Elder Brother, the Law of the People, and Contemporary Kinship Practices of Cowessess First Nation Members: Reconceptualizing Kinship in American Indian Studies Research
Abstract
Raymond DeMallie has challenged American Indian Studies (AIS) scholars to develop creative ways to incorporate kinship analysis into AIS research. This paper asserts contemporary kinship practices of Cowessess First Nation members continues to be guided by principles embedded in the Law of the People as expressed through stories of Elder Brother. Historically, on the northern Plains, individuals or groups of people could become members of a band in a variety of ways, but importantly these new members assumed kinship roles and responsibilities based on traditional customary kinship laws as conveyed in the Elder Brother stories. Responses of contemporary members to Bill C-31 amendment to the membership codes of the Canadian Indian Act and people who gained their federal Indian status reflects traditional kinship patterns as outline in the Elder Brother stories.