Aboriginal Peoples’ Core Values and Worldviews

“Who are the diverse Aboriginal people who have contributed to the building of the country we now call Canada?”

Definitions

Culture: A way of life or a way of being shared by a

group of people; culture includes the knowledge,

experiences, and values a group shares and that

shape the way its members see the world.

Pluralistic Society: A society made up of many

different groups of people, each with its own unique

identities, ideas, perspectives, and culture;

developing a sense of respect for all cultures.

Culture

• Culture is the way of life or a way of being that is shared by a group of people.

• Canada is a pluralistic society. • We are a society made up of many groups

of people each with a unique identities, ideas, cultures and ways of seeing the world.

• Pluralism means we respect and value the individual and collective opinions and identities of all people.

Brainstorm

What are some of the different cultures we see and appreciate in our school,

community and country?

First Nations

• The First Nations who lived in Canadabefore it became the country we know today, formed a pluralistic society of their own.

• Each group had its own ideas, worldview, language, spiritual beliefs, government and way of life.

Definitions

Natural World: The land, water, mountains,

forests, plants, wildlife, and climate.

Core Values: An important idea or belief

about how people should live.

Worldview: A way of looking at the world that

reflects one’s core values.

Indigenous People: The original inhabitants of

a given area.

Definitions

Traditional Teachings: A unique belief of the

First Nations passed down orally from

generation to generation that explains

something. Example: how the earth was

created or how people came to exist.

Elder: A respected member of an Aboriginal

community who uses Traditional Teachings,

experience and wisdom to help people in his

or her community make good decisions.

Values and Viewpoints

The First Nations in North America are diverse peoples. Each group has its own ideas, world view, language, spiritual beliefs, government and way of life.

Think back: They are an example of what type of society?

Values and Viewpoints

The First Nations in North America are diverse peoples. Each group has its own ideas, world view, language, spiritual beliefs, government and way of life.

Think back: They are an example of what type of society?

A pluralistic society

Diversity

First Nations peoples have lived in all parts of the land we now call Canada.

Each First Nation developed a unique culturesuited to its surroundings in the natural world.

The land, water, mountains, forests, plants, wildlife, and climate all played an important role in developing cultures as diverse as the Canadian landscape.

World Views

Although there were many unique First Nations cultures, these diverse peoples also shared some core values.

Combined individual and core values make up a worldview.

World Views

• Many First Nations peoples (including the Mi’kmaq, Anishinabe and Haudenosaunee) shared values relating to their relationships with the Creator, the natural world, other people and themselves.

• For example, they believed the following:

World Views

1. People are not separate from nature or from the non-living world. Everything on earth is connected to everything else.

2. The wisdom and experience of the Elders is highly valued. Elders deserve the respect of all members of the community.

3. A spiritual world exists. It plays a very important role in all the happens on earth.

4. People must live in harmony with each other and in balance with nature.

Indigenous Peoples

• First Nations peoples are indigenous to North America. This means that they are the original people of this land.

• First Nations beliefs are often passed from generation to generation through traditional teachings.

• These teachings also help explain the relationships among the plants, animals, land, people and the spirit world.

Keepers of Knowledge

• Traditional teachings have been passed down orally from generation to generation by Elders.

• Elders have traditionally been the most respected members of Aboriginal communities.

• They use their experience and wisdom to help people in their communities make good decisions and keep their cultures alive!

Agnes Semaganis - Elder -Poundmaker First Nation

Keepers of Knowledge

• What types of things do you think may have been passed down because of Elders?

Agnes Semaganis - Elder -Poundmaker First Nation

Keepers of Knowledge

• What types of things do you think may have been passed down because of Elders?

• Language

• Traditions

• Ceremonies

• Laws

• Skills

• Histories Agnes Semaganis - Elder -Poundmaker First Nation

Stories

• One way Elders taught youngsters moralsand values was by telling stories.

• These stories had two main purposes:

1. To teach

2. To entertain

Definitions

Oral Culture: A way of life in which

language, teachings, and traditional

stories are memorized and passed

down orally from one generation to the

next.

Oral and Written Histories

Oral and Written Histories

• Traditionally, young First Nations people learned about the First Nations’ ways of life and events that took place in the past by listening.

• Histories, place names, family trees, laws, and events were memorized and passed orally from one generation to the next. It did not need to be written down.

• In this way, the First Nations developed a rich oral culture.

Oral and Written Histories

• First Nations peoples had ways of making sure they remembered everything correctly:

1. One method was to repeat the information often, so that they would not forget.

2. Another method was to make visual reminders.

Wampum belts used by the Haudenosaunee. Sea shells were woven into symbols and designs. A knowledgeable person would look at the

symbols “read” the belt.

Wampum belt, 1682

Definitions

Ethnocentric: A viewpoint that judges other global

cultures and ideas according to personal values and

standards; believing one’s own ethnic group is

superior.

Clan: A small village of extended families who lived

together, co-operated, and shared resources.

Government: The way people organize themselves to

choose their leaders and make decisions.

Decision-Making by Consensus: A debate in which

people discuss an issue until they can all agree on

one outcome.