THIS IS US: Indigenous Identity is More than Blood

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Alison Downing, “Moccasins,” no date

(courtesy of the Flash Photography Festival)

Although the regulations have changed from blood quantum to more complex determinations of belonging, Indigenous Peoples are still the only people where the Government of Canada decides who belongs and who doesn’t. “Pretendians” are now being uncovered by the media, and these determinations are complicated and controversial, shaped by colonialism and a long history of government regulation and oppression. For many, identity is something that was lost and is now being reclaimed. It is both internal to an individual and external through community recognition. And it is a key factor in understanding oneself in relation to land, community, and spirit. For students, it goes far beyond ticking a box on an admissions form or scholarship application. Based on the desire to understand what Indigenous identity means to students themselves, a research team from BU’s Indigenous Peoples’ Centre and CARES Research Centre led students at both high school and post-secondary levels to create photography and films in response to the question, “What does Indigenous identity mean to you?”

Featuring photographs by Gary Caribou, Grant Maluga, Shaynen Stoneman, Sandy Bunn, Tori Sinclair, Tara Roulette, Alison Downing, Karleen Sierra, Norma Anderson-Keeper, Chloe Mckay, Brittany Knight, Emma Racette, Ethen Laugher, and Krystyne Mousseau.