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

by Olive Patricia Dickason

The sweep of Canadian history is both broader and deeper than standard texts reveal. When Europeans first came to Canada, they did not find a wilderness; rather, they encountered a complex, rich society composed of fifty-five individual nations--the Native peoples of Canada. But because these societies were predominantly oral rather than literate, Canadian historians generally have found it easier to ignore the early existence of Native peoples. Doing so, of course, clips short Canada's history, and it clouds our view of these remarkable original cultures and their influence on the country's character. Canada's First Nations, by contrast, begins with the first appearance of humans in the Americas and, using an interdisciplinary approach, restores the full history. Although Canada's Native peoples preceded European arrival, their lives were radically altered thereafter. At first, Amerindians and Inuit cooperated with and even aided the Europeans, but the newcomers' encroachment knew no bounds. The opening of the West to fur traders and white settlers, the land-cession treaties, the Klondike gold rush, the eventual commercial exploitation of northern resources--all eroded the Native peoples' fundamental place on the land. Early trade relations were complicated by efforts to mold Amerindians to fit European cultural patterns; later Canada even inaugurated a campaign to legislate Native cultures out of existence. Far from being overwhelmed, Amerindians and Inuit from Membertou and Pontiac through to Big Bear, Abe Okpik, and Elijah Harper responded to persistent colonial pressure. Co-operative enterprises and periodic episodes of resistance characterized their early response; today they employ politically sophisticated methods to preserve territories and traditional values. The revitalization of the Native community in the continuing fight for land claims and sovereignty--dramatically expressed by the Mohawks at Oka in 1990--reminds us that an accurate perception of

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

590 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.