Howard Adams

history, but at the same time justified brutal military rule. As histo-
rians and authors we must repudiate these fabrications and write a
genuine account of our ancestors' struggles and victories.

Decolonization and liberation cannot take place without
counter-consciousness and a spirit of devotion to the cause of self-
determination, justice and equality. There are some excellent
Aboriginal centric historical and cultural works emerging from our
brilliant Indian/Metis/Inuit scholars, authors and poets. The great-
est break-through in the analysis and interpretation in Aboriginal
centric history is the work of Ron Bourgeault. In his ground-break-
ing theories and writings he explores the intentional devastating
changes of traditional communal society to European mercantilists
for the purpose of exploitation and control. Bourgeault presents a
new perspective in Aboriginal centric history, as well as providing
a new theoretical basis for emerging Aboriginal intellectuals.
Several other outstanding Aboriginal creations from a centric per-
spective have been produced by Maria Campbell, Jeannette
Armstrong, Lee Maracle, Emma Laroque, Duke Redbird and oth-
ers. Aboriginal centricity is a study of the masses “from below”
with a view to the inarticulate and poorly educated people.
Therefore, our style of writing must be uncomplicated; a popular,
journalists style, and not the academic or esoteric type.

The important factor about these people and their creations
is the perspective. They make a clear break from the Euro-
Canadian white supremacy interpretation, the typical racists,
stereotyped image of Aboriginal to a new factual Aboriginal per-
spective. They are working from their critical counter-conscious-
ness. Their works could not have been produced without it. Also,
they live in close relationships and experiences with Aboriginal
communities, which are vital for the Aboriginal creations, In this
renaissance period, we must write with and as part of the
Aboriginal people; not for them. Explanations to the white main-
stream population is not our major concern. Writing and speaking
to members of a quasi-apartheid society does not change their atti-
tudes or ideology. That can be done only by changing the structure
and institutions of the state. Establishment white historians argue
that Indians and Metis have no past worthy of study. To them, we
are an illiterate, primitive mass who have no sense of “people-

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