Unit 11
Contemporary Issues for Aboriginal Cultures

The revitalization of Aboriginal cultures and the changing relationships between Aboriginal societies and Euro-North American states have created new hope and new issues for Aboriginal cultures. Unit 11 reviews selected contemporary issues for North American Aboriginal peoples.

Objectives

When you have completed Unit 11, you should be able to

1. describe the statistical representation of Aboriginal socioeconomic circumstances in Canada.
2. discuss Aboriginal initiatives in economic development.
3. discuss Aboriginal initiatives for resolving alcohol addiction.
4. outline the role of the Canadian courts in defining Aboriginal rights.
5. outline the different forms of self-government negotiated by Aboriginal groups in the Canadian North.
6. discuss taxation issues for First Nations in Canada and in the United States.
7. describe the issues created by the control by the Bureau of Indian Affairs over federally recognized Native American tribes/bands.
8. discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the post-1950 relocation program.
9. describe how tribal sovereignty is expressed in the United States.
10. outline the legal principles involved in the Treaty No. 8 tax judgment.
11. evaluate the “Noble Savage” characterization of North American Indians by environmental lobby groups.