Canada's First Nations: A History of Founding Peoples from Earliest Times

by Olive Patricia Dickason, David T. McNab

Canada's First Nations uses an interdisciplinary approach--drawing on research in archaeology, anthropology, biology, sociology, political science, and history--to give an account of Canada's past. Olive Dickason's widely acclaimed history of Canada's founding peoples is augmented by David McNab's updates and in-depth examination of recent events, including the Ipperwash inquiry and global warming's effect on Innu of Canada's the north.

This text describes how Canada's Aboriginal peoples were radically altered by the arrival of Europeans. They fought as allies beside the French and English during the battles of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; they were hunted to the point of extermination in Newfoundland; and their numbers were decimated by European diseases. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries Canada tried to legislate Aboriginal cultures out of existence, as the official assumption remained that assimilation would bring an end to any Indian "Problem."

From Nescambiouit and Potiac, to Pound Maker, Abe Okpik, and Elijah Harper, Amerindians and Inuit have responded to persistent colonial pressure in various ways, including attempts at co-operation, episodes of resistances, and politically sophisticated efforts to preserve their territory and culture. The revitalization of today's Aboriginal communities--dramatically expressed by the Mohawk at Oka in 1990 and by members of the six nations in Caledonia in 2005--reminds us that accurate perception of the past is essential to a just shaping of Canada's future.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Canada, Indigenous History, Indigenous

608 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Dasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olive Dickason’s Canada’s First Nations presents a thorough investigation into the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada. The book follows Indigenous peoples from their arrival 50 000 – 10 000 years ago up through the legal and constitutional battles of the late twentieth-century. She largely focuses on Canada, often breaking chapters up to focus on groups based on geography such as the Northwest Coast, Arctic, and the Maritimes. Although, the first part of the book, which concentrates on the pre-contact period, frequently refers to information on Indigenous groups in South America as well.
Through this work Dickason offers a picture of Indigenous peoples not as passive and inevitable victims of European colonialism but rather as resistant, adaptive, and active and involved participants of their history, who persisted and survived in spite of quickly changing circumstances. Indeed, Dickason centres Indigenous peoples rather than Europeans in this history of Canada. In addition, Dickason also argues that Canada possesses a long history and around 58 founding nations. She argues against the notion of Canada as a nation with “much geography and little history” that only the British and French founded (p. xi). By repositioning and refocusing Canada’s history to privilege long marginalized Indigenous narratives Dickason expands readers' understanding of what Canadian history can look like and how it can be studied.
Despite the in-depth research and important contribution to historiography, Dickason’s work contains two major limitations. Firstly, constrained by keeping the length of the book reasonable, some topics are not analyzed as in-depth as they ideally could have. For example, the description of the Indigenous situation in Prince Edward Island in the nineteenth century receives a scant paragraph in contrast to the many paragraphs devoted to the maritime provinces, which also pales in comparison to the many pages provided to Upper and Lower Canada. However, Dickason alleviates this limitation through extensive notes that provide short explanations and options for further reading. Secondly, Dickason does not detail Indigenous women’s experiences and roles in as much detail as future works will.

[Travis Webber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly readable for a textbook, and very thorough. I am genuinely embarrassed at how much I learned.

[Jedediah Gorham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very informative review of the history and challenges facing the Indigenous peoples of Canada. Unfortunately, the last chapter came across as a bit of a partisan attack towards the government of the day. Hence only 4 stars.

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well researched book and I learned so much more than we ever learned in school! It was truly eye-opening to read more about Indigenous experience's throughout time.

[Raymond-Felix · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Brett Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Olive Dickason provides an excellent summary of key aspects of Canadian Indigenous history that have been systematically overlooked by writers of European descent. I found her analysis of the political rivalry between the settled nations of Iroquoia and Huronia in the context of French, English and Dutch military, commercial and diplomatic pressures particularly interesting.

[Ian Martens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very clear, can bea bit boring at times but very comprehensive.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. I didn't finish the text, but will always think of it as a great reference tool.

[Rai · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good and detailed look at the history of native peoples in Canada. Not too dry to read, but some sections assume prior knowledge and are hard to understand without it.

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book from my university days. A well written, academic style book. A must have for any serious book collector that loves history or Indigenous studies.