Review of Women of the First Nations: Power, Wisdom, and Strength Edited by Christine Miller and Patricia Chuchryk, with Maria Smallface Marule, Brenda Manyfingers, and Cheryl Deering

Authors

Jo-Ann Archibald, University of British Columbia

Date of this Version

1998

Citation

Great Plains Quarterly Vol. 18, No. 4, Fall 1998, pp. 355-356

Comments

Copyright 1998 by the Center for Great Plains Studies, University of Nebraska- Lincoln

Abstract

This book fulfills one of two purposes emerging from the first National Symposium on Aboriginal Women of Canada: Past, Present, and Future, held in 1989 at the University of Lethbridge, Alberta: to bring together a collection of talks-as oral texts-and academic papers about various aspects of Aboriginal women's lives written by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women. Even though Aboriginal women point out the importance of traditional teachings about land, family, and community, they also raise economic, academic, social, and identity issues that spring from traditional and colonial frameworks. Emma LaRocque says it better:

Weare being asked to confront some of our own traditions at a time when there seems to be a great need for a recall of traditions to help us retain our identities as Aboriginal people. But there is no choiceas women we must be circumspect in our recall of tradition. We must ask ourselves whether and to what extent tradition is liberating to us as women. We must ask ourselves wherein lies (lie) our source(s) of empowerment. We know enough about human history that we cannot assume that all Aboriginal traditions universally respected and honoured women. (And is "respect" and "honour" all that we can ask for?) (14)

The range of topics and issues makes this book a practical reader for introductory courses on First Nations studies and gender. Diane P. Payment, Laura Peers, and Sarah Carter discuss the influence of women's roles in Metis, Saulteaux, and prairie Indian groups during the fur trade, the Riel rebellion, and other events, and show how women's survival skills helped their families and communities. JoAnne Fiske emphasizes Carrier women's ways of adapting and developing leadership skills despite the detrimental era of residential schooling. Rosemary Brown, Jennifer Blythe, and Peggy McGuire examine the impact of environmental, economic, and political changes upon women's lives and work.