Indigenous Women, Work, and History: 1940-1980 (Critical Studies in Native History Book 16)

When dealing with Indigenous women's history we are conditioned to think about women as private-sphere figures, circumscribed by the home, the reserve, and the community. Moreover, in many ways Indigenous men and women have been cast in static, pre-modern, and one-dimensional identities, and their twentieth century experiences reduced to a singular story of decline and loss. In Indigenous Women, Work, and History, historian Mary Jane Logan McCallum rejects both of these long-standing conventions by presenting case studies of Indigenous domestic servants, hairdressers, community health representatives, and nurses working in "modern Native ways" between 1940 and 1980. Based on a range of sources, including the records of the Departments of Indian Affairs and National Health and Welfare, interviews, and print and audio-visual media, McCallum shows how state-run education and placement programs were part of Canada's larger vision of assimilation and extinguishment of treaty obligations. Conversely, she also shows how Indigenous women link these same programs to their social and cultural responsibilities of community building and state resistance. By placing the history of these modern workers within a broader historical context of Aboriginal education and health, federal labour programs, post-war Aboriginal economic and political developments, and Aboriginal professional organizations, McCallum challenges us to think about Indigenous women's history in entirely new ways. Cover Contents Acknowledgements Tables and Illustrations Introduction Labour Modernity The State Methodology Chapter One - Sweeping the Nation: Indigenous Women and Domestic Labour in Mid-Twentieth-Century Canada Indigenous Women and Household Labour Indigenous Domestic Labour in Indian Schools and Hospitals The Ottawa Experiment Conclusion Chapter Two - The Permanent Solution: The Placement and Relocation Program, Hairdressers, and Beauty Culture The Indian Placement and Relocation Program Initiating the Program Framing the Program The Program at Work Imagery and Representations of Indigenous Urban Labour Hairdressing and Indigenous Women’s Urban Labour Wages and Integration Entrepreneurship and Loans Conclusion Chapter Three - An Early Labour History of Community Health Representatives, 1960–1970 Background Selection Training CHR Responsibilities and MSB Authority Conclusion Chapter Four - Gaining Recognition: Labour as Activism among Indigenous Nurses “Promoting and striving for better health for the Indian people”: RN CIA, Nursing, and Indian Control of Indian Health Indian Control The Colonial History of Medical Services Branch RNCIA Nursing Ethic “To actively develop a means of recruiting more people of Indianancestry”: Labour Issues and the Medical Services Branch A Long History of Health Care Labour Registered Nurses and the Medical Services Branch Maintenance, Housekeeping, “Helpers” and Paraprofessional Labour “To develop and encourage courses in the educational system...on Indian health”: Aboriginal Nurse Education: From Barriers toSuccession Colour Bars, Funding, and Nursing Programs Indigenous Interventions into Nursing Education Conclusion Conclusion - The Wages of Whiteness and the Indigenous Historian Notes Introduction Chapter One - Sweeping the Nation: Indigenous Women and Domestic Labour in Mid-Twentieth-Century Canada Chapter Two - The Permanent Solution: The Placement and Relocation Program, Hairdressers, and Beauty Culture Chapter Three - An Early Labour History of Community Health Representatives, 1960–1970 Chapter Four: Gaining Recognition: Labour as Activism Among Indigenous Nurses Conclusion: The Wages of Whiteness and the Indigenous Historian Bibliography Unpublished Primary Sources Published Primary Sources Secondary Sources Index Based On A Range Of Sources Including The Records Of The Departments Of Indian Affairs And National Health And Welfare, Interviews. Print, And Media, Mccallum Shows How State-run Education And Placement Programs Were Part Of Canada's Larger Vision Of Assimilation And Extinguishment Of Treaty Obligations. Conversely, She Also Shows How Indigenous Women Link These Same Programs To Their Social And Cultural Responsibilities Of Community Building And State Resistance. Sweeping The Nation: Indigenous Women And Domestic Labour In Mid-twentieth-century Canada -- Permanent Solution: The Placement And Relocation Program, Hairdresses, And Beauty Culture -- Early Labour History Of Community Health Representatives, 1960-1970 -- Gaining Recognition: Labour As Activism Among Indigenous Nurses -- Wages Of Whiteness And The Indigenous Historian. Mary Jane Logan Mccallum. Includes Bibliographical References (pages [291]-312) And Index. Issued Also In Electronic Formats. Text In English. Annotation When dealing with Indigenous women's history we are conditioned to think about women as private-sphere figures, circumscribed by the home, the reserve, and the community. Moreover, in many ways Indigenous men and women have been cast in static, pre-modern, and one-dimensional identities, and their twentieth century experiences reduced to a singular story of decline and loss. Indigenous Women, Work, and History rejects both of these long-standing conventions by presenting case studies of Indigenous domestic servants, hairdressers, community health representatives, and nurses working in "modern Native ways." By placing the history of these modern workers within a broader historical context McCallum challenges us to think about Indigenous women's history in entirely new ways Presents case studies of Indigenous domestic servants, hairdressers, community health representatives, and nurses working in "modern Native ways" between 1940 and 1980. Based on a range of sources, Mary Jane Logan McCallum shows how state-run education and placement programmes were part of Canada's larger vision of assimilation and extinguishment of treaty obligations.