Chapter 7- Adapting to New Economics
1858
Gold discovered Fraser River – 30,000 newcomers came –
Douglas made the new colony of British Columbia at Fort
Langley
.
early 1860s
Mining, forestry, fishing replaced fur trade as backbone of BC economy
FN People joined wage economy - negative change since no longer working for the
good of their community - rather working for capitalist owners - culture change/power
shift
Economic Relationship with Euro-Canadians changed
--> During Fur Trade - Aboriginals were Trading partners
--> New Capitalist System - Aboriginals seen only as labour force/potential workers
Control of Land and Resources taken away from FN people
I. Companies
II. Discriminatory Laws (Indian Act/Fisheries
Act/Water Rights Acts)
--> Resources appropriated (taken) away from FN
--> Difficult for FN to follow traditional way of life
Division of Work between men and women changed
--> Family stress became an issue for FN
Natural Environment – Habitats destroyed, changed, deteriorated by fish canneries,
forest companies, mining companies, large ranches.
--> This new labour economy and environmental changes affected the traditional First
Nations seasonal round
Traditional FN Resources Appropriated by the new Euro-Canadian immigrants
Fraser Valley/Southern Interior - these areas had many settlers- most were farmers
British Citizens had legal right to homestead large tracts of land (160 acres free land)
--> These legal rights were denied to FN people after Douglas left public office
1880's
FN control of valuable land & resources was mostly destroyed, removed, ended
--> CDN and BC Gov’t laws and practices provide for Euro-Canadian settlers needs
1880
Canada's Fisheries Act - Created the Legal Category "food fishery"
This new Canadian Law limited Aboriginal fishing rights - FN people could ONLY
use salmon resources for food and ceremonial uses
The effect of this specific food fishing act was to forbid the
sale of fish caught by FN People within their traditional
fishery.
Analysis
Why would Canadian Gov't in 1880's care if First Nations people sold fish?
Analysis
Why did the Gov't allow First Nations people to ONLY fish for themselves “food
fishery”, or be hired by a fish cannery to fish, but forbid them to freely catch and
sell fish within the developing BC Economy?
1884
Amendment to Indian Act to enforce attendance at Residential Schools
The stated purpose of these schools was to teach and train Aboriginal people so that
they could be self-sufficient and integrate into the new Canadian Culture
Amendments within the Indian Act, the Fisheries Act 1880 and several later
amendments essentially forbid status FN from participating as equals in capitalism - yet
during the fur trade years Aboriginal people weren't forbidden to sell fish/meat to
supply forts, and they weren't forbidden to hunt animals and sell their furs – they were
essential to the Fur Trade era economy.
Analysis
Think about what is essentially different between the 1780-1820 peak fur trade
years and now 60 to 100 years later during the 1880s as the government makes
these new laws?
Chapter 7 Adapting to New Economies
Source: Indians at Work: An Informal History of Native Labour in British Columbia 1858-1930
Maritime Fur Trade Era
-Before 1858 few Aboriginal wage workers
-Aboriginal bands generally had control over their resources at that time and some political
autonomy
-80 years of Land Based Fur Trade Economy - Fur trapping for trade has been added to the
seasonal round, some became traders, and some employees of the trading companies, other placer
gold mining, cutting logs, or provisioning products and services for trade
Post 1858: Common Myth, or common misconception
"That with the passing of the buffalo, or the sea otter, and with the coming of the steam engine, native
Indian peoples were shuffled off into some form of reserve dependence" (p.5)
Fact, Reality:
- 6 or more generations of BC First Nations have been involved in wage work in major BC
industries
- By 1890s a very small minority were dependent on subsistence fishing, hunting or commercial
fur trapping
- 1870s onwards, important area of employment was commercial fishing and canning industry
James McDonald (1984) "Images of Nineteenth Century Economy of the Tsimshian"
"Indians were often critical to the successes of various industries" (McDonald, 1984: 40)
"The data I have currently examined suggests a considerable similarity between Tsimshain and
immigrant workers. Both combined hunting, fishing, and trapping with a seasonal cycle of wage
employment. In the nineteenth century none of these elements could support a person; nor could a
strictly "traditional" economic system or a "traditional: industrial system" (McDonald, 1984: 40)
James Burrows (1986) "A much needed Class of Labour: The Economy and Income of the Southern
Interior Plateau Indians, 1897-1910
-Burrows describes a wide range of Aboriginal employment: ranches, farms, wood workers
and a variety of casual labour jobs – Aboriginals had a considerable involvement in this BC
regional economy
Your Notes on BC Aboriginals Contributions to the Wage Economy 1880 - 1950
Critical Questions to Focus Notetaking: (5 – 7 notes on the Big Ideas)
Discuss the experiences of First Nation workers in your industry.
How does the Indian Act or other laws help or hinder the building of the First Nations
economy in this industry?
(limited access to water rights, fisheries laws, etc.)
How was the entire First Nations’ family involved in your industry?
Tell how First Nations peoples’ lives changed once they entered the wage economy. (Think
about how the pre-contact seasonal round changes at this time. What traditional seasonal
round activities were dropped or marginalized?
Topic #1 – Fish Canneries
Topic #2
Industry
–
Topic #3 -- Farming
Topic #4 – Forestry
Commercial
Fishing
Topic #5 – Tsimshian Women’s Role in Topic #6 -- Cattle Ranching & Cowboys
Two First Nations cowboys in the
the Forest Industry
1920s
Jack Alex (later Penticton Band
chief),
and Gabriel Paul of the Okanagan
Nation
F-06822 (BC Archives)
A Starting Bibliography of Resources Sorted by Topic.
Topic #1 – Salmon Canneries
BC Archive http://www.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca/exhibits/timemach/galler07/frames/confed.htm
A Sto:lo Coast Salish Historical Atlas “Seasonal Rounds in an Industrial World” by John Lutz. p. 64 – 65.
You Are Asked to Witness: the Sto:lo in Canada’s Pacific Coast History (1997) edited by Keith Thor
Carlson, Chapter 6 “Sto:lo People and the development of the BC Wage Labour Economy”, p. 109 – 111.
A Sto:lo Coast Salish Historical Atlas p. 72 – 73
“The Salmon Canneries:
Making Room for Families”
by Jody R. Woods.
B.C. First Nation Studies (2003). Kenneth Campbell, Charles Menzies, Brent Peacock. p. 109 – 113.
The Good Hope Cannery book and website http://caitlin-press.com/our-books/good-hope-cannery-the/
Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site of Canada
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/bc/georgia/index.aspx
INDIANS AT WORK:
An Informal History of Native Labour in British Columbia 1858-1930, Chapter 9
Commercial Fishing and Cannery Work p. 113 – 129 by Rolf Knight.
Website with full text of book:
http://www.rolfknight.ca/Indians.pdf
You Are Asked to Witness: the Sto:lo in Canada’s Pacific Coast History (1997) edited by Keith Thor
Carlson, Chapter 6 “Sto:lo People and the development of the BC Wage Labour Economy”, Canneries p.
116 – 118.
Topic #2 – Commercial Fishing Industry
Commercial Fishery vs Aboriginal Fishery. When looking at the Fishing Industry
focus research on: – impediments to owning own fishboats, Indian Act Restrictions on
fishing that limited FNs ability to compete on a level playing field.
A Sto:lo Coast Salish Historical Atlas “Wild, Threatened and Endangered Waterways and Lost Streams of
the Lower Fraser Watershed”. P. 102 – 103,
“Contested Spaces:
The Chilliwack River Diversion” by
Tina Rafter. p. 106 – 107, “Salmon Populations and the Sto:lo Fishery” by David A. Smith p. 120-121.
B.C. First Nation Studies (2003). Kenneth Campbell, Charles Menzies, Brent Peacock. p. 109 – 113
(includes information on the Central and North coast Fishermen’s Union).
INDIANS AT WORK:
An Informal History of Native Labour in British Columbia 1858-1930, Chapter 9
Commercial Fishing and Cannery Work p. 113 – 129 by Rolf Knight.
Website with full text of book:
http://www.rolfknight.ca/Indians.pdf
You Are Asked to Witness: the Sto:lo in Canada’s Pacific Coast History (1997) edited by Keith Thor
Carlson, Chapter 6 “Sto:lo People and the development of the BC Wage Labour Economy”, “Restrictive
and Discriminatory Legislation” p. 121-122.
Topic #3 – Farming
A Sto:lo Coast Salish Historical Atlas. “The Hop Yards:
Workplace and Social Space” by Robert L.A.
Hancock. p. 70 – 71, p. 132-133 “Emigration Map of BC” showing Agricultural and Pasture Land.
B.C. First Nation Studies (2003). Kenneth Campbell, Charles Menzies, Brent Peacock. p. 113 – 117.
INDIANS AT WORK:
An Informal History of Native Labour in British Columbia 1858-1930, Chapter 8
“Farming” p. 106 - 112 by Rolf Knight.
http://www.rolfknight.ca/Indians.pdf
You Are Asked to Witness: the Sto:lo in Canada’s Pacific Coast History (1997) edited by Keith Thor
Carlson, Chapter 6 “Sto:lo People and the development of the BC Wage Labour Economy”, p. 46 Katzie
Cranberries, p. 116 Farming, Hop-picking p. 118-119, p. 122 – 123.
Topic #4 -- Forestry
A Sto:lo Coast Salish Historical Atlas p. 132-133 “Emigration Map of BC” showing Heavily Timbered land,
“Constructing a Province, Clear-Cutting a Nation” by Colin Duffield. p. 112 – 117.
B.C. First Nation Studies (2003). Kenneth Campbell, Charles Menzies, Brent Peacock. p. 119 – 121.
Hisheenqu'as, Living Together: Alberni and the Birth of the BC Forest Industry. (2011) by Alberni Valley
Museum.
INDIANS AT WORK:
An Informal History of Native Labour in British Columbia 1858-1930, Chapter 11
“Sawmilling, Logging, and Longshoring” p. 144-154 by Rolf Knight (1996).
http://www.rolfknight.ca/Indians.pdf
Topic #5 -- Tsimshian Women in the Forest Industry
BC First Nation Studies (2003).
Kenneth Campbell, Charles Menzies, Brent Peacock.p.119 – 120.
“Out of the Woods: Tsimshian Women and Forestry Work” http://www.ecoknow.ca/articles/awr_01.pdf
“Educating About Aboriginal Involvement with Forestry:
The Tsimshian Experience—Yesterday, Today,
and Tomorrow” http://www.ecoknow.ca/journal/orlowski.pdf
Topic #6 -- Cattle Ranching & Cowboys
BC First Nation Studies (2003). Kenneth Campbell, Charles Menzies, Brent Peacock. p. 116-117,
Okanagan Case Study. P. 118-119 & p. 119.
“First
Nations
Perspectives
on
the
Grasslands
of
the
Interior
of
British
Columbia”
http://shell.cas.usf.edu/jea/PDFs/blackstock.pdf Oral History interview Grand Chief Gordon Antoine.
The article has information on water licenses and how the settler farmers set up their farms to limit First
Nation reserve access to water rights.
BC Cowboy Hall of Fame -- http://www.bcchs.com/archives.html
listed on the site (eg born or live on reserve):
Cowboys with Aboriginal Ancestry
Joan Perry & Dave Perry, Joe Elkins, Louie Bates, Louie
Bates, Mary Ann Ross, Clarence Jules, Maxine Mack, Joe LeBourdais, Archie Williams, Clarence Petal.
http://cowboycountrymagazine.com/index.php/featured-content/features2/216-native-cowboys-west?79a99
8c1d124dfae57c9f97f9e2b9df9=668a62f087518986274183ac82cff7bc, Native Cowboys West Magazine,
“B.C.'s Skookum Indian Cowboys” Wednesday, 31 May 2006 article by Ken Mather.
Legends of Our Times Native Cowboy Life (1998).
UBC Press.
Farming
Problems – the broad ones of small-scale farming – how to have enough labour, survive weather
and environmental threats (drought, early snow, poor soil), make enough $ to survive and thrive to buy
those things that one can’t make/grow on own.
Problems Unique for BC First Nations trying to farm--problems associated with obtaining water
rights and BC Crown grazing leases, as well the Canadian (CDN) Crown owned the Indian Reserves
so very difficult/nearly impossible to secure Bank loans for farm improvements or farm equipment
since no land to secure bank loan.
SIZE OF THE GARDEN or Farm for most FN: (under an acre per family at this time)
During Fur Trade Era – HBC Fort Nusqually and Fort Langley developed large HBC company farms
both for their own use and to supply other trade posts with fresh food with lots of local FN working on
the farms.
The 1880s saw the consolidation of Indian farming in some areas of BC and the idea of farming
spread to other First Nations reserves where it was viable (land, water, soil conditions).
By 1880s, farming was also established on reserves along the central Fraser and Thompson rivers.
1883 275 Sto:lo in the Mission area were reported to be working on band farms.
1895 Indian students were learning to operate the steam threshing machine of the Kootenay Industrial
School, (but these machines were expensive –how was a band to make enough profit to buy one, or
how to secure a bank loan to buy the machine to make profit).
1900 some reserve farms were still holding their own and continuing to evolve.
-many of the men of that “farming reserve” (Sto:lo) were working for wages in the nearby Harrison
Sawmill (Mission area) and in connected logging camps.
-In 1910 Indian orchardists were experimenting with various sprays to improve crop yields (evidence
of agricultural science).
-1912 Agriculture Fair held at New Westminster included about 300 entries from Indian farmers
(shows despite the limitations of laws and reserves there was strong participation in local Lower
Mainland Agriculture).
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After studying the materials in this unit – How BC Aboriginals Adapted and
Contributed to the Developing BC Economy, write a reflection for 8 marks.
What were the negatives that FN had to fight as they tried to be part of this new wage economy?
(2 marks)
What were some of the positive outcomes and successes that you learned about? (2 marks)
If you were confronted by someone who said to you, “Aboriginals are lazy and have done
nothing to contribute to BC and Canada”, how would you argue against that bias based on what
you have just learned in this unit? (Outline in point form the 4 to 8 main points you would make)
(4 marks)