Early Indigenous Workers, Teaching Materials
This teaching resource serves as a curriculum application for Social Studies 9, aiming to illuminate the crucial role Indigenous workers played in British Columbia’s early economy.
It encourages students to engage in critical historical inquiry, assessing significance from multiple perspectives, analyzing evidence, and understanding historical continuity, change, and ethical judgments.
Historically, British Columbia’s economy was profoundly shaped by its rich natural resources, including land, minerals, forests, and the sea. Indigenous peoples had, for millennia, sustainably utilized these resources for all aspects of their lives.
Early European settlers, finding limited arable land, also turned to exploiting these resources for profit.
The fur trade was the initial dominant industry, with Indigenous peoples acting as vital partners, trading furs for European manufactured goods.
This era saw the Hudson’s Bay Company establish a significant presence. The late 1850s brought the gold rush to the Fraser River and Cariboo region, leading to widespread mineral and agricultural exploitation. Indigenous peoples were active in gold mining, working their own claims or for wages, sometimes earning substantial amounts comparable to skilled tradesmen. However, historical records, such as those from the Department of Mines, often failed to acknowledge their participation.
Salmon fishing was another cornerstone of the early economy. For First Nations, it provided essential food and a valuable trade commodity. By the 1870s, a commercial salmon fishery with canneries emerged, exporting globally, with Indigenous women playing a significant role in cannery labor. In forestry, Indigenous peoples have a history spanning thousands of years, utilizing wood for crafting and construction. They were extensively involved in sawmills and logging, often holding skilled positions.
The document highlights that despite their pervasive involvement, Indigenous contributions are frequently underrepresented in conventional historical accounts and timelines. For much of the 19th century, British Columbia was demographically an “Indigenous province,” with Indigenous populations outnumbering settlers even after suffering significant declines due to introduced diseases.
While British Columbia’s modern economy is largely service-based, its historical foundation remains rooted in resource extraction, where Indigenous labour was indispensable.
Included are several lesson activities and handouts.