There has been an increase in the recognition of aboriginal groups in Canada. This recognition culminated in the establishment of a National holiday meant for native Canadians. The holiday is held on June 21st each year. June 21st is appropriate because aboriginal groups in Canada attach great cultural importance to this day.
The day is appropriate for praising unity of all Canadians (Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) 107). The aboriginal groups include the first nation. The nation groups are Kwantlen and Haida. The two are similar in many ways, especially in expressing their culture and traditions. They have significant differences regarding holidays and celebrations. The research will examine the culture of Haida people, with an emphasis on their holidays and celebrations.
Thesis statement: The Haida is a community in Canada with generosity embedded in their ceremonies. They are people who care about the well-being of members of their community. This proposal will examine one of the many celebrations known as potlatch, which is an element of Haida celebrations and festivities.
Various aspects of the celebrations will be assessed to reveal elements of generosity. Other aspects of these celebrations will be examined to establish their relevance. Symbolic nature of the celebrations is another important section that will be investigated in the proposal. An important issue is positions held by the key participants of these festivals in the Haiba society, and their roles in the celebrations. Another element will be the type of songs and dances played in the ceremonies.
The season during which the celebrations were held and the venues set aside for holding these celebrations and festivities will be discussed. The potlatch ceremony will be investigated and compared to other aboriginal groups in Canada to establish any similarities. Finally, the research will find out the core objectives of the festivals and their significance to the Haida people.
Literature Review
The article reviewed first looks into the Haida and their cultural values. These values relate to the sustainability of life on the planet with respect to the environment. The article explores various beliefs among the people of this community, for example, the importance of the raven in the ecosystem. The other issue to be investigated is the importance of the sea and the forest that the community has been dependent on for many generations. The Haida believe these two are linked in the physical and spiritual sense (Haida Cultural Values 2).
The second article under review examines celebrations of the Haida community. The celebration in focus is the one conducted after their victory in getting a ban on logging in British Columbia. It examines the path taken to end logging in the province. The article also captures the importance of this milestone to the Haida. The gist of the article is in describing the organization of the celebrations and the caliber of visitors expected at the event (Sousa 10).
Research Methodology
The researcher will get data through interviews. One of the respondents identified is an old Haida woman living in Armstrong. Some of the questions in the interview are her age, the last potlatch ceremony she attended, estimation of the number of people in attendance during the ceremony, and her reason for abandoning festivities. Other questions will touch on issues explained in the thesis statement.
This research is significant because the first nation is rich in culture. It will bring out a cultural aspect of one of the first tribes in the country. This research will shed more light on the ceremony called potlatch, and its symbolism to the Haida.
Works Cited
“Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC)”. First Nations in Canada, n.d. Web.
“Haida Cultural Values.” Culture, 2009. Web.
Sousa, Eduardo. “Celebrating Athlii Gwaii- First Nations Blockade against Logging in BC.” Fist Nations, 2011. Web.