Traditional Aboriginal Governance
Many Peoples, Many Cultures
As today, there were many Aboriginal peoples in Canada before the arrival of the Europeans, each with its own culture and ways for making collective decisions. Nor did Aboriginal peoples stay in one place, or stay distinct and separate from their neighbours. They moved apart and merged with one another regularly. Warfare contributed to this state of flux.
No Centralized Government
Despite their differences, however, Aboriginal peoples did have some things in common. For one thing, they did not have centralized, formal government in the European sense.
Aboriginal societies were largely governed by unwritten customs and codes of conduct. For collective decision-making, the family was the most basic unit. Other units could include:
- The Village
- The Clan
- The Tribe
- The Nation
Below are examples of decision making by some Aboriginal peoples.
Decision Making Among the Iroquois
The Iroquois and Huron were settled, living in villages and towns and farming the land. The Iroquois and Huron Confederacies were a loose federation of nations:
- Iroquois: Seneca, Cayuga, Onandaga, Oneida, Mohawk and later Tuscarora.
- Huron: Arendaronon, Ataronchronon, Attignawantan, Attigneenongnahac and Tahontaenrat.
Decision-making was done by in two councils (one for civil matters, the other for war). Men over 30 were members, although lineage was determined by the mother's line. Most matters were decided by discussion and consensus, but old men and heads of large families were the most influential.
On a national level, there were three levels of council:
The Grand Council met at least once a year. Its delegates were men, but were selected by women.
Decision Making Among the Plains Nations
The Plains nations were nomadic, with village sizes being small in the winter and larger in the summer - sometimes holding up to a thousand people. They made decisions through a chief and a council of elders. The chief was usually chosen for skill as a hunter and warrior. Decisions were usually made by unanimous consensus.
When the smaller winter villages joined together in the summer for the buffalo hunt, the most respected of the winter chiefs became the voices with the most authority.
Decision Making Among the Pacific Coast Peoples
The Pacific coast peoples were settled, and had a complex social structure including nobility, commoners and slaves. The leaders of each village would meet during potlatch ceremonies and discuss issues of common interest.
Decision Making Among the Inuit
The Inuit were nomadic. Leaders were selected according to the situation, depending on skill as a hunter, generosity, oratory ability, or skill at reconciliation.