Hunting, Nature and Metaphor: Political and Discursive Strategies in James Bay Cree Resistance and Autonomy

Abstract

Representations of James Bay Cree hunting society, which were developed during the debates over the James Bay hydroelectric projects in northern Quebec, were shaped both by Cree cultural meanings and by the cultural patterns of non-Native North Americans. Cree elders and younger spokespersons sought effective means of communicating to non-Natives a sense of Cree relationships with the lands on which they live and with the animals they hunt. These intercultural discourses took place in the context of developing international alliances between Cree and environmentalists, as well as in the historical context of fur trade relations and of Christian missionization. The metaphors that were used by Cree and non-Natives to enrich these dialogues, especially the description of their lands and hunting as a garden and gardening, were exchanged back and forth, carrying earlier meanings as they took on new nuances. They were also vital to discourses building unity among Cree of different generations and of different " lifestyles." In this chapter I explore the development and importance of these political and discursive strategies for indigenous resistance and autonomy. At the center of these communications are dialogues on nature, production, spirituality, moral standing, and political action.