U of S Aboriginal/Newcomer Research Highlighted at National Scholars' Congress

Posted May 29, 2006


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Monday, May 29, 2006
2006-05-33-OTHER

U of S Aboriginal/Newcomer Research Highlighted at National Scholars'
Congress

University of Saskatchewan faculty and students will be among 8,000 scholars
speaking and presenting papers at York University May 27 to June 3 at the
2006 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, the largest conference
of its kind in North America.

Among the U of S presenters:

- Challenging Stereotypes at Expo '67

For organizers of the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010, the authentic
representation and participation of Aboriginal Peoples in 2010 is a
priority. But 40 years ago, at another international event that took place
in Canada, the situation was much different.

First Nations people involved with the development of the Expo '67 Pavilion
were able to overcome efforts by Indian Affairs officials to use the
Pavilion to promote assimilation-based government policies and falsely
portray the First Nation experience in Canada, say U of S Canada Research
Chair in Native-Newcomer Relations Jim Miller and York University history
professor Myra Rutherdale.

Thanks to the efforts of First Nations people, the pavilion depicted the
experience and contemporary situation of the First Nations fairly
critically, telling a story that was meant to provoke viewers about the
impact of colonization on Canada's First Nations.

"Never before had Canadian or international visitors been asked to do that,"
say Miller and Rutherdale.

The pavilion caused a minor sensation at Expo, made international news in
Italy, Japan, Czechoslovakia, Australia, Cuba, and Russia, and is considered
to be the first public display of the true-often brutal-First Nation
experience in Canada.

Miller and Rutherdale will present their paper May 30 from 10:45 a.m.
to12:30 p.m. at the Schulich School of Business. Miller is available for
interviews after the presentation and can be reached at: j.r.miller@usask.ca
More information on Miller can be found at: www.usask.ca/history/crc/

- What can urban Aboriginals learn from 19th century Irish immigrants in
Toronto?

Since 1950, Aboriginal urbanization has increased dramatically, with the
Aboriginal population in urban areas expected to grow by more than 50 per
cent between 1991 and 2016. The question remains, with a greater presence
in the community, how much influence will the Aboriginal population have in
Saskatoon?

Paralleling the urban Aboriginal experience in Saskatoon with the
experiences of 19th century Irish immigrants in Toronto, U of S history
professor Michael Cottrell argues that Aboriginal people in Saskatoon will
exert great influence on the future of the city-more so than the Irish in
Toronto.

Both groups, says Cottrell, "left a familiar and culturally supportive rural
environment for an alien and hostile urban setting," he says, adding,
"Because of their relative poverty and perceived cultural inferiority, both
groups were relegated to a marginalized or underclass status" and were
considered out of place in an urban environment.

Similar to the Irish experience in Toronto, Aboriginal people in Saskatoon
have begun to assert their economic and social rights. Aboriginal people
have retained their special status and claim to self-government, allowing
them "to construct a realm of political separatism in Saskatoon never
dreamed of by the Irish in Toronto," Cottrell says.

Cottrell will speak May 30 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Schulich
School of Business. He is available for interviews after the presentation
and can be reached at: cottrellmj@sasktel.net

The U of S will host next year's Congress with the Canadian Federation for
the Humanities and Social Sciences. For more information, visit:
www.fedcan.ca/congress2007

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For more information contact:

Jeremy Warren
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-6058
jeremy.warren@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research


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