Cree

on how I spoke Spanish, which they called broken Spanish. I thought that as a Latin community we would help each other and be more embracing towards all Latin Americans but that was not the case in this situation. They would judge me and say “ se cree gringa” she thinks she white just because I was a lighter complexion than the rest and didn’t speak fluent Spanish. Compared to some of my ethnic and white friends who also enrolled in my Spanish class they made me feel welcomed and embraced my…

seen around the world in courtship rituals is extraordinarily diverse and often takes on forms that may seem unusual and incomprehensible to outsiders. One of these cultures would be that of the Nacirema. The Nacirema, located “between the Canadian Cree, the Yaqui and Tarahumare of Mexico and the Carib and Arawak of the Antilles” (Miner, 1956: p503), were first brought to the…

Joseph Boyden’s novel, Through Black Spruce, creates a modernized depiction of the Windigo figure. He uses the figure to describe key antagonists who act as corrupting forces to the world around them. The Windigo figures torment Will and Annie Bird as well as corrupt the youth through their drug business. According to Antoine, the Windigos must die in order to stop their unending corruption. Antoine is the only character able to handle the burden of killing the Windigo figures as he has no…

John Rae did not discover the Arctic nor the fate of the Franklin expedition. John Rae was employed by the Hudson’s Bay Company as a ship’s surgeon originally and later worked as a doctor at the Moose Factory. Additionally, Rae learned greatly from Cree women surrounding the area. Ultimately, Dr. John Rae lead many expeditions in an attempt to find the Northwest Passage, with many ending with failure. Yet, through each failed attempt, John learnt skills from the Inuit and even employed some…

Throughout society the vast majority of individuals struggle with different forms of oppression as well as privilege based on their identities. The way an individual identifies himself or herself changes the way in which they move through the world. Although differences are present, as Chris Dixon (2014) mentions “ we are forging a shared politics through struggle. We believe in the power of people to fight for justice and dignity and to shape history in the process.” (p. 3). With all of the…

Our Generation has had no Great war, no Great Depression. Our war is spiritual. Our depression is our lives. - Chuck Palahniuk. Joseph Boyden’s novel Three Day Road, tells a tale of the indigenous peoples of Canada and their interaction between the settlers. The main characters, Xavier, Elijah and Niska struggle to cope and survive in a world that is changing faster than ever before. The concept of the windigo is very prevalent throughout the novel as they are shown to live amongst the…

Charles Darwin once said, “A moral being is one who is capable of comparing his past and future actions or motives, and of approving or disapproving of them”. Darwin’s insight into morality is often challenged by the inherent imperfection of human nature. For instance, assimilation is one of many experiences that can have an impact on one’s values and beliefs. However, the interplay between assimilation and moral integrity is not straightforward, but rather depends on one’s identity. Niska and…

Introduction The Canadian Constitution, also known as the supreme law, describe Canada’s process of both codified and uncodified traditions as well as convention. It allows for the division of powers between federal and provincial powers and encompasses the rights and freedoms of all Canadians. The Meech Lake Accord was the first attempt to amend the newly patriated Constitution in order to facilitate changes depicted by the Constitution Act, 1982. The Meech Lake Accord was a set of…

semi-sentient object, we call wands. In Canada, the First Nations people had their own spiritual magic. Once the European wizarding community arrived, they brought their history and their wands. In 1722, Decusroggan was born to an Englishman and a Cree woman. History states that Decusroggan died 24 days later but in reality, he was given over to the wizarding community to be raised as he showed magical abilities at this young age. As a young Métis, he grew up with…

The truth is, suffering is a fundamental part of livelihood. However, once a new meaning is found in suffering, survival becomes the best option to stay hopeful as it allows one to take revenge and gain success. In the novel “The Marrow Thieves” by Cherie Dimaline, the struggle to survive and the importance of staying hopeful and not give up is pivotal for the lives of Frenchie, a sixteen year old, who has lost his brother, Mitch, and his mother to the Recruiters as well as his companions as…