The Maple Monarchists
  • Blog
  • The Monarchy In Canada
    • The Canadian Royal Family
    • Vice-Regal Representatives
    • Arguments For Monarchy
    • The Crown & You
  • Special Projects
    • Discussion Topics >
      • Pan-Monarchism
      • Terms of Support
      • A Canadian Knighthood
      • Anarcho-Monarchism
      • Natural Government
    • Leadership Surveys
    • Letters >
      • Regarding Context Article
  • Useful Links
  • Contact & Questions
    • About the Authors

Native Kingship: Canada's Hereditary Chiefs

5/2/2015

 

Overview

Before the arrival of the Europeans Canada's First Nations
had already established thriving communities across the
continent. In almost of of these societies leadership was in the
hands of hereditary chiefs. These chiefs had roles that
encompassed both secular  and spiritual concerns. Decision-
making was based on consensus with the chief being advised
by groups of elders and the larger community. These chiefs served as monarchs over fairly small groups and areas. In
short, monarchy was well-established in Canada before the
arrival of the Europeans. Monarchy is a truly worldwide
phenomenon; only the details have differed. 

There is a certain perception that monarchies tended to hold
(and make use of) more power the further back in time you
look. This is not strictly true. Monarchy has been adapted to
the needs of each community throughout time. Early hunter-
gatherers didn't need someone to pass laws nor did the first
farmers. In those times the monarch's role was that of a
peacekeeper, referee, guide, and representative of the group.
As societies grew and developed monarchs took on more
roles. The personal power of monarchs can be conceptualized
as being bell-shaped over time. That is not to say that one type of monarch is more 'true' than another but to emphasize that monarchs reflect the needs of their societies. The Queen today
shares more similarities with Canada's hereditary chiefs
regarding role/purpose than many of Her Majesty's
predecessors! The differences between an hereditary chief and
Canada's monarch are slight in theory but they are also slight
in practice.   

In a study in 1997, Manley Begay identified some basic
commonalities in how First Nations conceived of good and
effective leadership. Begay divided them into five common
traits:
"First, Native meanings of leader do not necessarily imply the accumulation of wealth (property and goods). Rather, there is an emphasis on position and role. 
Second, Native leadership terminology implies a proactive approach with the use of terms like “to direct” and “leads the people.” 
Third, a Native leader works with the people, rather than commanding or having power over them. 
Fourth, there is a recognition that leadership has male and female aspects. 
Fifth, the religious and spiritual aspects of leadership are important.”
You can use the same language to describe our current
conception of a monarch who reigns but does not rule. And
indeed many early settlers described the chiefs they
encountered in monarchical terms. I am unsure when exactly
this stopped but it seems to have gone along with a decrease
in the status of the First Nations.
Picture
'The Four Mohawk Kings', a set of paintings from the 1700s

Specific Examples

With over 600 separate First Nations in Canada a tribe by tribe examination of their Hereditary Chief Traditions is out of the question. However, a few examples may be illustrative.

Ogimà of the Algonquian
I contacting Chief Dominique Rankin about the Hereditary
Chief Tradition among Quebec's First Nations. He was able to
give me some insight into the traditions among the Algonquian. He described the chief's role as "being there to
awaken the memory of our ancestors" and to "become as the
protectors of all that is sacred". He also stated that they serve
to teach the future generations. The Hereditary Chiefs are in
direct line of decent for several generations and are recognized by the circles of elders. As prevails among most of
Canada's First Nations the chief elected under the provisions
of the Indian Act has taken over the political role.

Okimaw of the Cree
Professor Stonechild of the First Nations University of Canada
provided some background on the Cree traditions (as well as some information on the effects of the Indian Act on First
Nations leadership). She described the role of Hereditary
chiefs as being that of "role models, including being spiritual leaders". 

Tyee Ha’wilth and Ha’wiih of the Tseshaht 
The Tseshaht First Nation has a good overview of their tradition on their website. 
Of note is how they describe Chief Adam Shewish: "He will never be replaced in our Parliament. He was the voice of reason, the voice of vision, the voice of calm, the voice of compassion, and, forever, the voice of praise.” 
The echo of Bagehot's three rights of monarchs is unmistakable; the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, & the right to warn.

Chiefs of the Wet’suwet’en 
Again I am going to rely on an outside link to explain the tradition.   

The Indian Act

Hereditary chiefs continued to hold important positions in
their societies until the 1870s when the Canadian Government
passed the Indian Act. Tribes were to have 'band
governments' with elected leaders carrying out government
actions. These leaders (also called chiefs) would be elected
every two years. In a single move the hereditary chiefs were
undermined and divisions created in their communities. But
this was very much the point:
"The great aim of our legislation has been to do away with the tribal system and assimilate the Indian people in all respects with the other inhabitants of the Dominion as speedily as they are fit to change."
~Sir John A Macdonald, 1887
By forcing a republican system on the First Nations the
government undermined the very individuals who had the respect among the tribes to lead opposition to their plans. Professor Stonechild puts it simply enough; "The Indian Act
undermined all such positions." Even among the few First
Nations who did not have Hereditary Chiefs (such as the
Iroquois or tribes that lost their chiefs) choosing leaders was
based on consensus, not majoritarian vote.

The sidelining of so many hereditary chiefs in favour of what
is essentially a presidential regime marks the Indian Act as
Canada's most republican piece of legislation ever passed.

Hereditary Chiefs Today

While the Indian Act was a blow to Canada's Hereditary Chief
Traditions it did not end them completely. Some First Nations
have kept their hereditary chiefs on an informal basis.
However, the division created by the Indian Act still remains
and in some First Nation communities the hereditary chiefs
and elected chiefs are at odds with each other.
Picture
A mixed procession of elected & hereditary chiefs of the Wet'suwet'en

The Future?

Canada has a lot of issues to fix in regards to its dealing with
its First Nations and this is one issue that may well get
overlooked. I feel the hereditary chiefs should be allowed to
have a formal role in the band governments. This would
restore traditions successive governments very much tried to
destroy. It would also put the reserves on track for better governance as they would now be run as constitutional monarchies. But this is just my opinion and it is the First
Nations who need to want to restore their hereditary chiefs
for it to happen.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour
Matthew Connolly
3/16/2017 06:45:42 am

As a identified aboriginal with roots showing myself to be in line as heriditary chief I am at a loss as how to proceed. Looking for help and direction as it is not available from the elected chief of our band in Corner Brook NL

A Kisaragi Colour
3/16/2017 04:30:35 pm

Greetings Matthew Connolly,

I assume you mean help and direction restoring the Hereditary Chief Tradition? If you are, that is a tough question to answer. From the information provided I also assume you are part of the Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation.

Restoring Canada's Hereditary Chiefs could be pursued in a number of ways (or more likely through all of them). It is my understanding that the Indian Act in its current form (and other agreements) are flexible on what form the band governments take so there *should* be few technical obstacles in the way. That said, some ideas to consider:

=Unofficial Restoration=
The rightful hereditary chief (if not yourself) starts undertaking the duties and responsibilities of the office as far as is possible without actually being officially recognized as such in law. This is how the remaining hereditary chiefs operate across Canada. Most seem to value being recognized as hereditary chief by their band as being more important than recognition by the government. There have been difficulties with the hereditary chief coming into conflict with the elected chief in the past though. In Europe some former monarchs also pursue this path.

=Restoring Hereditary Chiefs Through Election=
Another method would be to get elected as band chief and start the process of replacing the elected chief with an hereditary chief. This would require referendum of the entire band membership as set out in the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band Custom Election Rules. The difficulty with this method is that you kind of need general consensus to restore the hereditary chiefs before you even get started. Since this would replace the elected chief I'm not surprised the elected chief of your band has been unhelpful.

=Start A Movement=
Advocate for restoring the band's hereditary chief by presenting arguments in favour and gaining support in the community.

Most likely a successful effort would encompass all three of these strategies. I'm actually curious about your tribe's hereditary chief tradition. I'd be interested in hearing about it. Best of luck.

Michael Bagamery
4/17/2018 09:14:22 pm

I am afraid I don’t see what makes the Indian Act “republican” when “Canada has always been a monarchy” (a phrase I have read in many other places) and when Macdonald and all the other Fathers of Confederation were avowed monarchists.

A Kisaragi Colour
4/18/2018 03:26:05 pm

“Canada has always been a monarchy”

Indeed it has. And before the Indian Act came into effect so were many First Nation tribes. The main effect of the Indian Act was to sweep them away and left their government as a type of 'municipal republic' with elected chiefs and councils. They were of course still under the British, and later Canadian, Crown but the Indian Act moved a large segment of Canada away from a form of monarchy.

That the Fathers of Confederation did this is an irony in my opinion which leads to a couple of theories: 1. As monarchists they knew republican regimes would destroy the First Nations. 2. They did not view the Hereditary Chiefs as a form of monarchism worth keeping. 3. They believed that there should be one monarch receiving undivided loyalty.

Glenna Mcquabbie
1/16/2019 08:39:43 am

I would be interested in bringing this hereditary chief back because my reserve is so corrupt and my great grandfather,,my grandfather and my father were chiefs now my brother is running and they did respect the people and they were always transparent and now it's like pulling teeth too get straight answers and stealing is no big deal for the last three chiefs i am tired of the lies,cheating and stealing from their own people my reserve is so poor we need help


Comments are closed.

    About

    This website is intended to be a resource for those arguing in favour of Canada's monarchy, researching Canada's royal past, or wondering what the various vice-regal representatives of the Canadian Crown are up to currently. As well, articles about other monarchies may appear from time to time. 

    Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014

    Categories

    All
    Afghanistan
    Alberta
    Albert County
    Alexandra Mendès
    Alistair MacGregor
    Allison Lawlor
    Amita Kuttner
    Andrew Saxton
    Andrew Scheer
    Annamie Paul
    Archduke Franz Ferdinand
    Aria David
    Aron Seal
    Artwork
    Australian Monarchy
    Austria
    Barbados
    Barry MacKenzie
    Bloc Quebecois
    Blog Update
    Books
    Brad Trost
    Brazil
    Brian Graff
    British Columbia
    British Monarchy
    Canada Day
    Canada Post
    Canadian Monarchist News
    Canadian Monarchy
    CANZUK International
    Caribbean Monarchist League
    Carolingian Empire
    Charity
    Charlie Angus
    Charter Of Rights And Freedoms
    Chief Edward Machimity
    Chief John Thunder
    Chief Robert Joseph
    Chris Alexander
    Christian Bjørnskov
    Christmas
    Christ The King
    Citizenship Oath
    Clamavi De Profundis
    Commonwealth
    Communists
    Confederation
    Conservative Party
    Coronation Oath
    Costs Of The Crown
    Cricket
    Crown Jewels (of Canada)
    Dalton Camp
    David Johnson
    David Merner
    Deepak Obhrai
    Democracy
    Democracy Watch
    Denmark
    Derek Sloan
    Donald Booth
    Donald Trump
    Dr. Leslyn Lewis
    Duchess Of Cambridge
    Duchess Of Hohenberg
    Duke Of Cambridge
    Dylan Mainprize
    Dylan Perceval Maxwell
    Education
    Elizabeth May
    Elsie Wayne
    Emma Dent Coad
    Emperor Charles V
    Emperor Francis II
    Emperor Kangxi
    Emperor Nero
    Emperor Pedro II
    Emperor Qianlong
    English Monarchy
    Erin O'Toole
    FCP
    Fiji
    French Monarchy
    George Stanley
    Glorious Revolution
    Government House
    Governor General
    Gov Gen. Adrienne Clarkson
    Gov Gen. David Johnston
    Gov Gen. Julie Payette
    Gov Gen. Mary Simon
    Grand Chief Henri Membertou
    Green Party
    GTA Branch
    Hawaii
    Heraldry
    Hitler
    Holy Roman Empire
    Hudson's Bay Company
    Ibrahim Bruno El-Khoury
    Interview
    Invictus Games
    Iran
    Jack Layton
    Jacques Monet
    Jagmeet Singh
    Jamaica
    James Hawkes
    Jean Charest
    Jody Wilson-Raybould
    John A. Macdonald
    John Boyko
    Jordan
    J.R.R. Tolkien
    Judy Green
    Julienne Bay
    Justin Trudeau
    Kathleen Wayne
    Kellie Leitch
    Kevin Gillespie
    King Alfonso XI
    King Carl XVI
    King Charles I
    King Charles II
    King Charles III
    King Charles XI
    King Christian IV
    King Edward I
    King Edward VII
    King Edward VIII
    King George I
    King George V
    King George VI
    King Henry VIII
    King James VI & I
    King Juan Carlos I
    King Louis XIV
    King Louis XVI
    King Matthias Corvinus
    King William IV
    King Zahir Shah
    Kisaragi
    Labour Party
    Leona Alleslev
    Letters Patent
    Liberal Party
    Lisa LaFlamme
    Lisa Raitt
    Lord Ludichris
    Loyalists
    Lt. Gov. Brenda Murphy
    Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Dowdeswell
    Lt. Gov. Graydon Nicholas
    Lt. Gov. Jocelyne Roy Vienneau
    Lt. Gov. John Graves Simcoe
    Lt. Richard Wilson
    Mackenzie King
    Magnum Concilium
    Marilyn Gladu
    Mark Steyn
    Mary Lincoln
    Maxime Bernier
    Meme
    Meryam Haddad
    Michael Chong
    Michael Valpy
    Mike Holland
    Mi'kmaw
    Mirrors For Princes
    Mohawks
    Monarchist League Of Canada
    Morocco
    Mr. Windsor
    Native Kingship
    Nawanagar
    NDP
    Neil MacAlasdair
    Netherlands
    New Brunswick
    Newfoundland
    News
    New Year's Levee
    New York
    New Zealand
    Normandy
    Nova Scotia
    Oath Of Allegiance
    Olympics
    Omoba Aina
    Ontario
    PACT
    Papua New Guinean Monarchy
    Parliament
    Pat Stogran
    PEI
    People's Alliance
    People's Party
    Peter Julian
    Peter Kurrild-Klitgaard
    Peter MacKay
    Peter Russell
    Peter Stoffer
    Philippe Lagasse
    Pierre Elliott Trudeau
    Pierre Lemieux
    Playlist
    Pope Boniface VIII
    Prime Minister
    Prince Albert
    Prince Andrew
    Prince Arthur
    Prince Charles
    Prince Edward
    Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie
    Prince Felipe
    Prince George
    Prince Harry
    Prince Philip
    Prince Reza Pahlavi
    Prince Rupert
    Princess Anne
    Princess Louise
    Prince Victor
    Prince William
    Profiles
    Progressivism
    Quebec
    Queen Anne
    Queen Elizabeth I
    Queen Elizabeth II
    Queen's Counsel
    Queen Victoria
    Quotes
    Randall Garrison
    R.B. Bennett
    Referendum
    Religion
    Remembrance Day
    Republicans
    Restoration
    Richard Bassett
    Rick Peterson
    Right To Be Consulted
    Right To Encourage
    Right To Warn
    Robert Finch
    Robert Pichette
    Robertson Davies
    Rob Moore
    Romana Didulo
    Royal 22nd Regiment
    Royal Anthems
    Royal Christmas Message
    Royal Jubilee
    Royal Tour
    Royal Warrant
    Saskatchewan
    Saudi Arabia
    Science
    Scott Aitchison
    Scott Morrison
    Sir David Kirke
    Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley
    Six Nations
    Social Media
    Stephen Harper
    Succession
    Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah
    Supreme Court Of Canada
    The Ceremonial Guard
    The Constitution
    The Enlightenment
    The Mad Monarchist
    The Phoenix Project
    Tim Besley
    Timeline
    Tim Thompson
    Tom Freda
    Tom Mulcair
    Tony Abbott
    Tony Clement
    Top 10 List
    United States
    Victoria Day
    Viscount Monck
    Wallis Simpson
    Walter Bagehot
    Wet'suwet'en
    Winston Churchill
    W. L. Morton
    Young Monarchists
    Yukon
    Zahedi Center

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Proud Supporter of the Monarchist League of Canada
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Proud Supporter of Connecting Albert County
    Picture
    Elsie Wayne 1932-2016
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.