Indigenous peoples in Canada

"Native Canadian" redirects here. For Canadian people in general, see Canadians.

  • Indigenous peoples in Canada
  • Peuples autochtones au Canada
Indigenous peoples in Canada and the U.S., % of population by area
Total population
1,807,250
5.0% of the Canadian population (2021)[1]
Languages
Indigenous languages, Indigenous English, Canadian English and Canadian French
Religion
Christianity (mainly Roman Catholicism and Anglican), Traditional Indigenous beliefs, Inuit religion, Mythologies of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas
Related ethnic groups
Native Americans in the United States, Greenlandic Inuit, Indigenous peoples of the Americas
Indigenous peoples
in Canada
A life-sized bronze statue of an Aboriginal and eagle above him; there is a bear to his right and a wolf to his left, they are all looking upwards towards a blue and white sky
History
Politics
Culture
Demographics
Linguistics
Religions
Index
Indigenous North Americas
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Indigenous peoples in Canada (also known as Aboriginals)[2] are the Indigenous peoples within the boundaries of Canada. They comprise the First Nations,[3] Inuit,[4] and Métis,[5] representing roughly 5.0% of the total Canadian population. There are over 600 recognized First Nations governments or bands with distinctive cultures, languages, art, and music.[6][7]

Old Crow Flats and Bluefish Caves are some of the earliest known sites of human habitation in Canada. The characteristics of Indigenous cultures in Canada prior to European colonization included permanent settlements,[8] agriculture,[9] civic and ceremonial architecture,[10] complex societal hierarchies, and trading networks.[11] Métis nations of mixed ancestry originated in the mid-17th century when First Nations and Inuit people married Europeans, primarily the French colonizers.[12] First Nations and Métis peoples played a critical part in the development of European colonies in Canada, particularly for their role in assisting Europeans during the North American fur trade.

Various Aboriginal laws, treaties, and legislation have been enacted between European immigrants and Indigenous groups across Canada. The impact of settler colonialism in Canada can be seen in its culture, history, politics, laws, and legislatures.[13] This led to the systematic abolishment of Indigenous languages, traditions, religion and the degradation of Indigenous communities that has been described as a genocide of Indigenous peoples.[14]

The modern Indigenous right to self government provides for Indigenous self-government in Canada and the management of their historical, cultural, political, health care and economic control aspects within Indigenous communities. National Indigenous Peoples Day recognizes the vast cultures and contributions of Indigenous peoples to the history of Canada.[15] First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples of all backgrounds have become prominent figures and have served as role models in the Indigenous community and help to shape the Canadian cultural identity.[16]

  1. ^ "Indigenous identity by Registered or Treaty Indian status: Canada, provinces and territories, census metropolitan areas and census agglomerations with parts". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada. September 21, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference indian was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Civilization.ca-Gateway to Aboriginal Heritage-Culture". Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. Government of Canada. May 12, 2006. Archived from the original on October 20, 2009. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
  4. ^ "Inuit Circumpolar Council (Canada)-ICC Charter". Inuit Circumpolar Council > ICC Charter and By-laws > ICC Charter. 2007. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
  5. ^ Todd, Thornton & Collins 2001, p. 10.
  6. ^ 2011 National Household Survey: Indigenous Peoples in Canada: First Nations People, Métis and Inuit
  7. ^ "Civilization.ca-Gateway to Aboriginal Heritage-object". Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. May 12, 2006. Archived from the original on October 15, 2009. Retrieved October 2, 2009.
  8. ^ Darnell, Regna (2001). Invisible genealogies: a history of Americanist anthropology. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 978-0-8032-1710-2. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
  9. ^ Cameron, Rondo E. (1993). A concise economic history of the world: from Paleolithic times to the present. Oxford University Press. p. 92. ISBN 978-0-19-507445-1. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
  10. ^ Kalman, Harold; Mills, Edward (September 30, 2007). "Architectural History: Early First Nations". The Canadian Encyclopedia (Historica-Dominion). Retrieved November 27, 2013.
  11. ^ Macklem, Patrick (2001). Indigenous difference and the Constitution of Canada. University of Toronto Press. p. 170. ISBN 978-0-8020-4195-1. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference testt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Reynolds, J. (2024). Canada and Colonialism: An Unfinished History. University of British Columbia Press. pp. 3–10. ISBN 978-0-7748-8096-1.
  14. ^ Woolford, Andrew (2009). "Ontological Destruction: Genocide and Canadian Aboriginal Peoples". Genocide Studies and Prevention. 4 (1): 81–97. doi:10.3138/gsp.4.1.81.; Green, Robyn (December 2015). "The economics of reconciliation: tracing investment in Indigenous–settler relations". Journal of Genocide Research. 17 (4): 473–493. doi:10.1080/14623528.2015.1096582.; MacDonald, David B.; Hudson, Graham (2012). "The Genocide Question and Indian Residential Schools in Canada". Canadian Journal of Political Science. 45 (2): 430–431. doi:10.1017/s000842391200039x.; Dhamoon, Rita Kaur (2016). "Re-presenting Genocide: The Canadian Museum of Human Rights and Settler Colonial Power". The Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics. 1 (1): 10. doi:10.1017/rep.2015.4.; "Genocide and Indigenous Peoples in Canada". The Canadian Encyclopedia. November 2, 2020. Archived from the original on August 2, 2024.
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference history was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ "National Aboriginal Achievement Award Recipients". National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation. Archived from the original on October 11, 2009. Retrieved October 7, 2009.