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Imperialism In a Wool Blanket: Aboriginal Iconography, Denomination and Canadian Paper Monies
National currencies, especially paper notes, are emblems of the nation-state and its power. This paper builds on these literatures to explore iconic representations of Canada's Aboriginal Peoples in its monies, using examples of colonial and (ostensibly) post-colonial notes. Research on images of imperialism and nationalism in African colonial and African and East Asian post-colonial monies and stamps is a well-established field. However, Canada's imperialist, colonialist legacy is a neglected, sometimes denied, history, and its monies are barely studied from critical, social science perspectives.
Beginning with an 1870 Dominion of Canada $2 bill, and culminating in the 2004 Canadian Journey series $20 bill, this paper asks whether Canada's claim of multiculturalism vis-a-vis First Nations Peoples is indeed supported by nation-building imagery on its own currency. Hudson's Bay Point Blankets were traded between colonisers and First Nations in 19th century Canada. These wool blankets were re-purposed by Aboriginal peoples as garments, ceremonial exchange and prestige goods. On the 1870 $2 bill, the blanket draped across an Aboriginal man's body is an imperialist icon of le doux commerce that 'tames' the 'noble savage'. In the 2004 $20 bill, First Nations are represented by a modern sculpture by a Haida artist, Bill Reid, depicting the creation of mankind, 'Raven and the First Men'. But on this bill is contemporary Aboriginal art and 'traditional culture' – the sculpture depicts a key event in Haida cosmology – presented as truly valuable?