“Inventing New Places”: Urban Aboriginal Visibility and the Co‐Construction of Citizenship in Val‐d'Or (Québec)

Abstract

The presence of First Nations, Inuit, and M etis people in the urban centres of Qu ebec (Canada) is no longer simply the result of individual trajectories; it is also the result of collective and institutional initiatives. Aboriginal collective action is changing, and, as a consequence, new forms of Aboriginal citizenship are emerging, as well as new expressions of Aboriginal identity. These transformations have repercussions across the whole of Qu ebec society. With cultural territories being materialized-and Indigenous identities symbolized-in the cityscape, new conceptions of Qu eb ecois citizenship and identity have emerged. Using the approaches of historical and cultural geography, we explore, firstly, the spatial dimensions of Indigeneity and of Canada's Indian policy. Secondly, we analyse two spaces of civic engagement that have emerged in the city of Val-d'Or-the Abinodjic Miguam Daycare and the Gabriel Commanda March Against Racism-as they relate to urban Aboriginal visibility and the co-construction of citizenship.

Link to the Land and Mino-Pimatisiwin (Comprehensive Health) of Indigenous People Living in Urban Areas in Eastern Canada

“…Certain traditional practices can be remodeled in urban settings, in spaces of “cultural recovery” [15,54]; however, to lay tobacco by a tree in an urban park or to engage in traditional activities on the shore of an urban river does not provide a full equivalent to life in the bush. In other words, the mere transfer of practices from one place to another is not sufficient.…”

Lien au territoire selon les générations chez les Anicinapek et les Cris

“…Or, l'identité demeure -et se renforce même, pour certains (Desbiens, Lévesque et Comat, 2016). Le fait de déménager en ville amène l'individu à rechercher une cohérence autour de son histoire et de ses appartenances ou encore à faire ou refaire un « bilan identitaire » (Di Méo, 2007), ce qui contribuerait à renforcer la composante cognitive du lien au territoire.…”

“Where Creator Has My Feet, There I Will Be Responsible”: Place-Making in Urban Environments through Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiatives

“…While the creation of reserves was intended to segregate Indigenous Peoples from settler cities [36], government policy agendas in the early 1900's encouraged migration of individuals, families, and communities to urban centers to further assimilate Indigenous Peoples into settler society [37]. After the second world war, economic conditions worsened on reserves, and the increase in urbanization in cities influenced migration towards urban centers for employment and education opportunities [38]. The impacts of colonialism and assimilative policies associated with urbanization have eroded Indigenous knowledges, fractured families and relationships that have existed between Indigenous Peoples, within communities, and the Land [39].…”