Naomi Adelson Being Alive Well Summary

Naomi Adelson – The Politics of Miyupimaatisiiun
Themes: 1 only

The concept of being alive well can mean a number of things for different ethnic groups. The ideology of it raises biological fitness and wellness as being its main definition. However, for the Cree, being alive well has a distinct meaning. They believe that their daily application of community beliefs and practices allows them to be alive well; and therefore, this method of living healthy is important in identifying their cultural identity. Cree culture has long been created in opposition to the waamistikushiiu’s, a term used for the Whiteman, way of living. For example, the Cree consider that the consumption of Whiteman foods in large quantities affects the strength and health
It is considered a tradition of theirs to continue to accept and assimilate outsiders, resulting in a diverse racial mixture in the community. Mixing is created through inter-racial marriages of Mohawks and non-natives as well as through accepting the membership of those that had come to enjoy the community. At a later date, the latter would formally be recognized as Indians due to the federal government’s Bill C-31 amendment to the Indian Act in1985. This amendment was Canada’s way of removing a number of discriminatory provisions and, as a result, created a broader definition of who is considered Indian. The Mohawk community felt that these amendments were causing their culture and rights to be threatened by the increased number of non-natives claiming native status in their communities. They decided to oppose the state by creating a strict set of racially based characteristics that would be the basis of their membership requirements. If these characteristics were not meant, one was not considered to be native and was not accepted in their community. A local committee was created in order to enforce membership policy. At this point, it can be seen that there has been a shift from a cultural to a racial definition of membership. Using a cultural definition of membership gives the community a sense of empowerment over the government. In a sense, it labels them as
Due to the size of the country and the number of races and ethnicities in and around it, there have been a large number of conflicts between the groups. Ethiopia is the country that is most majorly conflicted by surrounding countries in the Horn of Africa, like Eritrea and Somalia, when discussing ethnicity and differences in ethnic groups. Focusing specifically on Ethiopia, ethnic groups included are: the Amhara, the Oromo, and the Tigrayans. Amharic culture has been viewed by many as the unifying mastermind of an interactive system that has ultimately provided a basis for Ethiopian identity. The Amhara are known to have historic links with powerful ancestors that promoted the Ethiopian identity by looking at it from a politically dominant perspective. Therefore, their dominance was not gained only through the exertion of power but also through the ideological principles that the public was nurtured with. Additionally, most of Ethiopia’s leaders have historically been of Amhara descent. They have based their ruling on their exercise of power over the pagan and Muslim regions. Although the Amhara have a significant influence on Ethiopian identity, the nation’s identity is encompassed by a substantial number of people who reject the Amhara’s ideology of what Ethiopian identity is and instead attempt to create their own identity. The Oromo, for example, directly