Colonialism
These were the first people to live in what is now called Canada.
Who are Indigenous people?
This is the language spoken by the characters in Motorcycles and Sweetgrass.
What is Anishinaabe?
What role does the character John (the mysterious biker) play in connecting modern life to traditional Anishinaabe stories?
He represents Nanabush, the Anishinaabe trickster spirit, bringing traditional teachings and stories into a modern setting/way
In Canada, there were a total of 130 residential schools over the time of 165 years. In this year, we could find the last ever residential school.
What is 1996?
Taking land and controlling people for power and profit is called this.
What is colonialism?
These are the two main cultural importance of language in the Indigenous culture.
What is a connection with nature and religion?
How does the novel show the impact of colonialism on Anishinaabe language and traditions?
The language is rarely spoken, and some traditions are unfamiliar to younger characters, showing how colonialism has weakened cultural knowledge especially for the younger ones.
These are the sorts of punishment residential schools would use to prevent the use of Indigenous language.
What are humiliation, starvation, sexual or physical abuse, (any of these work)?
True or False? The effects of colonialism are still felt by Indigenous communities today.
What is True.
These are the total amount of languages being spoken around the world.
What is 6700?
How does Maggie’s role as band chief show the influence of both traditional values and colonial systems?
Maggie works within a modern system (influenced by colonial governance like the Indian Act), but she still tries to make decisions that reflect traditional Anishinaabe values and serve her community.
The total amount of Indigenous children who attended residential schools.
What is 150,000?
In 1876, this new law came into place against Indigenous communities.
What is the Indian Act?
The total amount of languages that are being spoken by Indigenous people to this day.
What is 4000?
In what ways does the novel show that Anishinaabe traditions are evolving rather than disappearing? Provide an example.
The novel show that Anishinaabe traditions are evolving rather than disappearing by keeping the traditional values under the umbrella of modern sitting.
Before colonization, about 300-450differentt indigenous languages existed in North America, how many languages exist in Canada and America? And how many languages will exist by 2050?
Canada: 70
America: 160
20 will be left by 2050
In 1867, this group of the Canadian government insisted new rules onto Indigenous people.
What is the Dominion of Canada?
This is the total population of the world of Indigenous people. (in percentage)
What is 6%?
Discuss how Motorcycles and Sweetgrass uses character from different generations to reflect the challenges and possibilities of cultural survival. What does this suggest about the future of Anishinaabe traditions?
The novel shows that younger characters like Virgil who struggle with the traditional values but are still curious about it and try to reconnect with traditions. On the other hand, leaders like Maggie tries to balance by respecting traditional values and dealing with modern political systems. This shows that while some traditions have faded, the younger generations are still interested in reconnecting. This suggests Anishinaabe culture can survive and evolve in different ways.
How did residential schools come to affect the newer generations?
Loss of language and culture, due to the trauma of historical oppression being passed down generations.