1.3 Relationship to the Land
1.3 Relationship to the Land
First Nations people have a belief that they are connected to all things related to the land. Traditionally, they have been dependent on the land and all that exists on it. They believe their existence is of equal importance to that of the plants and animals. The land must be treated with respect so it can sustain those who live upon it.
They do not believe, as many members of our dominant culture believe, that the land and all the plants, minerals, and animals on it exist solely for human use.
The relationship to the land held by the First Nations people is fundamental to their identity. It stems from the time when the First Nations tribes lived in harmony with nature. They believed that they were part of the earth and that the Creator wanted them to live on the land and take care of it. So, they developed customs and behaviors to survive by acting as stewards of their environment to maintain their way of life. As a result groups like the Plains People lived a nomadic life following the buffalo while other groups who lived on the coastal areas set up semi-permanent villages to allow them access to the fish or sea animals. Some would develop farming practices and create strong societal institutions.
Some parts of the land were renowned for their healing powers, and others were held sacred because of deep ancestral roots. It was the land of their elders and it held their spirits. The ties that First Nations people have to the land are part of their spiritual beliefs, and when taken away, an essential part of their identity is lost.
Other cultural groups have different relationships to the land. For instance, some groups believe in communal land ownership. They do not individually own property; it is owned and used by the group for their mutual benefit. Some religious colonies, such as the Hutterite and Mennonite colonies in Canada, operate under this belief. Many religious groups immigrated to Canada partly because they were not allowed to practice their communal land ownership in their own countries.
Global forces threaten everyone who has close ties to the land. A farm child who is forced to move to the city, or a ranch child who must leave home is also a victim of global forces that threaten that way of life.
Those who do not have close ties to the land might have difficulty thinking about including all of Creation in a family circle. The dominant culture in North America thinks of the land as something to own and something to use to meet human needs. When people have strong beliefs in progress and economic development, the environment often suffers.
What does globalization have to do with your relationship to the land?
For many cultures, their identities are tied to their relationship with the land. It is the central part of their lives and it is how they define themselves. For many farmers, the ability to continue living on their farms as a farm family, in the same way their grandparents did, is being threatened by large farm corporations. Ranchers, too, are watching their ranch lands slowly disappear as urban centres expand. Recently, traditional recreation areas that allowed people to fish, ski, hike, and camp are vanishing. On the other hand, there is increasing prosperity and more people are finding new ways of life.