Book Launch: Always a Part of the Land by Cody Groat
About this event
Join us for the launch of Always a Part of the Land: The Federal Commemoration of Indigenous Histories by Cody Groat, presented by Library and Archives Canada and McGill-Queen’s University Press. The author will be in conversation with Librarian and Archivist of Canada Leslie Weir.
The commemoration of a nation’s past is a highly contested process, fraught with identity politics and competing interests. For over a century—even as the Government of Canada denied them the rights to recognize or practice their cultures—Indigenous Peoples have challenged the often narrow and one-sided interpretations found in museums, at historic sites, or alongside statues or monuments.
Cody Groat demonstrates how the federal government actively shapes complex national narratives that are mediated through the perspectives of historians, elected officials, and leading public servants. From the commemoration of the earliest human habitations in North America to the recognition of the Indian residential school system, the state has constructed a past imbued with patriotism and national pride. But Indigenous interests diverge from those of the state. From small acts of defiance, such as the refusal to share sacred knowledge, to open acts of resistance, such as the citizen’s arrest of an archaeologist, Indigenous Peoples have long fought for the opportunity to share their stories as they know them.
Always a Part of the Land calls for a critical reinterpretation not only of the nation’s history but also of how we think about the past and how this shapes ongoing relationships between Indigenous Peoples and the state.
Join us for what promises to be a thought-provoking conversation about our country’s past, present and future.
The interview portion of this event will be audio recorded and may be used in a podcast series.
About the author
Cody Groat is an assistant professor in the Department of History and the Indigenous Studies Program at the University of Western Ontario. He is a Kanyen’kehaka (Mohawk) citizen of Six Nations of the Grand River.
Sessions
Parking
Paid parking spaces are available at 395 Wellington Street, on the west side of the building. Parking meters and public parking lots can also be found on the surrounding streets.
Bike racks are also available in front of the building.
Several OC Transpo and Société de transport de l’Outaouais bus routes serve stops located near 395 Wellington Street.
Stay in touch
Do you have questions about this event? Email us at evenements-events@bac-lac.gc.ca.