Nguyen Linh Chi
201945920
ARCH 1005
First peoples in Canada
McMillan, A. D., & Yellowhorn, E.
2004
The first chapter of the book "First Peoples in Canada” by Alan McMillan and Eldon
Yellowhorn was written about Aboriginal people in Canada and anthropological research of their
culture, language, and location. Moreover, the information on laws, right, and legislations for
Indigenous Peoples was also provided in this chapter. The last section is about the relationship
between anthropologists and Aboriginal peoples and the early study of Aboriginal people.
The first chapter of "First Peoples in Canada” enlighten me with all the knowledge about
Aboriginal peoples that I have never known before. According to McMillian and Yellowhorn
(2004), unfortunately, “Exactly how many Aboriginal languages were spoken in Canada on the
verge of the global era will never be known, since some disappeared early in the historic period
without ever being recorded” ( p. 5). I think that language is one of the important traits which
help to define an individual unique Aboriginal identity. Therefore, by knowing and understand
their language, it will be easier for us to study and learn about Aboriginal cultures. For example,
if we have knowledge of the language of “the now-extinct Beothuk of Newfoundland”(p.5), we
can at least understand their culture from artifacts or writings that they left.
