How were Indigenous peoples affected by not being allowed to perform potlatches, make land claims without government permission or speak their native language for decades?
Author Bob Joseph will help answer those questions and more during a Q&A about the Indian Act on Jan. 28, held in partnership with the Vancouver Island Regional Library.
The Indian Act was a Canadian law that tried to eliminate the cultural, social, economic, and political individuality of the Indigenous peoples in 1876.
Joseph, who wrote award-winning bestseller 21 Things You May Not Know About the Indian Act, is a member of the Gwawa’enuxw Nation and Gayaxala (Thunderbird) clan.
“We are honored to have such an acclaimed, respected scholar and writer partner with us on this important topic,” said Melissa Legacy, VIRL’s director of library services and planning.
“Bob’s presentations are informative, thought-provoking, insightful, entertaining, and accessible — they shed a clear light on a dark chapter in our history, and provide us with opportunities to learn from the past as we strive for a better future.”
The online event on Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. has limited space, so those interested are encouraged to RSVP for free at: https://virl.bc.ca/event/bob-joseph/
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