Project 57 Week 2: Diversity of Nations in BC

As we learned in the first Project 57 post, across the country we currently refer to as Canada there are over 630 federally recognized First Nations, a vast Métis homeland, and 56 Inuit communities. The province of British Columbia is home to 203 First Nation communities, located on over 2000 reserves. Each community has its own culture, economics, teachings, and ways of being (Indigenous Corporate Training blog). Recognizing the diversity of First Nations in an important part in dispelling the myth or idea that there is one Indigenous experience or culture. 

However, unlike the rest of the provinces 95% of BC is on unceded land, meaning the First Nations did not sell, trade, give up, or lose in battle their lands. These lands were stolen by the colonial governments for the purposes of settlement. Many communities today are taking part in the modern treaty process.   

For more check out these resources: 

• City of Vancouver, First Peoples: A Guide for Newcomers 
  Indigenous Tourism BC, Working with Indigenous Communities

The Decolonizing the Library Working Group invites everyone to learn alongside us with Project 57. This project is a response to the TRC Call to Action 57, which calls on "federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to provide education to public servants on the history of Aboriginal peoples." 

For more information visit Indigenous Initiatives.