Algonquins Trauma

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The Algonquins of Pikwakanagan have for the most part been living a traditional life on their reserve. However, there is still times when their communities appear in the news fighting the effects of colonialism and intergenerational trauma. When one refers to intergenerational trauma they often refer to someone who has lived through a major trauma and the effects of it trickle down to other people in the family. The government has been taking land from Aboriginal people for centuries, the Algonquian peoples look to protect their land in the hopes of preserving creation. A major incident seen within the context of land claims is the imprisonment of an Algonquin leader who defended his territory against a uranium mining company. We are punishing…show more content…
Though the government has “given” them land to reside on, it has also taken away a lot of their hunting lands. Another issue these Algonquins face is making agreements on land without including Quebec Algonquins. However, "There's no such thing as Algonquins of Ontario, and there's no such thing as Algonquins of Quebec," said St. Denis. This issue seen here is not separated the Algonquins based on area but staying together through the different land claims. Another issue seen in the separation of the Algonquins is the time constraint. The Algonquins have been fighting for a long period of time for this land, to redraft the claim agreements would mean waiting even longer. “Kirby Whiteduck said the land claim issue has dragged for a century, and during that time much of the potential land in the claim has been lost as the area has become more developed.” Here one can see that because of colonialism and the impact of the settlers the Algonquian people may lose more of their land by waiting. The government took so much land that it is not only a dispute over land, but a dispute over the government not honoring the treaties they had originally…show more content…
Another contemporary issue that the Pikwakanagan people, as well as many aboriginal people are dealing with are the intergenerational effects of residential schools. Unfortunately when referring to the news for evidence the newspapers often do not see the connection to residential schools. In the history of the Pikawagana peoples they were exposed to Indian Schools, these Indian Schools often had detrimental effects on the individual and their families. The children whom attending these schools were stripped of contact with their families, and were stripped with any relation to their culture. They had the catholic european views pushed onto them. When researching this particular case of murder, it was difficult to find any up to date information. This particular case was used as an example because it was widely known through conversations and felt as though there was a personal connection. “Ryan Guthro, 24, who is charged in connection with the Sept. 19 death of Ashley Commanda, of the Algonquins Pikwakanagan First Nation, will next appear in Pembroke criminal court on Dec. 1.” One often ask themselves why someone commits murder, is one wrong to connect it to the intergenerational trauma to the

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