Savages, Saviours and the Power of Story: The Figure of the Northern Dog in Canadian Culture

This research was motivated by a recent pattern in animal welfare texts in Canada that portray northern dogs as “savage” trouble-makers, and indigenous people as backward barbarians incapable of caring for the animals that share their spaces. With this comes the troublesome idea that, yet again, the only positive force in indigenous Canada is the civilizing force of outsider intervention: northern dogs need to be rescued; non-indigenous people are their rightful saviours. It is a story that has been circulating in the dominant culture in Canada for centuries, and has urgent implications for both human and non-human animals in Canada’s North. This dissertation consists of three sections. In the first section, I explore the roots of the colonial figure of the “noble canine savage” through representations in explorers’ journals, ethnographic films and tourism marketing texts. In section two, I consider how the represented dog differs in texts created within the framework of indigenous knowledge, including origin stories, indigenous cinema and elder testimony regarding the sled dog cull in Canada’s North in the mid-20th century. In section three, I return to the current media texts, and explore how they reproduce the racist rhetoric of the past. The aim of my study was to validate the indigenous view of northern dogs in order to better incorporate local stories into animal welfare projects in northern Canada. Future interventions in this regard may include the use of cultural exchange activities between indigenous and non-indigenous partners in such projects (e.g. between local community groups and visiting veterinary teams); prioritization of narrative approaches to relationship-building; and the use of more culturally sensitive language in public relations and marketing texts

Building bridges in indigenizing education: digital narratives as a means of shifting non-Indigenous teacher horizons towards relationality

This thesis was developed in response to the pressing need to find methods for non-Indigenous teachers to actively teach for Indigenous student resilience, and to center Indigenous students and their families in an education system which consistently marginalizes and silences them (Canadian Council on Learning 2009; Dion, 2009). Digital narratives are explored as a means to address this need. Through the use of teacher research and photovoice I answer two research questions: How can non-Indigenous teachers use multimedia expression to shift their horizons in order to better understand and support the resilient identities and academic potential of Indigenous youth? And, what can these youth teach these educators about Indigenous identity and self-determination in school and Canadian society? Analysis of a variety of data sources, which included in-service and pre-service teacher interviews, autoethnographic journals, and Indigenous students’ digital narratives (iMovies), revealed six thematic ways in which students’ digital narratives, and the process of creating them, shifted teachers towards a more relational stance with their students and centered student voice in the classroom. In theorizing the outcomes of this study I interpret these themes as bridges. These pathways facilitate dialogue and encourage relationship to be built between Indigenous students and non-Indigenous. These bridges include 1) intrinsically valuing technology as a teaching tool, 2) reciprocation and authentic relationship, 3) collaboration, 4) student self–representation, 5) student demonstration of knowledge, and, 6) record of student strengths. The findings of this thesis provide a rich example of how digital narratives can be used in the classroom to move towards an indigenized approach in education, support Indigenous students’ self-determination in schools and encourage relationality, a stance of acknowledging and moving towards better relations by recognizing a shard humanity and future (Donald, 2012), between settler-Canadian teachers and Indigenous students

Prehistoric Neoeskimo Komatiks, Victoria Island, Arctic Canada

The remains of five prehistoric Neoeskimo sleds—komatiks—were located during extensive ground surveys over several hundred square kilometres on the Wollaston Peninsula, western Victoria Island, Arctic Canada. The radiocarbon dates obtained on the remains range from 790 to 300 BP (cal. 736 – 300), which places the sleds within the Thule and Intermediate Copper Eskimo Period. Structurally, these sleds are similar to historic Copper Inuit and Netsilik Inuit sleds: they have wooden runners with lashing and front trace holes, wooden slats tapered at each end with lashing notches on each side, and antler sled shoes with drilled holes to receive pegs for attaching to the runners. However, the sleds range in length from 1.38 to 1.81 m, and thus are at the smaller end of the size range of historic Inuit sleds. The size suggests either that they represent special function sleds used in addition to larger sleds, or that larger sleds may have been a late historic development, perhaps influenced by contact. The fact that no sleds attributable to Paleoeskimo culture were recorded is consistent with the generally held belief that dogs and sleds were not an important part of Paleoeskimo transportation systems.Les vestiges matériels de cinq traîneaux néo-esquimaux – komatiks – ont été localisés lors de travaux de sondages effectués sur plusieurs centaines de kilomètres carrés sur la péninsule Wollaston, île Victoria de l›Ouest, dans l’Arctique canadien. Des dates au carbone 14 ont été obtenues et se situent dans l’intervalle de 790 – 300 BP (cal. 736 – 300), les associant aux périodes thuléenne et intermédiaire des Inuit du cuivre. Architecturalement, ces traîneaux sont similaires aux traîneaux historiques des Inuits du cuivre et Netsilik : ils ont des patins en bois munis de perforations pour y fixer les traverses et les laisses de chiens. Les traverses, également de bois, sont bordées d’encoches latérales. Leurs patins sont chaussés d’andouillers de caribou fixés à l’aide de chevilles et de perforations forées. Toutefois, la longueur des traîneaux oscille entre 1,38 et 1,81 mètre, les plaçant dans la limite dimensionnelle inférieure des traîneaux inuits historiques. Ceci suggère une fonction particulière pour ces petits traîneaux, éventuellement complémentaire à des modèles plus longs. Autrement, les grands traîneaux sont peut-être le fruit d’un développement historique tardif, notamment lié à des contacts extérieurs. Aucun traîneau attribuable aux cultures paléo-esquimaudes n’a été trouvé, ce qui est en accord avec la croyance générale que de tels objets et les chiens qui y sont associés n’occupaient pas une place importante dans les systèmes de transport de ces groupes

Picture Collection Subject Index

The Subject Files cover people, places, objects, design, fashion, buildings, nature, and concepts. Research a time period by looking at subjects that are subdivided chronologically, such as Automobiles, Costume, Family Life, Advertising, Furniture, Interiors, Houses, Street Scenes, and U.S. History. The collection covers many decades, from the 19th century to the present day, and contains many images that you won\u27t find on the internet, and they all circulate!https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/picturecollection_indexes/1000/thumbnail.jp

Policing the Arctic: Relations Between the Mounted Police and Inuit in the Eastern Canadian Arctic during Sled Dog Patrols, 1903 – 45

This paper examines relations between the Mounted Police and Inuit of the Eastern Canadian Arctic from 1903 to 1945. It recognizes that although the Mounted Police, as an organization, acted coercively to impose Canadian laws and push Canada’s colonial agenda in the Arctic, police officers needed to maintain good relationships with Inuit to do their job and survive Arctic conditions. The paper’s overarching objective is to highlight the contribution of Inuit special constables to Canadian Arctic history. We present a careful study of routine and special patrols, as these provide a unique opportunity to gain a better understanding of the role of Inuit special constables and their relationships with Mounted Police officers. The paper presents a series of interactions between these two groups that illustrate the complexity and nuances of their relationship. Drawing on archival work, we also highlight the names of previously unacknowledged Inuit special constables.Cet article examine les relations entre la police montée et les Inuit de l’est de l’Arctique canadien de 1903 à 1945. Il reconnaît que bien que la police montée, en tant qu’organisation, ait agi de manière coercitive pour imposer les lois canadiennes et faire avancer le plan de colonisation du Canada dans l’Arctique, les agents de police devaient entretenir de bonnes relations avec les Inuit afin d’accomplir leur travail et de survivre dans les conditions de l’Arctique. L’objectif principal de cet article consiste à faire ressortir la contribution des gendarmes spéciaux inuit à l’histoire de l’Arctique canadien. Nous présentons une étude approfondie des patrouilles régulières et spéciales, car celles-ci offrent une occasion unique de mieux comprendre le rôle des gendarmes spéciaux inuit et leurs relations avec les officiers de la police montée. Cet article se penche sur diverses interactions entre ces deux groupes, interactions qui illustrent la complexité et les nuances de leurs relations. Il fait aussi mention des noms de gendarmes spéciaux inuit afin de mettre en lumière de nombreux Inuit inconnus dont les noms figurent dans les archives

The Montclarion, November 18, 1966

Student Newspaper of Montclair State Collegehttps://digitalcommons.montclair.edu/montclarion/1054/thumbnail.jp