Racism against aboriginal people in Canada still exists today and goes back to early colonial times. What racism looks like back in colonial times opposed to today is, back then the first nations people got their land stolen from them by the "white man." They were forced to lose their religion, their rights and freedoms. The first nations people were forced to believe in Catholicism, they had their potlach's banned because it was "making people poor" by giving out free gifts. They were even forced to send their children to residential schools to practise "white mans" religion, they couldn't even speak their language, they had to speak English.
An example of systemic racism would be, when the British government disallowed potlach's. This is a form of systemic racism because the government didn't like that people were giving things away for free, the government already didn't want the first nation people to believe in their religion and were trying to convert them to chrisiantity. So by letting them keep the potlach it was allowing them to believe in their own religion because potlachs are a type of ritual welcoming new born children.
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| First Nations and Europeans trading in 1900's. First Nations getting taken advantage of. |
Yes ! and racism exists today in various forms of paternalism and the persistent racism towards First Nations when you read what people comment on First Nations news issues. I am currently following the events in Attawapiskat and the paternalistic intervention by the government to have third-party financial management. I read this interesting blog http://apihtawikosisan.wordpress.com/2011/11/30/dealing-with-comments-about-attawapiskat/. Recommend it. Looking forward to reading your blog.
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