First Nations, Inuit & Métis
The indigenous peoples of Canada comprise three groups: First Nations (over 630 communities with more than 50 languages), Inuit (in the north and Arctic), and Métis (descendants of unions between Europeans and Indigenous people). Together, they make up about 5% of the population — nearly 1.7 million people.
The history of the relationship between Canada and its indigenous peoples is marked by colonialism, oppression, and cultural genocide. The Residential Schools (1883–1996) — boarding schools where over 150,000 indigenous children were forcibly separated from their families, punished for speaking their language, and systematically abused — represent the darkest chapter. Thousands of children died in these schools. In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission called the system a "cultural genocide".
For travelers, there are respectful ways to experience indigenous culture: The totem poles in Stanley Park and the Museum of Anthropology (Vancouver), the Haida art on Haida Gwaii (BC), the Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa, and indigenous tours in national parks. Buy crafts directly from indigenous artists (not souvenir shops) — Inuit soapstone sculptures, Haida prints, and Métis beadwork are unique souvenirs with history.
Achtung
Indigenous culture is NOT a costume and NOT a souvenir. "Indian headdresses" at festivals, plastic replica totem poles, and the use of indigenous symbols without permission are considered disrespectful. If you seek indigenous experiences, book with indigenous providers — they know the stories and are happy to share them.
