Terms & Definitions
Terms and definitions related to this Indigenous Worldviews Module are below. 

Aboriginal

A historical term used to define First Nation, Métis, and Inuit peoples. It was first introduced in Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution Act in 1982 and Section 25 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is still used to describe collective Aboriginal rights and title, and not used to describe individual rights. 

Creation Stories

A collection of Indigenous Nations' stories that reflect their unique relationships to land, water, and place while explaining how they came to be on earth. They vary between each Nation.

First Nation

A distinct group of Indigenous Peoples who remain culturally and linguistically diverse. There are over 630 First Nations communities in Canada with over 50 Indigenous languages.

Indian

A term used to describe Indigenous Peoples throughout North, Central and South America after Christopher Columbus arrived in the Bahamas, mistaking it for India. Missionaries and government officials used this term from the 15th to the 20th century. This term is not to be used to describe a person as it is considered offensive or derogatory. It is used explicitly within legal documents connected to the Indian Act.

Indian Act

A federal legislation that governs First Nations within Canada, which gives the Crown significant control over First Nation life. It has been heavily critiqued as contributing towards cultural genocide and impacting First Nation self-determination.

Indigenous

An all-encompassing term used when referring to First Nation, Inuit, and Métis peoples. It also refers to Indigenous Peoples worldwide and appears in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Inherent Rights

A set of fundamental rights that Indigenous Peoples possess  as they lived in Canada prior to the arrival of European settlers. These pre-existing rights are protected under the Canadian Constitution, Section 35. Several landmark court cases have affirmed  these rights, including: 

• Calder et al. v. Attorney General of British Columbia (1973) - Affirmed Aboriginal Title and recognized Indigenous land rights prior to the arrival of European settlers, and it was instrumental in creating modern-day treaties. 
• R. v. Sparrow (1990) -  Affirmed Indigenous fishing rights under Section 35 of the Constitution Act and led to the Sparrow Test , which defines if a right has been infringed on and what justifies an infringement.
• Delgamuukw v. British Columbia (1997) - Supreme Court of Canada ruling affirmed and further defined Aboriginal Title, including the right to use and manage resources. 

Inuit

A distinct group of Indigenous Peoples who traditionally inhabited the Arctic region of Canada. The term translates to "the people." The singular form is "Inuk."

Kinship

A system of family connections characterized by a deep sense of responsibility and interconnection that often extends beyond immediate family to include extended family networks.

Land Acknowledgement

A statement of respect for Indigenous Peoples' traditional territories, usually spoken at the beginning of an event, meeting, or gathering.

Métis

A distinct group of Indigenous Peoples with historical ties to Red River, Manitoba but who now reside across Canada. The term is generally spelled with an accent (Métis), but can appear without an accent (Metis).

Ownership Control Access Permission (OCAP®*)

A set of principles that establish how First Nations' data and information will be collected, protected, used, or shared. These principles were designed by the First Nations Information Governance Centre.

Reconciliation

A process of establishing and maintaining respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. This term is often associated with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 Calls to Action.

Reserve

A tract of land set aside under the Indian Act and treaty agreements for the exclusive use of an Indian band. The Crown holds the land in trust and the First Nation communities do not own the land. 

Residential Schools

A federally funded school system operated by Christian institutions between the 1830s to 1990s where Indigenous children were removed from their families and communities and unable to practice their cultures or speak their languages.  There were 130 federally funded schools where abuse and corruption were rampant.

Self-determination

A principle referring to a community's right to determine what works best for their social, economic, and political structures. It is often connected with UNDRIP.

Self-governance

A governance system communities use to administer policies, and processes that work for their community. It can be negotiated through federal and provincial agreements, such as self-governing agreements.

Settlement

A designation for Metis land base communities located in Northern Alberta, established under Alberta's unique Metis Settlements Act. The Settlements are governed by the Metis Settlement Act.

Status

A government legal classification that describes an individual who is registered or entitled to be registered as an Indian under the Indian Act who can access certain treaty benefits. Individuals who lost their status under the Indian Act due to enfranchisement or marriage, are considered “non-status”.

Traditional Knowledge

A body of collective knowledge of traditions used by Indigenous groups to sustain and adapt themselves to their environment over time. This information passes from generation to generation within Indigenous communities.

Treaties

A series of formal agreements between nations, such as  Indigenous Nations and/or the Crown, that can be divided into several categories: numbered treaties, modern-day treaties (also known as comprehensive land claim agreements), and traditional treaties which are between Nations (e.g., Dish With One Spoon). These agreements establish ongoing relationships and mutual obligations.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)

A commission established in 2008 to document the harm and ongoing legacies of the Canadian Indian Residential Schools system. The commission completed its work in 2015 and produced a Calls to Action report with 94 recommendations.

Two-Spirit

A term used by some Indigenous people to describe individuals whose gender identity, spiritual identity, and/or sexual orientation embodies both masculine and feminine spirits within a single person. The term comes from the Anishinaabemowin phrase "niizh manidoowag," which Myra Laramee coined in the 1990s.

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)

An international human rights instrument adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2007 that sets global standards for Indigenous rights, including self-determination and rights over their cultures, languages, and economies.

Sources

Centre for Constitutional Studies. (n.d.). Aboriginal Rights. https://www.constitutionalstudies.ca/the-constitution/aboriginal-rights/ 

De Groot, S. (2024, March 26). What is two‐spirit? Part one: Origins: Recognizing Indigenous gender and sexual diversity, resisting colonial norms. Canadian Museum for Human Rights. https://humanrights.ca/story/what-two-spirit-part-one-origins

First Nations Education Steering Committee. (2019). BC First Nations land, title, and governance teacher resource guide. https://www.fnesc.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/PUBLICATION-Governance-BCFNLTG-2019-09-17.pdf

Government of Canada. (2024). 2SLGBTQI+ terminology – Glossary and common acronyms. https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/free-to-be-me/2slgbtqi-plus-glossary.html

Government of Canada. (2024). Indigenous peoples and communities. https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100013785/1529102490303 

Indigenous Foundations. (n.d.). Government policy. https://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/reserves/

McIvor, B. (2025). Indigenous rights in one minute: What you need to know to talk about reconciliation. Nightwood Editions.

The University of British Columbia. (2024). Indigenous peoples language guide. https://assets.brand.ubc.ca/downloads/UBC_Indigenous_Peoples_Language_Guide_2024.pdf

Younging, G. (2025). Elements of Indigenous style: A guide for writing by and about Indigenous peoples. Brush Education.

Walsh, Jenna. (2023,Sept 20). Indigenous rights cases in the Supreme Court of Canada.  Simon Fraser University Library. https://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/research-assistance/subject/criminology/legal-information/indigenous-scc-cases#self-governmen