribe due to the high level of respect given to them as the givers of life. Stark also stresses that, before colonization both men and women were responsible to each other in maintaining and perpetuating a type of balance and cooperation in which men were responsible for supporting and helping women fulfill their responsibilities to their respective communities and vice