Student’s Name 

– Vishabh Trehan
Student’s ID - 239634880
Algoma University
Mississauga Campus

Professor’s Name - Richard E. Jaques 

Course: PMAL103: Unit 1 (23S-O-1O)

May 20th, 2023

Describe Indigenous governance prior to the settlement of Canada. Imagine you

are responsible for creating a Wampum Belt that represents the differences in the
ways of life of Indigenous and settlers as they are apparent in The Wampum Belt
Tells Us (Johnston, 2010). What contrasts in customs and relationships between
individuals and the land would you highlight in the belt? Refer to the readings'
characters and events to select the examples in your analysis.

Prior to European arrival in Canada, indigenous governance was primarily centred on

collective decision-making, respect for the land, and interdependent interactions
between people and their environment. In making a Wampum Belt, it indicates the
disparities between Indigenous peoples' and settlers' lifestyles.

1. Decision-making - While settlers frequently used hierarchical systems with

decisions made by a small number of people in power, indigenous governance

placed an emphasis on collaborative decision-making through consent and

dialogue. As for the settlers' government, I would include images of a crown or

government edifice along with councils and discussion circles.

 2. Land stewardship - Indigenous peoples used the land wisely and respected it as

a source of life. However, settlers frequently saw land as a resource to be

utilized. I would use images of indigenous people living peacefully with

environment (such as hunting, fishing, and agriculture) and settlers participating

in deforestation or other industrial activities to illustrate this contrast.

3. Relationships - Indigenous cultures placed a significant emphasis on preserving

ties to the land and to one another. Individualism and private property were

frequently given top priority by settlers. I would utilize family networks, connecting

lines, or a web for Indigenous relationships and walls or borders for settlers to

represent this distinction. The differences in customs and relationships between

Indigenous peoples and settlers would be fully represented by putting these

differences into the Wampum Belt, enabling an improved understanding of the

varied social structures and political systems in pre-settlement Canada.

4. Storytelling and oral culture - To pass on knowledge, history, and values, the oral

tradition and storytelling were crucial components of indigenous governance. The

Wampum Belt could include images that represents storytelling, such as a

person or object that emphasises the value of oral tradition. This would highlight

the role that storytelling plays in protecting Indigenous traditions and political

structures.

In contrast to these elements of settler culture, the Wampum Belt may also include

symbols for individual land ownership, hierarchical decision-making processes, written

legal systems, and the preference for profit over ecological procedures. These
representations would assist to draw attention to how Indigenous peoples and settlers

have different relationships, practices, and systems of government.

Because different Indigenous cultures may have different symbols and meanings

associated with their governance systems, it is important to note that the specific

symbols and designs incorporated into the Wampum Belt would be best determined by

engaging with the knowledge, teachings, and artistic traditions of the specific

Indigenous nation or community being represented.

References:

https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/b4446f31-en/index.html?itemId=/content/

component/b4446f31-en

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/wampum