The Lives of Native Peoples in Western Canada before and after Contact

THE LIVES OF NATIVE PEOPLES IN WESTERN CANADA BEFORE AND AFTER CONTACT
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The first established contact between native Canadians and Europeans took place in the 10th century in the Artic, Labrador, and Greenland. This occurred after the Vikings reached the Baffin Island that is located along the Atlantic Coast. A comprehensive account of the voyages made by Eric Thorvaldsson (or Eric the Red), Bjarni Herjolfsson, Leifr Heppni Eirksson, and other famous Vikings have been articulated in The Saga of Eric the Red. Information has been written about what took place during this time, and it is believed that Europeans held the natives against their own will. Hostilities mounted between the natives and the Vikings and this affected the abilities of the Europeans to establish a settlement in the ‘Canadian territory.’ After contact, various issues resulted from the voyages made by the Vikings in Canada, despite the fact that the attempts of Scandinavians to colonize northern Newfoundland continued for close to six decades (between 990 and 1050). This document critically analyzes the lives of Native People in western Canada before and after Contact.[Stonechild, Blair. Aboriginal Peoples of Saskatchewan. (2006) http://esask.uregina.ca/entry/aboriginal_peoplesof_saskatchewan.html (accessed October 21, 2015)]
Pre-colonial History (Pre-contact)
Before Europeans reached into what is currently called North America, the Natives were healthy and strong, with complex and diverse societies. Aboriginal hunter-gatherers living in western Canada are believed to have occupied the region for over 11,000 years. Archeological evidence on the use of fluted spear points dates back to 9,000 BC and it is believed that the early archaic eastern people moved towards the western plains around 6,000 BC and they met the Plano people. The locals valued their women and gave them leadership roles, while children were brought up in accordance to values and ethics of sacred circles. British Columbia was particularly rich in resources, where healthy foods were in abundance. Close to one-third of pre-contact Natives in Canada lived in what is currently referred to as British Columbia and they were represented by 7 language families and 24 languages. Variety of information has been compiled about pre-colonial Natives’ history, but there is a huge data concerning the early contact-period, particularly on the role played by women.[uottawa.ca. European Colonization and the Native Peoples. https://slmc.uottawa.ca/?q=european_colonization (accessed October 21, 2015)]
The traditional cultures of the First nations believed on ideologies that human beings were part of, but not essentially, central to creation. This implies that people existed within a network of life where all entities, whether animals, plants, inanimate, or natural had a specific spiritual dimension. Therefore, life was composed of processes of creating relationships and striving to develop the well-being of the circle of life. In addition, ceremonies involved reflection of this worldview, where for instance, sweet grass burning was a communication process with the spirits, sweat lodge was a spiritual cleansing, and thirst dance was a renewal of life. When it came to social organization, clans, tribes and families were based on a kinship system and intermarriage put emphasis extended families. Furthermore, political decision involved making consensus with other family members where food and variety of necessities were shared.[Jack Brink. Imagining Head-Smashed-In: Aboriginal buffalo hunting on the northern plains.(Edmonton: AU Press. 2008), 105] [Jennifer Brown, Strangers in Blood: Fur Trade Company Families in Indian Country (Vancouver: UBC Press, 1980).]
Missions and Trading Posts
King Francois 1 of France chose the expedition to look for gold and other treasures and a western passage to Asia. Afterwards, explorer Jacques Cartier sailed from Saint-Maloin on April 1534 with 61 men and two ships. He passed through the Strait of Belle-Isle that is located between Labrador and Newfoundland and headed to the western coast of the island. During this visit, he erected a cross at Gaspe Peninsula and called it Chaleur Bay. The cross had the words "Long live the King of France" which annoyed the indigenous people. The first contact with the indigenous people was tentative although Cartier sought permission to bring with him two Indians. The natives had already established cultivation and fishing farms that span the shores of St. Lawrence. However, the Iroquois and Micmac became suspicious of a foreigner who sought a route that was headed towards Asian silver, gold, and copper reserves.
During his second voyage that was held between 1535 and 1536, Cartier went to St. Lawrence and named the region "King of Canada." The Quebec City was founded by Samuel de Chaplain and the Native people were regarded as having a strong warrior tradition in 1608. The main of their mission was to take prisoners and gain land. After de Chaplian reached Canada, he was forced to side with the Algonquin in waging wars against the Iroquois. It is important to note that Iroquois managed to annihilate Huron, which was the most loyal and largest fur trading partners in France. Lasting treaties with the French were also established by the Inuit, Naskapi, Montagnais, Malecite, and Micmac. However, these groups had a difficult time trying to establish long-lasting peaceful relations with the Iroquois people, and this lasted until the implementation of the Great Peace of Montreal in 1701.[Shepard Krech,. The Subarctic Fur Trade: Native Social and Economic Adaptations. (New York: UBC Press, 2011) 55]
When missions and trading posts were established between the Europeans (mostly the French) and Amerindians, it altered relations. It also led to a rapid in...