Major Changes Aboriginal Women's Life after the Indian Act - Report Example

Changes in womens life al Affiliation) Major changes aboriginal womens life after the Indian act Aboriginal is the given to the descendants of the original inhabitants of North America. North America had indigenous individuals who had a strong and healthy culture. They had a diverse and complex way of living. Women during this time were highly valued and held top positions in the society. Women in the pre-colonial period had leadership roles and the society had to respect them. The Canadian government uses the term aboriginal to refer to the indigenous individuals who lived in the pre-colonial period. Canadian government refers to individuals who have status as aboriginal. The Indian government knows three types of Aboriginal and they include the Indians, Métis, and the Intuits (Flanagan, Le Dressay & Alcantara, 2010). The three types of separate individuals have unique cultures and beliefs. They believe in different spiritual beliefs and speak different languages. Did the Indian Act have impacts on the lives of Aboriginal women? There were major changes in the lives of indigenous individuals after the Indian Act in 1985. The lives of Aboriginal individuals were at a disadvantage in the Canadian society. There is a difference between the aboriginal and the rest of citizens in the society. The Canadian Society believes Indians refer themselves as Indian. Bill C-31 is the pre-legislation name of 1985 Act used to make amendments on the Indian Act (Flanagan, Le Dressay & Alcantara, 2010). The act eliminates discriminatory provisions in the Indian Act. The discriminatory provisions include the section where the women lose their status when they get married to non-Indian men. There is disparity between the Aboriginal and the rest of citizens living in the Canadian society. The life expectancy of Indian men is 8 years shorter than that of the normal Canadian society. The status of Indian men is that they are more likely to fall sick than the average Canadian Individual. The suicide rate of Indian individuals is thrice much of the national average. An average of 60% of the Indian society in North America who are between 25 and 50 years of age are in employment (Flanagan, Le Dressay & Alcantara, 2010). In Canada, the aboriginal face terrible situation when compared to the other individuals of different cultures. Various studies explore the reason why Aboriginal individuals face an uphill task in their lifestyle. The attitudes of the federal government shape the society negatively. There is discrimination between the Aboriginals and the other individuals living in the Canada. The government is spending many resources to find out why there is inequality between the natives and other citizens. In addition to, there is particular research why the discrimination affects women more. There are major changes that have occurred in the lives of women since the Indian Act. Before the arrival of Europeans, the Aboriginal individuals lived in organized societies. The languages, cultures, and spirituals were different but there was a generalization made about the Aboriginals. There was a strong relationship between the resources and the indigenous people. Men and women had different roles in the society, but the society treats them as equals with men. They had leadership roles in the society and men had to obey them. There is a rich cultural history among the indigenous people. It was how the stories and beliefs pass through generations and generation. In the pre-colonial period, it was normal for the community members to choose their leaders through heredity, patrimony and other systems. Each of the communities had their own traditions and beliefs. Citizens would identify themselves through gender neutral A band is a term that describes a body of Indians who have a governing council. The council overlooks the work of the band. The band has the task of using the land set aside by the government. The community members choose their chiefs and elder through free and fair elections. Band members have traditions and values that they share and it is rooted in their system. The Indian and Northern Affairs of Canada are responsible for overseeing the work of the Aboriginal in Canada (Sen, 2008). The early relationship between Aboriginal women and Europeans was important to the government. During this period, the European depended on the Indigenous individuals on tips on surviving in the continent. The Royal Proclamation determines the country and the indigenous individuals. The proclamation stresses that there is a need for a division between the Indian Territory and the British Territory. The government had the power to own the Indian land and that the treaties decide the Indian lands. European individuals became less reliant on the indigenous on the tips provided by the indigenous individuals. European settlers had relationships with the Aboriginal women. There was the dependence of the integration of the marriage between the indigenous individuals and the aboriginal women. The family bonds between the European and the aboriginal women links economic ties. European immigrants had different perspectives on the aboriginal women. It seems the Indian women took the role of the white women. The Indian women were legally white and they assumed the role of white women. The colonialist view of women was the same as that of their culture. The view of women at this moment was that of domestic responsibility. The Aboriginal women were stronger and hardworking than the European women. European womens focus is on domestic issues and their concerns had relations to household matters. Aboriginal women were independent while the European women were dependent on their men. Aboriginal women had more power because they had the right to choose their lifestyle. Aboriginal women had the right to make their own decisions concerning their marriages. The women played a major part in the fur trade. The relationship between the men from Europe and the Aboriginal men began to change. Aboriginal men began to get attach themselves to the circles of European men. Aboriginal men interact with European men through political and economic transactions (Sen, 2008). Research shows that aboriginal women did not lose their personal autonomy .The women grew resistance against colonial rule and general rule of the society. Aboriginal women grew resistance to colonial from the start of the conflict linking the invaders and the indigenous individuals. Women are the managers of homes and they take care of their families as their primary responsibilities. Most women had the responsibility of maintaining the traditional values and beliefs for the sake of the children. The society members knew womens resistance to colonial rule was high. A common proverb insists on the idea that to rule a nation the hearts of women is a major factor. The law entrenches the status of Aboriginal women. There are numerous laws after the 1876 Indian Act, 1876 that relate to Aboriginal individuals. The Indian Act represents a number of laws passed by the federal government in 1876 (Sen, 2008). The laws brought together the laws relating to the Indians. The law has been amended numerous times to suit the individuals it affects. The first amendment after its inception to the law came in 1985. The law touches on the main areas affecting the Indian individuals. The main problems affecting the Indians were the issues of land and the local government. The Act restricted Indians were restricted to administrative policies of the federal government. There were many changes in the lives of the women after the Indian Act. The Act had a protective nature of the Indian themselves. The Act did not allow the Indians to participate in any election until the 1949. The amendment of the law in 1985 was important because it came to the aid of the landless individuals. The federal government had the role of removing individuals from their ancestral land. The process continued for a long period before making individuals landless. The loss of land among the native individuals results in loss of status. The loss of land affects the coming generations of indigenous individuals. The loss of status causes a large impact on the lives of Indian individuals. Women could apply their citizenship through their husbands. They had to rely on their husbands for assistance on the application. Their reliance on their husbands on the application or citizenship was important. The government ban on the ceremonial practices was a way of forcing Indians to adapt to Christianity. In addition to, the government ban on the ceremonial traditions was a method of influencing individuals. It influences the individuals to undermine the status of Indian women in their societies. Women could marry a man and it was the responsibility of the federal government to substitute their financial interests. The government wants to enfranchise Indian women by reducing their population. Womens population would reduce greatly if the government endows the Indian women. The federal governments main aim was to reduce the population of Indian women. It did not pay close attention to the matters affecting women and children. Over the coming generations, the matter of womens enfranchisement was not an issue to the federal government (Sen, 2008). There is no law that prevents women from owning property via the certificates of possession. The effect prevents women from owning property in the society. The automatic transfer of husbands from one individual to another characterizes the aboriginal during this period. The woman upon marriage was a property of the society could not live naturally. It was a strategy to protect the woman and her children from violence. Aboriginal women had the right to live on the land of their late husband as long the liked. The women lived in the land of their late husbands under the permission of the Superintendent. There was an automatic enfranchise of aboriginal women in their own society. Aboriginal women had to prove that they had good moral standards to inherit the property. Before the Act, the Aboriginal woman had the right to inherit any property that belongs to them. In conclusion, the Indian Act causes harm to the relationship between the woman and the society. Furthermore it causes harm the relationship between women and the Canadian society. The society outcry to have equal chances for Aboriginal women will help them become strong members of the society. References Flanagan, T., Le Dressay, A., & Alcantara, C. (2010). Beyond the Indian Act. MontreÌal: McGill-Queens University Press. Sen, S. (2008). Women and labour in late colonial India. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Read More