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ARCHIVED - Aboriginal Documentary Heritage
Archived Content
This archived Web page remains online for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. This page will not be altered or updated. Web pages that are archived on the Internet are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats of this page on the Contact Us page.
Introduction
Welcome to Aboriginal Documentary Heritage: Historical Collections of the Canadian Government. This Web exhibition recounts first-hand information illustrating the complex and often contentious relationship between the Canadian government and Canada's Aboriginal people from the late 1700s to the mid-20th century.
The website presents three thematic sections with essays and selected documents about the Red and Black Series (the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs' administrative records of Aboriginal people from 1872 to the 1950s), Treaties, Surrenders and Agreements, and Aboriginal Soldiers in the First World War. The site also features searchable databases of digitized records from the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs (RG 10) fonds and the soldiers of the First World War, as well as a Gallery with select images for each of the three sections. Please note, the database for the First World War includes every individual in Canada who served in this war. Aboriginal soldiers can be searched by their given names and surnames, and regiment numbers.
Most files in RG 10 are arranged by band, agency or district. This hierarchy of information, together with the time period of interest, is critical to locating relevant files. In cases of research on individuals, knowing the band to which the person belonged is the single most important piece of information the researcher can have. Knowledge of whether a band signed a treaty, and when, might also help to narrow a search. Visit the Keyword Search for tips and for more information on searching by keywords in the Government Records collections.
