Deconstructing Canada’s colonial narrative: creating space for Indigenous narratives in Canadian heritage

Abstract

Canada’s colonial legacy affects how heritage spaces are interpreted to emphasize nationbuilding at the expense of Indigenous narratives. This project explores how Canadians might collaboratively deconstruct the dominant narrative and create a space for a more inclusive heritage overviews of the country, while examining the power dynamics between European settler history and Indigenous narratives that have been largely ignored. It will explore the effects of colonial legacy by examining how heritage spaces (museums and parks) are interpreted to emphasize Canadian nation-building at the expense of Indigenous narratives. Contemporary heritage spaces provide an opportunity for Indigenous community members, museum professionals, and researchers to collaboratively re-examine past and present narratives and to authentically re-tell Canada’s history in a decolonized manner. The objectives of this research were to: 1) aid in the deconstruction of Canada’s colonial historical narrative by examining how Indigenous narratives are showcased in heritage spaces; 2) examine how Canada has represented heritage diversity in the past and present, and to determine the success of these methods; and 3) explore how heritage spaces have worked to integrate authentic Indigenous narratives into Canadian heritage programming in a mindful, meaningful, inclusive, respectful, and collaborative manner. [...]