This is one of those books that, no matter what I write, I will not do justice to. I am so grateful for this book. The Indian Act is something I learned absolutely nothing about in my high school education, but something that forms the entire foundation of colonial relations with Indigenous Canadians, and that is responsible for centuries of pain, suffering and disenfranchisement. It is, therefore, something absolutely every Canadian should learn at least a little (preferably more) about.
This book is brilliant. It takes a dry legal document and wrings out every injustice, every travesty, every line of misery inflicted on Indigenous people in Canada and fleshes out exactly what the consequences of each of the 21 points were. Everything from the creation of reserves to the arbitrary rules around who was identified as Indigenous to the horrible choice they were given to either give up their status and cut ties with their community and family or not have rights to property ownership and voting, to the absolute nightmare that was the residential school system (the high rate of death, the physical and emotional abuse inflicted, the cultural genocide and the fact that the last of these torturous institutions didn’t close until the mid-1990s).
I learned so much from this book. A lot of this I knew in broad strokes, but there is detail here that is conveyed so succinctly that there is no room for misunderstanding. I don’t think it’s possible to read this book and not understand how much work our government and we, as White Canadians, have to put into creating reconciliation for what has been done to Canada’s Indigenous communities.
And if that isn’t enough to convince you that you must read this book immediately, it also includes the report from Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the 95 calls to action that Indigenous People want the government – and all Canadians – to address. I found this particularly useful as, though most of it is directed to actions the government needs to do, there are some that individuals can also make an effort to work on. For example, it calls for Indigenous history – specifically the history and repercussions of the residential school system – to be taught as part of school curricula. This wasn’t taught in my schools, and though I did study it in university, there is still much more I can learn about the subject. So there’s a place to start, and some action I can take. And there’s lots more.
I urge every Canadian reading this to please, please, go get a copy of this book. It’s very short, and the audiobook is fantastic. I was able to listen to the entire thing in one day. I cannot overstate the importance of reading this, because to do so is to begin to understand the very foundation upon which this country was built. And that understanding is a vital first step in beginning to understand the need for acknowledgement of and reconciliation for Indigenous suffering. Please read it. Think long and hard about what you’re reading. And take that knowledge into your life so it can help you understand the debt we owe Indigenous communities, and the impossibility of ever repaying it.
Based on a viral article, 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act is the essential guide to understanding the legal document and its repercussion on generations of Indigenous Peoples, written by a leading cultural sensitivity trainer.
Since its creation in 1876, the Indian Act has shaped, controlled, and constrained the lives and opportunities of Indigenous Peoples, and is at the root of many enduring stereotypes. Bob Joseph’s book comes at a key time in the reconciliation process, when awareness from both Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities is at a crescendo. Joseph explains how Indigenous Peoples can step out from under the Indian Act and return to self-government, self-determination, and self-reliance—and why doing so would result in a better country for every Canadian. He dissects the complex issues around truth and reconciliation, and clearly demonstrates why learning about the Indian Act’s cruel, enduring legacy is essential for the country to move toward true reconciliation. – Goodreads
Book Title: 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act
Author: Bob Joseph
Series: No
Edition: Paperback/Audiobook
Published By: Indigenous Relations Press
Released: April 10, 2018
Genre: Non-Fiction, Indigenous, Canadian
Pages: 160
Date Read: July 6, 2020
Rating: 10/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.51/5 (1,098 ratings)
I’ll have to look for this at the library! My parents tried to educate us a bit about the issues that faced indigenous peoples back in the day as settlers took over North America, but I definitely didn’t get an in-depth education on just how bad it was or how far-reaching the repercussions really were, or really any of the modern ways they’re still held at a lower level by policy/prejudice. It’s really gut wrenching to dig into the damage and I think you nailed it when you said it’s impossible to pay it all back.