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The first unit of BCFNS 12 acts as introduction to the First Peoples of BC. This unit aims to give you an overview of life in pre-contact BC, as well as a sense of the incredible diversity of Indigenous peoples in this land.
Before we go any further, we need to start building an understanding of what constitutes an Indigenous worldview. What are the fundamental beliefs of Indigenous peoples, both in BC and throughout the world? It will help to compare it to the Western / European worldview that has informed mainstream / settler society in BC. The following videos and hand-out help to make this distinction clear.
Give this hand-out a quick look: Indigenous vs. Western Worldviews
ASSIGNMENT 1: Using the video and hand-out above, along with the readings on pages 8-18, answer the following questions in point form:
As you’ve read, oral history is a central feature of First Nations society. Here are two fascinating examples of First Nations oral histories being supported by modern science.
Heiltsuk Archeological Dig: First Nations in BC 14,000 Years Ago
Earthquakes in First Nations Oral History (start at “Once scientists had reconstructed…”)
ASSIGNMENT 2: After reading the first article, refer back to pages 8-9 in your textbook. In a short paragraph, answer the following question:
“Our people live in an oral culture” – what does an “oral culture” look like? How would you describe an oral culture?
Do these articles suggest that opinions about First Nations oral traditions are changing?
ASSIGNMENT 3: Getting familiar with BC’s First Nations & BC geography. Use the above map (and feel free to use other online resources) to complete the following hand-out: BCFNS 12 – Mapping Activity
It will be helpful to refer to this map and this interactive map might also be helpful.
Also, check out this AWESOME online map of Indigenous groups across the planet: Native-Land.ca
ASSIGNMENT 4: BC has the largest number of distinct Indigenous languages in Canada. By a LONG SHOT. The First Nations of BC are incredibly “linguistically diverse.” Why do you think this is? Take a look at the map again. Take a look at a map of Canada (preferably one that illustrates geographical features like… mountains).
Chapter 2 in the textbook examines how First Nations have traditionally used and managed resources. “First Nations people respect and co-exist with nature. The resources from the land and the sea which they use are more than just food or materials; they are viewed as gifts from the natural or supernatural realms. With such a diversity of people using an abundance of different resources throughout BC, a wide variety of technologies were developed and used for harvesting and processing the resources.”
ASSIGNMENT 5: This chapter outlines 9 different traditional uses of resources and technologies that First Nations people have developed – gathering plants, preserving food, creating shelter, and so on. Choose any 3 of them (the fishing practices outlined in the videos are fair game!) and describe them in point form (2-3 points each).
Turn to pages 45-47. Describe the relationship between spirituality and resource management for BC First Nations people. How is this different than a Western/European approach? (2-3 points)
Imagine living in a world without money. You wouldn’t be able to simply buy the things you couldn’t make yourself. Would you be able to survive if you and your family had to produce everything you needed to live? And how would you get what you needed to survive? Historically, First Nations communities have been totally self-sufficient, living off the land and producing everything required for survival. Before colonization, these communities had local economies that ensured that everyone’s needs were met; at the same time, vast, sophisticated trade economies stretched far & wide throughout the land.
You’ve learned about the resources available in the different regions of BC. “The First Nations of BC are believed to have been the most active and expert traders of their time in North America.” You can probably guess (without even reading the textbook) some of the resources that would be traded between these regions.
ASSIGNMENT 6: Research three of the following trade items and note: where did the resource originate and where did it end up? Why was the trade item in demand and what was it used for?
ASSIGNMENT 7: Traditional Education
ASSIGNMENT 8: POTLATCH
The Kwakwaka’wakw Potlatch of the Northwest Coast
Using the videos, links, and hand-out above, write a paragraph describing the purpose and function(s) of the Potlatch ceremony. Secondly, address the question: “What would be a modern-day equivalent to banning the Potlatch?”