Final answer:
First Nations peoples view Treaty Days as a reminder of both historical agreements and ongoing struggles for rights recognition and self-governance. Despite the initial promise of treaties, many rights were disregarded, leading to continuous legal battles and efforts to reaffirm federal trust relationships. Treaty Days symbolize resilience and the persistent fight of First Nations communities to maintain their culture and sovereignty.
Step-by-step explanation:
Many First Nations peoples today regard Treaty Days with a complex mix of acknowledgement and resistance. While these days are remembered for the signing of treaties that were supposed to guarantee certain rights, in many cases, First Nations communities have had to continuously fight for these rights to be recognized and respected. Historical treaties often covered aspects such as hunting and fishing rights, religious practices, and trade relations. However, with increasing outside immigration and changing governmental policies, such as the Indian Act of 1876, these treaties were frequently disregarded. Consequently, the modern view of Treaty Days amongst many First Nations is reflective of ongoing struggles for rights acknowledgment and self-governance, and the pursuit of justice in relation to historical and ongoing treaty violations.
Contemporary movements among First Nations include legal pursuits through entities like the Indian Claims Commission and efforts to achieve or reaffirm federal recognition. There are over 630 First Nation groups in Canada, and today their fight continues not only to have their treaty rights recognized but also to establish lasting governmental relationships that allow for the inherent right to self-government. This is crucial to maintaining their cultures, languages, and spiritual beliefs. Tribes often expend immense resources and time, as evidenced by cases like the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa, who negotiated for 158 years to have their federal trust status reaffirmed. Treaty Days thus remain a poignant reminder of the resilience of First Nations in the face of long-standing challenges.