3 ‘The faithful children of the Great Mother are starving’
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Sarah Carter
Abstract
Through a focus on the Saulteaux of the St. Peter’s settlement in western Canada, this chapter explores the mobilization of Queen Victoria by both the colonized and the colonizers in a series of “contact zones” over the nineteenth century. The Saulteaux confronted fur traders, missionaries, soldiers, settlers, and government officials, and in these encounters they produced, developed and honed a tradition of oratory that incorporated references to Victoria. They called on the monarch’s representatives to act with honour, justice, and integrity, and to defend them against settler pressure and oppression. Declarations of fealty to the Queen were accompanied by sharp criticism of the failure of her representatives to provide the just and humane treatment promised. In dialogues with Indigenous people, settler authorities represented Victoria as a benevolent maternal monarch, particularly at treaty negotiations where the equality and kinship ties of the parties was emphasized. Settlers also deployed the image of a compassionate Queen and her loyal Indigenous subjects as this was at the heart of the myth of Canada’s reputation as humane and benign colonizers.
Abstract
Through a focus on the Saulteaux of the St. Peter’s settlement in western Canada, this chapter explores the mobilization of Queen Victoria by both the colonized and the colonizers in a series of “contact zones” over the nineteenth century. The Saulteaux confronted fur traders, missionaries, soldiers, settlers, and government officials, and in these encounters they produced, developed and honed a tradition of oratory that incorporated references to Victoria. They called on the monarch’s representatives to act with honour, justice, and integrity, and to defend them against settler pressure and oppression. Declarations of fealty to the Queen were accompanied by sharp criticism of the failure of her representatives to provide the just and humane treatment promised. In dialogues with Indigenous people, settler authorities represented Victoria as a benevolent maternal monarch, particularly at treaty negotiations where the equality and kinship ties of the parties was emphasized. Settlers also deployed the image of a compassionate Queen and her loyal Indigenous subjects as this was at the heart of the myth of Canada’s reputation as humane and benign colonizers.
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- List of maps and figures vii
- List of contributors ix
- Acknowledgements xii
- Maps xiii
- Introduction 1
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Part I Monarch, metaphor, memory
- 1 ‘We have seen the son of Heaven/We have seen the Son of Our Queen’ 25
- 2 ‘We rejoice to honour the Queen, for she is a good woman, who cares for the Māori race’ 54
- 3 ‘The faithful children of the Great Mother are starving’ 78
- 4 The politics of memory and the memory of politics 100
- 5 ‘My vast Empire & all its many peoples’ 125
- 6 Māori encounters with ‘Wikitoria’ in 1863 and Albert Victor Pomare, her Māori godchild 144
- 7 Southern African royalty and delegates visit Queen Victoria, 1882–95 166
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Part III Sovereign subjects?
- 8 Sovereignty performances, sovereignty testings 187
- 9 Bracelets, blankets and badges of distinction 210
- 10 Chiefly women 228
- Select bibliography 246
- Index 249
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- List of maps and figures vii
- List of contributors ix
- Acknowledgements xii
- Maps xiii
- Introduction 1
-
Part I Monarch, metaphor, memory
- 1 ‘We have seen the son of Heaven/We have seen the Son of Our Queen’ 25
- 2 ‘We rejoice to honour the Queen, for she is a good woman, who cares for the Māori race’ 54
- 3 ‘The faithful children of the Great Mother are starving’ 78
- 4 The politics of memory and the memory of politics 100
- 5 ‘My vast Empire & all its many peoples’ 125
- 6 Māori encounters with ‘Wikitoria’ in 1863 and Albert Victor Pomare, her Māori godchild 144
- 7 Southern African royalty and delegates visit Queen Victoria, 1882–95 166
-
Part III Sovereign subjects?
- 8 Sovereignty performances, sovereignty testings 187
- 9 Bracelets, blankets and badges of distinction 210
- 10 Chiefly women 228
- Select bibliography 246
- Index 249
