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Mikomosis and the Wetiko novel’s message shows how one may perceive a situation and use narratology and background research to understand a case. In the novel, the lawsuit presents Mikomosis’ story. In the case, Mikomosis is sentenced to death by the Europeans who believe he is a murderer. On the other hand, Mikomosis is found innocent by his villagers through Cree Law, but the English men use their law to analyze the hearing and decide to use Mikomosis’ case as a precedent for the Indigenous People.
Later on in the novel, three lawyers take on the case and follow Cree Law to investigate and understand Mikomosis’ reasoning for killing Sap-Was-Te, the victim. Through their examination, they find out that Sap-Was-Te’s family and friends believe she was possessed and the only way to free her of her pain was to do a ritual and kill her.
The lawyers go back in time and present Mikomosis’ case and he is found innocent by the white men.
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The second article focuses on the mistreatment of Indigenous people in Canada through rules and regulations. In this reading, it shows how one can lose his/her status of being Aboriginal through documents relating to marriage, birth, gender, past generations, etc. It touches on Canada's past relationships with Indigenous tribes and their goal to take all reserves of land and resources that belong to the Indians. The reading exemplifies the use of Residential schools to change children and force them to forget their customs and traditions so there can be no future Indian generation.
Through the end, the author gives a starting solution as to how Canada can start to make a difference. Palmater states the problem, “is to address the root problem: Canada’s program of Legislative and policy-based genocide”.
Both the readings focus on the meanings behind Cree Law and the Indigenous traditions and beliefs. Most of the Cree laws are decided by the elders in the community. The villagers look up to them because of their past experiences and knowledge about their culture. The seniors try to promote their beliefs and laws to make them prominent within their communities everyday lives. As seen in the novel, when an issue arrives, the villagers take the situation to the elders and the chief who have a specific role to play in the decision-making process. Unlike European courtrooms with judges and juries, the Indigenous trust the elders, the medicine people, and chief to make the decision. Cree Law is mainly based on faith and spiritual beliefs. Hierarchy starts with the chief who is selected and voted upon by the people. Canadian Law uses the Indian Act to control the Indigenous people and their lives.
The Act is used to determine who is a status Indian, who can live and hunt on certain reserves, and how the land of a dead person should be diffused among the family. The Canadian government uses violence to possess control over the Indigenous people by raping and beating young children in the residential schools and giving blankets to communities with the smallpox virus so their death could reduce the Indian population. Many other actions are taken to abuse the Indians that all fall under “Article 2 of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948)”.
Through the reading, it is clearly realizable that no justice was or is used in the laws the Canadian government proposes in relation to the Indigenous people. It is beneficial for any legal system to have many different principled responses to draw on because that way the constitution does not eliminate all other beliefs and laws that other cultures may base their actions upon. When a legal system only portrays their view on a situation and has a ‘one size fits all’ legal system or view on a certain case, it is excluding how another person may observe the situation. Also, it discourages other values that may be present in society.
The most important lesson from this week's readings is to understand Canada’s background and history of the legal system. The readings put many things into perspective and show there is no government that is fair and just to all cultures and groups of people. The most surprising thing is how well Canada is able to hide all information relating to the treatment of Indigenous people. It is obvious the only way people are able to educate themselves is through Indigenous authors and writers who promote the tragic incidents they face every day.
Review Of Mikomosis And The Wetiko Novel. (2024, Feb 18). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/review-of-mikomosis-and-the-wetiko-novel-essay
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