Always a part of the land the federal commemoration of Indigenous histories Groat, Cody creator author. text bibliography quc 2026 monographic eng print x, 370 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm. "The commemoration of a nation's past is a highly contested process, fraught with identity politics and competing interests. For over a century - even as the government of Canada denied them the rights to recognize or practise their cultures - Indigenous Peoples have challenged the often narrow and one-sided interpretations found in museums, at historic sites, or alongside statues or monuments. Cody Groat demonstrates how the federal government actively shapes complex national narratives that are mediated through the perspectives of historians, elected officials, and leading civil servants. From the commemoration of the earliest human habitations in North America to the recognition of the Indian residential school system, the state has constructed a past imbued with patriotism and national pride. But Indigenous interests diverge from those of the state. From small acts of defiance, such as the refusal to share sacred knowledge, to open acts of resistance, such as the citizen's arrest of an archaeologist, Indigenous people have long fought for the opportunity to share their stories as they know them. Always a Part of the Land calls for a critical reinterpretation not only of the nation's history but also of how we think about the past and how this shapes ongoing relationships between Indigenous Peoples and the state. Cody Groat is assistant professor in the Department of History and the Indigenous Studies Program at the University of Western Ontario. He is a Kanyen'kehaka (Mohawk) citizen of Six Nations of the Grand River."-- Cody Groat. Issued also in electronic formats. Includes bibliographical references and index. n-cn--- Indigenous peoples Canada Government relations Canada Race relations Canada Ethnic relations Reconciliation Political aspects Canada Public history Canada Canada Politics and government 1980- Indigenous activists Canada Réconciliation Aspect politique Canada Histoire appliquée Canada HISTORY / Canada / General Ethnic relations Indigenous peoples Government relations Politics and government Race relations Reconciliation Political aspects Canada Since 1980 fast E92 .G75 2026 323.1197/071 cci1icc Always a part of the land Groat, Cody. Montreal ; Kingston ; London ; Chicago : McGill-Queen's University Press, 2026 (OCoLC)1564032475 McGill-Queen's indigenous and northern studies ; 110 9780228027775 0228027772 POD NLC 251102 20260808204555.4 in00005790332 eng