Towards an understanding of tradition in Cree women's narratives, Waskaganish, James Bay

• Main Author: Garrard, Margaret
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: McGill University 2004
• Subjects: Cree women > James Bay Region; Cree Indians > James Bay Region > Ethnic identity; Autobiographical memory > Social aspects; Waskaganish; Cree indians; James Bay
• Online Access: http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=81491

This thesis examines the ways in which Cree women of Waskaganish, James Bay use and understand the concept of tradition in narratives about their lives and changes in their community. The fieldnotes of anthropologist Regina Flannery, completed in the 1930's, serve to orient this research, and provide a starting point for discussion. As northern communities continue to adapt in the face of social and economic changes, cultural categories such as tradition have concurrently undergone reevaluation. It is argued here that the meanings of tradition have become more complex as Cree women adjust to their changing environment. It is demonstrated that tradition is used as a narrative tool in descriptions of the past, and a means by which women can discuss change and the future of their community. In addition, tradition currently occupies a significant symbolic space in women's individual cultural identities, and is incorporated in daily life in various ways. Furthermore, tradition has also become an important component of Cree political discourse. Finally, it is apparent that tradition remains a contested category among women themselves, and dissent exists as to the future transmission of traditional practices, language and values. From this analysis, tradition emerges as a nuanced term that has a number of conceptual modalities. It is suggested that a more comprehensive grasp of complex concepts such as tradition is made possible through the prioritization of personal narratives, and the exploration of the ways in which individuals utilize, comprehend and expand on cultural categories.