ABORIGINAL CONVERSION TO CHRISTIANITY

There has been transformation of values and assimilation of the characteristics between Christians and the indigenous aboriginals. Despite the criticism of the European missionaries and the settlers, Aboriginal communities have continued to liken Christian values. In fact, it is estimated that in every three aboriginals, two consider themselves to be Christians. Nevertheless, it is important to note that before the conversion of the aboriginals to Christianity, thy used to hate and despise Christianity as a religion because of the conflicting values and norms. There are different factors that have led to the wide spread conversion of Christianity to the Aboriginal community. This tribe came about as a result of the intermarriage between the Europeans and both First Nation people and the Inuit tribe. This intermarriage did bore the culture of the mixed blood which led to a civilized society3.

All this was thanks to the interaction between the Christian missionaries and the indigenous persons. The Native tribes at first did not accept to be converted to Christianity as they thought that the latter would compromise their traditional spirituality. However, with time, the tribes like Seneca and Metis did accept the fact that Christianity increasingly did give them benefits for than challenges. The class meta-narrative has it that the First Nation people were coerced to become Christians as a result of the motivation and passion for the gospel by the European Missionaries. The Christian missionaries believed that their religion which is Christianity was superior to other religions and that it was important for the Natives to abandon their faith and traditions for the same. Nevertheless, there is an anti-missionary meta-narrative that claims that the European missionaries did pressure and forced the Natives into accepting the faith of the colonizers which was against their discretion.

Forcing the First Nation People to become Christians was seen as a part of the groups which included the armies, politicians, courts, and other colonial agents to make the indigenous people accept to be colonized. Although it is not confirmed whether this was the case, it is important to note that the spread of the Christian gospel was advanced more by the indigenous Christians than it was done by the foreign Christians in Canada. On the other hand, the smoke in Christian lives symbolizes ceremonies taking place at a particular destination. In Christian religion, water signifies the fact that Jesus is the source of living water and the indigenous community on the other hand believes that water is the source of life. Fire on the other hand reminds the Christians a scene where God spoke to Moses.

Blossoms on the other hand relates to the sacraments that are given in the catholic churches to sanctify the congregation. All these signs signify the fact that there is a relationship between the spiritual indigenous beliefs and that of the Christians and this acted as strength for the Aboriginals to convert to Christianity. The constitution also goes ahead to outline the effects of colonization that Aboriginal people had to go through and the role of the church in the same. This was meant to highlight the fact that the church in deed did understand the trauma and the problems that the earlier churches and the settlers did to the indigenous community6. Addressing and accepting to be part of the blame to the suffering of the Aboriginals meant that the church did n deed understand the problems that they caused it was ready to accept the blame for the same.

Many people (Aboriginals) had been disposed and chased from their land as a result of colonization and therefore an apology meant well for the locals to accept t be converted to Christians. Thus the latter ensured that the Aboriginals feel that the church did advocate for their land to be repossessed, something that enticed them to frequent churches and at the same time become Muslims. This was against the wish of the First Nation People who wanted their children to always follow their traditions. It is important to note that most Aboriginal students at the start of their education did always find it difficult to deal and interact with other students in the schools especially the ones that went to the secondary schools. Most of the Aboriginal students were then forced to adhere to the laws set in schools to ensure that they complete their education8.

In most cases, Aboriginal cultural and social obligations did make it hard for the children to continue with their education especially when their parents demanded their presence at home for social and ceremonial activities in the middle of the term. However, community education as well as sensitizing the society about the importance of education played a crucial part in making sure that Aboriginal community lets her children get the western education. The missionaries also believed that some traditions in the Aboriginal community favored one type of gender in this case male gender as most of the work was left to women. However, with the introduction of the Christian gospel, the natives changed the tune and accepted that men should raise to occasion and farm for a better family. The church and other Christina activists taught the aboriginals about the importance of industrialization and how to ensure that they become economically stable.

This was a leeway for the Aboriginals to convert to Christianity. Seeing other Aboriginals that were successful after converting to Christianity, more and more Aboriginals decided to convert to Christianity. The missionaries also developed other strategies that lured the Native Americans into accepting to become Christians and abandon their traditional uncivilized spiritual believes according to Nicholas Hey. One of the strategies that were implemented was to give out handouts in form of food and tobacco for the people who decided to convert to Christianity. In the year 1605, the Canadian government accepted the full control of the Aboriginal community after establishing that the missionaries and other European settlers had good intention for the indigenous persons11. The missionaries had established programs that cared for the sick persons in the missionary and then also ensured that it did provide a source of sustenance for the healthy people.

The church also had educated and informed the community about the dangers of prostitution to both women and men as well as provides the community with jobs and other economic establishments. The health and development of the community came as a result of the change of the religion and the practice of the Aboriginal community. Colonization was also a fact that led to most indigenous community (Aboriginals) to switch to Christianity in Canada. Therefore, the Aboriginal community did change their spiritual believes and cultural orientation to Christianity and western deed respectively because of both voluntary and coercion. Bibliography Aadnc-aadnc. gc. “The impact of Christianity on a primitive culture”. Journal of Christian education. Vol. pp. Miller, J. Rcaanc-cirnac. gc. ca. First Nations in Canada. www.