Question for non North American folks

[IronDuke]

I'm just wondering what the European preception of the ways in which Canada and the US treat the Aboriginal (aka Amerindian, Indian, etc) population of the continent. Do you think they are victims of systemic racism, or beneficiaries of our transplanted culture? Or something else?

By which name do you usually refer to them as? Indians? Natives?

What do you know of the reservation systems in Canada and the US?


I'd appreciate some input from people around the world here. Aussies and New Zealanders, if you could outline the systems in place for the Aborigonese and Maori, it would also be apprerciated.


Thanks!
Iron Duke

 

[Anonymous]

As far as I know, Canada treats the Natives praiseworthy, whereas the US treats them horribly. In Canada, the territory of Nunavut has been given to them and is under their government while in the US, the Natives are crammed in their reservations.
I think in the US, they are victims of systematic racism.

In Germany, they are best known as "Indians". I know one who refers to herself as an Indian. I usually call them "American Natives" though.

[!--QuoteBegin--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--]What do you know of the reservation systems in Canada and the US?[/quote]

Apart from Nunavut, I know little about the systems in Canada. In the US, I know the reservations are small, partially overcrowded, and poor. Many Americans think it is too much of good treatment to "grant" them the right to open casinos.

 

[SinisterMinisterX]

[!--QuoteBegin-Perun+Jul 23 2004, 12:29 AM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Perun @ Jul 23 2004, 12:29 AM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--] Many Americans think it is too  much of good treatment to "grant" them the right to open casinos. [/quote]
Wrong. Most American love the casinos. White Americans have made some Native tribes very rich.

Actual racism against Natives is rare nowadays; most white Americans acknowledge that past treatment of Natives has been horrible. Racist laws against Natives (such as laws forbidding their native languages or religions except on reservations) have been repealed.

However, you're right about the poverty on reservations. Also, Natives living on reservations have the highest rate of alcoholism in the US. While the US government is no longer actively trying to hurt the Natives, they aren't helping either.

 

[StrangerInAStrangeLand]

[!--QuoteBegin-SinisterMinisterX+Jul 23 2004, 04:00 PM--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(SinisterMinisterX @ Jul 23 2004, 04:00 PM)[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--QuoteEBegin--] Most American love the casinos. [/quote]
I know I do. [!--emo&--][img src=\'style_emoticons/[#EMO_DIR#]/biggrin.gif\' border=\'0\' style=\'vertical-align:middle\' alt=\'biggrin.gif\' /][!--endemo--] I finally got to one after I turned 18.