Re-Membering Our Nations: Indigenous Custom Adoption and Determining Belonging Beyond the Indian Act

This is a study and analysis of Indigenous membership and belonging. Specifically, this thesis takes up the historical and contemporary harms of colonialism and the Indian Act (1876) have had on First Nations band membership codes and Indigenous practices of determining belonging. The central task of this study is to determine how Indigenous nations can determine membership and belonging beyond colonial confines. I draw on literature on Indigenous nationhood and peoplehood to develop a framework that outlines pathways for belonging that are embedded within networks of kinship and relationality, rather than the arbitrary boundaries of colonial legislation. Throughout the thesis, I argue that Indigenous custom adoptions, in the way they occur within Indigenous legal, political, and kinship systems, are inherently acts of self-determination and as such, provide insight into how Indigenous nations can move beyond the Indian Act.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Political Science

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Arts

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Wilson, Ariane

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Voth, Daniel Jacob-Paul

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Starblanket, Gina Nicole
• Thomas, Melanee Lynn

• Indian Act
• membership codes
• custom adoption
• nationhood
• peoplehood
• kinship
• relationality
• Indian status

Statement dc:rights

• University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/39987

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:1880/114941