The Gaspesian Perspective and Why We Need It

The reading, A Gaspesian Man Defends His Way of Life, 1641 spoken by the Chief of the Gaspé Peninsula in the Canadian province of Quebec and translated by Chrestian LeClercq, needs to be in the Course Reader because of the valuable counterargument it brings to the classic eurocentric narrative. This reading was powerful because it portrayed the Gaspesian peoples' culture and lifestyle in a way that outside observers are unable to do. The reading challenged the way most readers have been taught to think by showing a Native person’s side of the story without biased interpretation and censorship. It quite literally comes from the mouth of a Chief. History cannot be told by one side, it will always be biased, readings that go against the status quo are crucial to a comprehensive knowledge of the past.

This transcript was spoken by the Chief of a Gaspesian Native Group after he was unimpressed with Chrestian LeClercq’s speech about the French way of life. He critiques the gluttonous lifestyle the French live, telling them “But why now, do men of five to six feet in height need houses which are sixty to eighty?” The Chief continues by questioning “For if France, as thou sayest, is a little terrestrial paradise, art thou sensible to leave it? And why abandon wives, children, relatives, and friends?... Which Thou considerest the poorest and least fortunate of the world?” This question is significant, why should he listen to some foreigners' advice about a place they have never been to before, right after they abandoned their home. After all, the Gapesian Tribe had been there for generations and had no problems with their way of life. Why would they change these things for a stranger, from a strange land? This is an important perspective that debunks the theory that the eurocentric way of life would have been the best way of life for Native people, because clearly, the Chief disagrees.

Chrestien LeClercq attempted to assert his lifestyle onto this group of Gaspesian Natives, not even attempting to accept that their lifestyle is different. The reading is significant because it is taken directly from the words of the Chief. The thousands of years of culture could not be portrayed accurately by an outsider, especially one with a superiority complex and significant racial bias. It is important to see first hand the thoughts and opinions of this Chief, rather than Chrestiens thoughts on the tribe. It allows the reader to come up with their own interpretations and conclusions, creating a depth that is not commonly found in other texts. An example of this depth is when the Chief says, “We believe, further, that you are also incomparably poorer than we…” A quote like this is unlikely to appear in works written by the Colonizers during the 1700s. The French did not empathize or relate to them, they tried to change them. By teaching only French sourced readings, we would be led to believe that the French were superior, as there would be nothing to suggest otherwise. This Chiefs story ensures that their culture and lifestyle is not crushed under the status quo of French superiority and forces the reader to think differently than they have been taught.

The rich emotion that is conveyed throughout the Chiefs speech would not be the same if Chrestien LeClercq had given his own interpretation on what had happened. This reading is rare in the aspect that it doesn’t have much external bias. But the fact that it was translated into French and then into English later on could explain some of the questionable word choice. Like how he refers to his people as “Indians” when he would probably use a different name if he spoke English fluently. 

To have a reading that makes a reader ask questions is crucial to any sort of literature. Having a reading that challenges a popular opinion is incredibly important. The popular opinion that the eurocentric way of life is superior is challenged in this quote, “There is no Indian who does not consider himself infinitely more happy and more powerful than the French.” This quote is so significant because of the power it holds. The Chief says to his face that they are better than him. The Chief does not need any of his “help” to be happier. This quote can challenge readers to evaluate the stereotypes they have been taught. This can be applied to other readings mentioning the Native peoples of the Americas. Instead of thinking Native people need to be helped and rescued, this reading asks the reader to change their viewpoint to reflect that of a Native person, instead of someone speaking on behalf of one.

A Gaspesian Man Defends His Way of Life, 1641 is a critical part of the Course Reading. Without it the Course Reading would be lacking an important side of the story. It would be missing a Native person's own account on their culture and lifestyle. A non Native person could not capture the information conveyed through the text like this Chief does. The reader would not be challenged to evolve their mindset. This reading lets a Native people’s story be told instead of a story being told about an Indian, allowing a unique point of view that can be interpreted in many different ways.