Essay On Indigenous Culture

Modern history has seen the acceptance of Occidental beliefs as correct, and the disregard of other schools of thought; this is particularly evident when it comes to international relations and global politics. In Canada, indigenous beliefs have been ignored since the beginning of the country’s colonization. From the moment in which Canada became accepted as a sovereign state, Indigenous people have been pushed aside in the global arena and only Canada’s more western philosophies have been recognized in international relations. Through the acceptance of Eurocentric ideas of international relations, indigenous culture, thoughts, and political beliefs have been cast aside. During the nineteenth century, with a rising European emphasis on mercantilism and (therefore) colonialism, European explorers began to colonize contemporary Canada. (Lecture, Jan. 10). In the beginning, North-American indigenous people felt that they were living peacefully with the newfound settlers. This idea of settler colonialism though, would turn out to be detrimental for the political and cultural lives of indigenous North-Americans. Europe’s eventual attempt to assimilate and liquidate Canada of its indigenous people

Based on Hayden King’s article, it is evident that indigenous people understood their responsibility to the land and saw it as something they owed themselves to not something they could necessarily own. Liberals on the other hand, put property ownership as one of the four identifiers of liberal politics. (Dunne, 102). Where indigenous people and liberals would agree though, is their values of toleration, liberty and justice. Liberals put an emphasis on the domestication of international relations – which if it happened, could benefit indigenous people, as they are often seen as a domestic policy ‘issue’. (Lecture, Jan 19 &