Module 1: Post 4 – 21 Things You May Not Know About The Indian Act by Bob Joseph

Bob Joseph discusses his book 21 Things You Didn’t Know About the Indian Act in this presentation. This is one presentation that you must watch! It is such an informative presentation that will send you on a transformation. This presentation allowed me to understand what I was unaware of and did not know about the Indian Act. These were the 21 things that some of us probably did not know about the Indian Act. As I summarized these 21 points, I became disgusted and appalled while continuing to shake my head. Here they are:

1. Women status was denied.
2. Residential schools were introduced because of the Indian Act.
3. Reserves were created. Reservations are an American term.
4. Indigenous people were renamed with simple European names.
5. Indigenous people were not allowed to leave the reserve without having permission from the Department of Indian Affairs. Individuals would receive a paper pass that would allow them to be absent from their reserve for a certain amount of time.
6. If any Indigenous person was admitted into university, they would be stripped from their Indigenous status.
7. Parts of the reserve or an entire reserve were taken away to make railways, roads, or any other public work if it was considered expedient.
8. The reserve land could be leased to non-Indigenous people if it were going to be used for farming or pasture.
9. Indigenous people were not allowed to take part or form any political organizations.
10. No one, including non-Indigenous people, was allowed to solicit funds in regards to Indigenous legal claims without having a licence that came from the Superintendent General.
11. There was absolutely no alcohol sales for Indigenous people.
12. There was absolutely no ammunition sales for Indigenous people.
13. Pool halls were not allowed to let any Indigenous people in
14. The band council system was put in place.
15. Indigenous people were not allowed to speak their native language.
16. Indigenous people were not allowed to practice their religion.
17. Indigenous people were not allowed to wear their traditional regalia when appearing in an exhibition, show, public dance, or pageant.
18. Cultural ceremonies and potlatches were claimed illegal.
19. Indigenous people were not allowed the right to vote.
20. There was a permit system created to dominate the Indigenous people’s ability to sell any product from farms.
21. There was only allowed to be one race which was categorized under Aboriginal peoples.