Spinning wheels: Surmounting the Indian Act’s impact on traditional Indigenous governance
2018; Wiley; Volume: 61; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1111/capa.12307
ISSN1754-7121
Autores Tópico(s)Canadian Identity and History
ResumoAbstract Prior to European settlement, First Nations governance systems were centered on extended families organized by clans. Traditional kin‐based leadership selection practices, combined with consensus decision‐making, ensured that all clans were equally represented and participated in governance. This article discusses findings from dissertation research on First Nations governance in Western Canada. It examines how contemporary First Nations governments, despite enduring ongoing legacies of colonization and operating under the Indian Act, a law that does not support good democratic governance, have worked to achieve effective governance. For this article, findings related to the Indian Act’s impact on traditional clan‐based systems of First Nations governance will be discussed: particularly, the ways Indian Act elections perpetuate nepotism and maintain the political status quo, creating a culture of spinning wheels that makes it difficult to maintain change.
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