Abstract

This dissertation presents a Swampy Cree philosophical system that has survived a history of destruction and recreation in its interaction with Western religious and philosophical thought. In this dissertation, I analyze how the gendering and the racialization of a "noble savage" has not only led to a false idea of a static "Indian-ness," but serves to continue a separation of the Cree from their historical ways of defiling reality and identity. The response to this artificial identity has forced many Cree and other Aboriginal peoples into defining their continued existence within a framework of "authenticity." I argue that this is a self-defeating practice since it places the burden of proof onto the shoulders of Aboriginal peoples while requiring that the proof satisfy an external Western standard. ;This dissertation has a prologue and eight chapters divided into three main parts. The prologue sets the stage for a philosophical method that straddles two intellectual systems. Part one is a discussion of the historical Cree philosophy embedded in the narratives of Swampy Cree people. Part two centers on the impact of European philosophy and religion on Swampy Cree philosophy and identity. I also introduce the concept of "coauthoring" as a way to understand how identities are developed and how they can be undermined. Part three introduces the possibility of coauthoring a new narrative that can take Swampy Cree people and non-Cree Canadians and Americans beyond the historical misrepresentations that have negatively affected our intercultural relationships. This dissertation provides a resource for Swampy Cree people to recover their philosophical traditions while also providing a resource for opening or dialogue with Western philosophy