"The Rez Sisters" Blog Post

How can being tied to a culture be detrimental to an individual? By Aaron Goodison

Being a first nations citizen in Canada provides disadvantages in life opportunity, for the current state of indigenous affairs is revealed in my research and learning in class the past couple of weeks.

In The Rez Sisters Pelajia says to Philomena, “Everyone here’s crazy. No jobs. Nothing to do but drink and screw each others wives and husbands and forget about our Nanabush” (Highway 6). The fact that there is, “No jobs” and, “Nothing to do” (Highway 6) is evidence of the lack of opportunity on reserves in Canada, creating an unfair disadvantage to first nations citizens. Opportunities to work a job and be an active member in society are stripped from first nations citizens, and this results in nothing better to do, “but drink and screw each others wives and husbands” (Highway 6).

Lack of opportunity and money on reservations results in obscene living conditions and poverty. Pictured above is the living situation of the Attawapiskat reserve in Canada, for these conditions are frequently compared to the conditions in third world countries like Africa (pictured below). I notice similarities between the two images. For example both homes are built with a variety of materials such as types of scrap wood and metal, and they don’t appear  finished/painted. Also the housing is generally smaller which is a result of little to no income financially.

In the article "Aboriginal Peoples persistently disadvantaged” the author found, “Aboriginal Peoples continue to experience conditions of persistent disadvantage, including a greater likelihood of suffering violent crimes and physical, emotional or sexual abuse” (3). Also, that first nations, “have lower median after-tax income, and are more likely be incarcerated while less likely to be granted parole” (7). This article from CBC supports that being a first nations citizen in Canada provides disadvantages to their opportunities in life, for the article states facts such as how first nations face challenges like a higher chance of being incarcerated and abused. I believe that these problems appear as barriers in First Nation citizen’s lives, and that the likelihood of these events happening is only heightened when there is poverty, and lack of jobs as well as education.

In my opinion being a First Nations Citizen in Canada would leave a person extremely disadvantaged with no privileges, nor any opportunity to be successful in life. First Nations are stereotyped and racially profiled, for any odds they have are stacked against them, and this increases many alarming statistics and news stories further bringing to reserves less money, more legal issues, and poverty.

“Aboriginal Peoples Persistently Disadvantaged | CBC News.” CBCnews, CBC/Radio Canada, 17 June 2013, www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/aboriginal-peoples-persistently-disadvantaged-1.1330147.

Google Search, Google, www.google.ca/search?biw=1517&bih=735&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=GRscW9n3BoO7jwSm44joDg&q=third world country housing&oq=third world country housing&gs_l=img.3...45316.52006.0.52123.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1c.1.64.img..0.0.0....0.l6EMzWA2u2M#imgrc=j_Zb0-Tile2kKM:

Angus, Charlie. Attawapiskat Reserve Photo . Attawapiskat, 12 Apr. 2016.

Highway, Tomson. The Rez Sisters. Fifth House Ltd, 1998.