White-Indian Relations: Moving into the 21^st Century

As we embark upon a new era in White and Indian relations, the focus shifts from past conflicts to present and future rectification of injustices as well as assurances of reconciliation. Although a multitude of the essays deals with the repercussions of past events on the present-day situation of Indigenous people, a clear call for positive change resounds throughout the contributions. Issues as diverse as post-apology Canada, contemporary Native art and storytelling, education as an instrument of acculturation, health inequalities as well as media misrepresentation of the Indigenous population are addressed. Yet, one recurrent and unifying theme continues to resurface in every essay: the theme of identity – identity lost, identity regained, identity redefined. Since the contributions run the gamut of academic disciplines – history, politics, gender studies, literature, art, and anthropology – many of the issues at hand have been illuminated from a variety of perspectives.