Introduction
The Metis are the Canada’s Aboriginal people who exist in the Canadian historical, social and cultural landscape. The Metis people presently are beginning to write about themselves through social sciences and historical narratives in order to reclaim their inclusion and belonging rights after being silent for a very long period of time without any public expression of their culture. This Canadian Aboriginal group celebrates their uniquely identified culture as well as a mixed ancestry. This culture came about as a result of living and mingling of one Metis group with others of both French and English-speaking over a long period. However, as a result of colonization, Metis remained to be a marginalized Aboriginal group existing between various cultural worlds in the Euro-Canadian society (Richardson 56).
The society still perceives the people of Metis group as inferior as evidenced through their actions towards them. For instance, people of Metis have been displaced from their original land and they are currently living as a minority people in Canada. The Aboriginals people have faced different types of discrimination, that is, they still encounter personal discrimination and other forms of mistreatment in their daily lives. It should be known that the racism towards Aboriginal peoples is entrenched and embedded in the institutions in Canada. These institutions include the courts, churches, employers, education and medical systems, social services, and banks. The racism that is experienced in school systems can be dated back to the period of Euro-Canadian historical interpretation, an interpretation that is biased and transmitted by uncritical use of textbooks, historical and archival records. Due to colonization, the European categorized the indigenous peoples as inferior thus classifying them as salvages, which means they are behind in human development, while on the other hand; they classify themselves as superior and civilized. Due to these institutionalized bias, the Aboriginal peoples have been set apart geographically (on residential schools and reserves) and also treated as the most inferior people. This is because complex set of terminology, images, legislation, and policies have discriminated against the group. In the society such believes are portrayed through marketplace and public media, through advertisement, comics, tourist sites and Hollywood. Such kinds of racism greatly rooted in the institutions up to the point where it has become the normal thing in the White North American society (LaRocque, n. pag).
Nevertheless, racism does not necessarily mean personal, intentional or conscious but instead it is institutionalized and it deeply affects the Canadians. Conditions are set by the society to the Aboriginal peoples, and this applies especially to the youths, who are made to acquire and learn the views of the racist towards the culture, persons and history of the Aboriginal groups. Consequently, the children of the non-Aboriginals may start to fear and thus developing racial hatred and disrespect the Metis peoples or First Nation. In addition, the negative impact on the Aboriginal group is similarly distressing since racial hatred can results to self-rejection and racial shame. The overall effect will be mistreatment, mistrust and stereotyping of the people of Aboriginals hence resulting to conflict and strain (LaRocque, n. pag).
Generally, the colonial legacy is not only about racist attitudes, false history and distorted images. It also involves the grabbing of land and resources belonging to the Aboriginal peoples with an assumption that they are primitive. Currently, this issue has remained to be a bit constant as well as relentless corporate and industrial encroachment on the Metis land and First Nation. Some of these mistreatments experienced by the group have made them to take action with an intention of reclaiming back their lost land. The act of land claims is not only talking of past historical injustices but also the on-going losses and pressure by the society. Resistance and protests do not take place for no reasons. The conflicts experienced in Oka, Burnt Church, Caledonia and Gustafson are clear indications showing the efforts of the Aboriginal peoples towards salvaging the remains of their resource and lands in order for them to have some self-determination in accordance to their identities for the present and coming generations. The act of justice demands facing the governments, corporate and towns in order to win the battle of their claims (LaRocque, n. pag).
The continued racism and colonization has greatly affected the Metis and First Nation negatively. The Aboriginal groups have greatly suffered great losses of land, industrial pollution, poverty and alienation. Racism has affect mostly the youth who ended up committing a lot of suicides and it is reported that suicide committed by the youths is 6 times that of national average. However, some individuals such as Pamela George, Betty Hellen Osborne, Dudley George, Neil Stonechild and many others have lost their lives due to racial killings (LaRocque, n. pag).
The act of racism affects the entire Canadians since it impairs relationships, hurts people as well as causing social conflicts. The Canadians have not effectively look at this issue of racism in order to bring long term solution to the problem, and even some are denying that it exists while blaming the Aboriginal members for their marginalization. The Canadian government needs to deal with this issue effectively in order to unite it people.
Works cited
Richardson, Cathy. “Metis Identity Creation and Tactical Responses to Oppression and Racism.” Variegations, 2, (2006): 56-71. Web. 13 May 2013.
LaRocque, Emma. “Colonization and Racism”. Aboriginal Perspective. National Film Board of Canada, n. d. Web. 13 May 2013.
