Female First Nations Chiefs and the Colonial Legacy in Canada

• Main Author: Voyageur, Cora
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: eScholarship, University of California 2011
• Subjects: Indian Act; colonialism; paternalism; government; First Nation; women; First Nations
• Online Access: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1ft8336w; https://escholarship.org/content/qt1ft8336w/qt1ft8336w.pdf

The social, economic, and political regulation of Canada's First Nations was codified in the Indian Act. Rooted in colonialism and paternalism, the Indian Act was created by the government of Canada to fulfill three functions: (1) to define who was and was not an Indian; (2) to civilize the Indian; and (3) to manage the Indian people and their lands. The Indian Act is restrictive and continues to govern virtually every aspect of Indian life including band membership, leisure activities, and land use and band leadership. Over time, some of the more restrictive policies governing Indians were dropped and more freedoms were granted. As a result, First Nations people began to enjoy some of the privileges set aside for mainstream Canadians. In addition, First Nations women began to enjoy some of the government-sponsored privileges that were previously reserved for First Nations men. There has been a rapid increase in the number of women elected to the role of chief in Canada's First Nations community throughout the past fifteen years, and this article explores some of the explanations for this recent phenomenon. Using the lens of postcolonial theory, the author explores women chiefs' experiences with the lingering effects of colonialism, colonial notions of womanhood, and how indigenous women have been able to oppose those beliefs.