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Evaluation of the Aboriginal Population

Total Aboriginal Identity Population in 2006: between 2475 and 2480 

15/2480 have knowledge of Aboriginal language; 0.6% of the population have knowledge of Aboriginal language, and 0% speak it most often at home

Total private Aboriginal households: 1390

 Median income in 2005- All private households: $63 661

1220/1965 of Aboriginal identity over the age of 15 have no postsecondary certificate, diploma or degree; that’s 62% of the community 

Median age: 31.6

Total Registered Indians in Mississauga: 750

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Evaluation Comparison

Total population in 2006: 668 549 (People who are Aboriginal make up 0.4% of the population). (Statistics Canada 2012)

15 people of the total 668 549 (so, 0.003%) speak Ojibway, no other Aboriginal language is spoken in the city. (Statistics Canada 2012)

Total number of persons in private households: 708 725 (Statistics Canada 2012)

Total number of people without a post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree: 133709, or 20% (Peel Region)

Median Age: 38.5 (Statistics Canada 2012)

Median Household Income: $98 552 (Chris Clay 2013)

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How does the comparative evaluation of population statistics show the long-term effects of Mississauga's history of colonial oppression?

In looking at the two sets of populationstatistics (the Aboriginal population census and the general population censusfor Mississauga), it becomes clear through comparison that there are severallong-term effects of Mississauga’s historic colonial oppression left today. Firstly,the language statistics alone are demonstrative of the abolishment ofIndigenous culture that took place within the geographic region of Mississauga.Despite the fact that the city was once the territory of the Mississaugas, anOjibway community, only 0.6% of the Aboriginal community left within the citycan speak Ojibway; this means that only 0.03% of the entire city’s populationhas any understanding of Aboriginal language at all, and 0% speak the languageas their first language (Statistics Canada 2007).

Additionally, through examining the education andincome statistics in a comparative manner between the two censuses, it becomesclear that the Aboriginal community within Mississauga is at a serioussocio-economic disadvantage, which is arguably a result of the colonizationfaced by their ancestors, which created institutionalized colonial relationshipsthat still exist today (Lovelace p.4). The evidence in this can be seen in theseriously uneven median household income between the two censuses: TheAboriginal population making an average of $63 661 per household (StatisticsCanada 2007), and the rest of the population making an average of $98 552(Statistics Canada 2012). This socio-economic inequality can also be seen inanalyzing the stats on higher-education. Statistics Canada (2007) states thatin Mississauga, 62% of citizens who are Aboriginal do not have a post-secondarycertificate, diploma or degree. This is a disproportionately high number, whichbecomes clear when looking at statistics about the city as a whole, which statesthat out of the entire population, 20% of people don’t have a post-secondary diploma,certificate or degree (Peel). This number is extremely disproportionate andproves an undeniable socio-economic disadvantage, as the Aboriginal communityin Mississauga makes up only 0.4% of the population of the entire city(Statistics Canada 2007).

Thus, it is through truly examining thestatistics provided by Statistics Canada in a comparative manner that itbecomes clear that Mississauga’s history of colonial oppression has left aserious, long-term, socio-economic disadvantage that is inherent to theAboriginal peoples who still inhabit the city.

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·      The Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation was moved away from its ancestral site in 1847, but the sacred fires burn bright again.

·      The Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation recently celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Three Fires Homecoming Powwow, keeping the flame of tradition alive.

·      Quinton Sault is the head youth dancer from the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation

·      Sault is starting college classes in diesel mechanics this month. While he’s years away from having kids, he said powwow dancing is something he wants to pass on to his children one day, as his parents passed it to him

·      Misssissaugas of the New Credit First Nation was a co-host for the PanAm Games Gala

·      Toronto is the Mississauga’s traditional territory, they were moved to their current reserve in 1847, and the dislocation left an inedible trauma on the community

·      Embers that represent the Three Fires Confederacy were placed in metal barrels and brought to the community’s new home on the New Credit reserve

·      The Mississauga Chiefs girls’ hockey team were given an honoured place in the powwow’s grand entry, which Marian Jacko (the Chiefs’ league president) believes is reconciliation through sport and culture

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·      The Mississauga Chiefs were among five hockey teams in Mississauga cited in a complaint to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario over team names and logos deemed “racially insensitive”

·      “‘We wear the logo with pride, we carry the name with pride… There’s nothing disrespectful, there’s nothing derogatory about it,’ ‘We try to have the kids from the organization learn about the culture’”

·      Jr. Chiefs team and league players were invited to attend the New Credit First Nation’s powwow, Laforme also attended the league’s Annual Jr. Chiefs Day

·      Meadowvale Mohawks and Lorne Park Ojibwa have changed their names

·      “Though the Mohawks and Ojibwa teams have made changes to their names and logos voluntarily, the other two teams - the Mississauga Braves and the Mississauga Reps (who have a Chicago Blackhawks-style logo) - may be required to do so under a new GTHL policy, created through consultations with First Nations leaders and the Aboriginal Sport & Wellness Council of Ontario”

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How is the Aboriginal community of Mississauga portrayed in local media?

Although itis fairly difficult to source out local stories about Mississauga’s Aboriginalcommunity (which is a problem within itself), the stories that I did find weren’toverly disappointing. In on of the articles “Mississauga FirstNation celebrates 30 years of annual homecoming powwows”, Mississauga’scolonial history was even explicitly spoken about. The article stated thatBritish powers once traumatized The Mississaugas, and as a result there is muchhealing to be done, but said (more implicitly) that the rest of the communityof Mississauga, specifically the sports teams, will be working in allyship(Winter 2016).

           However,the other article that I was able to find, "Mississauga Chiefs keep theirname with First Nations blessing”, had a bit more of a negativeconnotation to it. Although the article stated that one of the five hockeyteams in Mississauga accused of having a racist name were given a blessing tokeep their name, the text made it clear that this feeling of acceptance was notentirely shared amongst the Aboriginal peoples in Mississauga, and especiallynot by the person who made the complaint.

           Thus,what I have gained in knowledge from these articles is that the city ofMississauga as a whole is attempting to make amends with the Aboriginal peopleswho have been victimized by the city’s history, however many people within thecity do not currently possess the mindset that would allow these amends tofully come to be, as many of these citizens don’t fully understand their placeas settlers in Canada’s history. Additionally, Mississauga’s sports teamsappear to be both a legacy of colonialism within Mississauga, and the source ofreparation attempts simultaneously.

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Sweat Lodges

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·      Ice Fishing Derby at Chiblow Lake 

·      Health and Nutrition family events 

·      Elders Tea 

·      Beaver game 

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Homecoming Powwows

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What do the events hosted by Mississauga and the New Credit First Nation reserve say about the prominence of Aboriginal culture in the city of Mississauga?

Firstly, through my extensiveresearch I was only able to find one regular event held in Mississauga that is reflectiveof Indigenous culture, and is both hosted and planned by Aboriginal peoples: anannual homecoming powwow. Although this event is both appropriately reflectiveof Indigenous culture unique to the Mississauga region, and does not appear tobe culturally appropriated in any way, it is arguable that this single annualevent still does not go far enough to preserve or reinstate the culture thatwas once native to the geographic location of the city. Additionally, thereserve itself does appear to have a multitude of weekly, monthly and annualevents that are inclusive and accurately representative of the culture thatonce existed in the city of Mississauga, however because the reserve is nolonger on the land that is currently known as ‘Mississauga’, these events cannot be associated with the city, and the city therefore cannot accept any formof praise for these events. Firstly, through my extensiveresearch I was only able to find one regular event held in Mississauga that is reflectiveof Indigenous culture, and is both hosted and planned by Aboriginal peoples: anannual homecoming powwow. Although this event is both appropriately reflectiveof Indigenous culture unique to the Mississauga region, and does not appear tobe culturally appropriated in any way, it is arguable that this single annualevent still does not go far enough to preserve or reinstate the culture thatwas once native to the geographic location of the city. Additionally, thereserve itself does appear to have a multitude of weekly, monthly and annualevents that are inclusive and accurately representative of the culture thatonce existed in the city of Mississauga, however because the reserve is nolonger on the land that is currently known as ‘Mississauga’, these events cannot be associated with the city, and the city therefore cannot accept any formof praise for these events.

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Relationships

Social/cultural relationships that detract from intercultural relationships 

· Approximately 1788 band members with nearly half of the population living off-reserve due to lack of employment opportunities, inadequate land base, and lack of available housing (New Credit)

· 1847- The Mississaugas are relocated to the New Credit First Nation reserve; are forced to abandon their cultural relationship with the land (Mississauga)

·      The displacement of the Mississaugas in 1847 has caused people of their community to lose touch with their true cultural identity, and has caused the settler citizens of Mississauga to become unaware of the community who was once situated on that land

Social/cultural relationships that enhance intercultural relationships

·  Mississauga Chiefs attend Mississauga First Nations homecoming powwow

-> Reconciliation through sport and culture

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How would you describe the intercultural relationship between the citizens of Mississauga and the Aboriginal community within the city, as well as the Mississaugas who originally inhabited the location?

Therelationship between the settler population of Mississauga and the Aboriginalcommunity within the city can be described as, essentially, your typical colonialrelationship. A separation between the two communities exists within the city,fed by stereotypes as a long-term effect of colonialism (Lovelace). Thesestereotypes and cultural separation are obvious when looking at Mississauga’shockey teams, and through the differences in socio-economic privilege. However,despite the fact that the Aboriginal peoples within Mississauga are currentlyliving in a position of identity-inferiority as a result of the Indian Act(Lovelace), there are still several similarities shared between the Aboriginalpeoples in Mississauga and the rest of the general population. Namely, bothparties have no control of their own land, as the Crown has legal possession (Lovelace).Additionally, although much of the Indigenous and Aboriginal culture inMississauga has been abolished as a result of colonialism, the annualhomecoming Powwow that takes place in the city demonstrates the existence of a positiveintercultural relationship that could be coming to reality between the twopopulations. By attempting to include Mississauga’s sports teams into theceremonies, the Aboriginal peoples in Mississauga have initiated a reconciliationprocess that must be upheld and strengthened by the settler population, whomust go much further than simply attending these events to truly become educatedin their own settler history and social position, to fully allow inter-cityreconciliation to occur.

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Conclusion

Thus, although there have been some reconciliation attempts made within Mississauga, there is still much that could be done to deepen and strengthen that process. Further education about the history of the Mississaugas must be provided to both the Aboriginal peoples within Mississauga, to reconnect them with their lost culture (a loss which is evident in the language statistics and population statistics), and to the settler population to help them to fully understand their social location as settlers to be able to properly incite effective reconciliation with the people who are indigenous to the land they live upon. Although Mississauga claims to be a city that represents and exudes diversity, there is much that is left out of local media and conversations about the history of the city itself; a history which is rich with colonialism and land exploitation. The effects of which are still visible in the claims of racism made against the hockey teams native to the city, as well as in the statistics about the lack of Aboriginal language present within the city and about the socio-economic disadvantage that the Aboriginal peoples within the city live with. Therefore, it is clear that my hometown, like many other Canadian cities, is a site of mass exploitation and oppression. However, through my research it has become clear that as a unique geographic location, there are several things that can be done within Mississauga to hopefully incite a process of reconciliation. Namely, the implementation of an education program to teach both the Aboriginal peoples and settlers in Mississauga about their own personal histories; a crucial step to finally mending some of the social and culture wounds inflicted upon the Mississaugas during colonization, wounds which still leave their scars today.

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Works Cited

Clay, Chris. "Mississauga ranked Canada's 48th best city to call home." Mississauga ranked Canada's 48th best city to call home. Mississauga News, 20 Mar. 2013. Web. 08 Feb. 2017.

Lalani, Azzura. "Mississauga Chiefs keep their name with First Nations blessing." Mississauga News. Mississauga.com, 25 Oct. 2016. Web. 07 Feb. 2017.

Lovelace, Robert. Representation and Identity- Social Construction and Racism. Rep. Queensu.ca, n.d. Web. 7 Feb. 2017. <https://qshare.queensu.ca/Groups/CDS/course_content/DEVS/DEVS_221/Representation%20and%20Identity.pdf>.

Mississauga First Nation. "Mississauga First Nation." Walking in Balance. Mississauga First Nation, 2016. Web. 08 Feb. 2017. <http://www.mississaugi.com/>

New Credit First Nation. "Our Culture (History)." MNCFN. Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, 2014. Web. 08 Feb. 2017. <http://www.newcreditfirstnation.com/our-culture.html>.

Region of Peel Environment, Transportation & Planning Services. Bulletin: 2006 Census Education and Unpaid Labour. Peel Data Center, Mar. 2008. Web. 7 Feb. 2017.

Statistics Canada. 2007. Mississauga, Ontario (Code3521005) (table). Aboriginal Population Profile. 2006 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 92-594-XWE. Ottawa. Released January 15, 2008. http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/prof/92-594/index.cfm?Lang=E. Accessed February 7th, 2017.

Statistics Canada. 2012. Mississauga, Ontario (Code 3521005) and Peel, Ontario (Code 3521) (table). Census Profile. 2011 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-XWE. Ottawa. Released October 24, 2012. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E. Accessed February 7, 2017.

Winter, Jesse. "Mississauga First Nation celebrates 30 years of annual homecoming powwows." Mississauga News. Mississauga.com, 03 Sept. 2016. Web. 07 Feb. 2017.