Aboriginal Elders Are Important In Canadian Aboriginal Heritage Preservation

While Canadian aboriginal seniors make up a verypercent of the total Canadian Aboriginal population.
tiny percentage of the overall senior population inHowever as life expectancy rates improve with
Canada they are a key link to culture andimprovements in healthcare and health
language in their communities. This trend willinfrastructure development as well as training
continue as Canadian Aboriginal Seniors increase inthese numbers are expected to rise while falling
both numbers and percentages of the Canadianbirth rates will tend to concentrate the existing
Aboriginal community with improvements in healthgroup of Aboriginal Seniors as a percentage
care and life expectancy.among the Canadian "First Nations".
"Seniors are revered in many aboriginal communalIn total there are approximately 40,000 Aboriginal
cultures for their knowledge and experiences, andSeniors in Canada. The largest number live in the
the integral rile that they place in the vitality andprovince of Ontario, followed by British Columbia,
well being of their families , communities andand Manitoba.
nations ", says a Statistics Canada GovernmentIn terms of the percentage of Aboriginal Seniors
Report titled " A Portrait of Seniors in Canada".in the total senior population, the provinces of
"Aboriginal people turn to their elders as keyManitoba and Saskatchewan led the way among
sources of traditional knowledge, wisdom andthe Canadian provinces with four percent and
community continuity".three percent respectively.
"The Portrait of Seniors " Statistics Canada report"Aboriginal seniors made up a far greater
used data in part gathered from the officialpercentage of the total senior population in the
Government of Canada 2001 census.North of Canada in the Northwest Territories and
The government Stats Canada Report whichthe Yukon."
used data from the official Canadian GovernmentBut Aboriginal Seniors face lower life expectancies
Census looked at the wellness of people aged 65rates than non-Aboriginal seniors with aboriginal
and over across Canada. The report included awomen outliving aboriginal men,
section which specifically focused on CanadianAlthough low in percentages and total numbers
Aboriginal Seniors.Canadian Aboriginal seniors will increase in both
What was found was that aboriginal languages arenumbers and percentages over the coming years
much more prevalent among Canadian Aboriginalas life expectancy increases. This group has and
Seniors and that is in part why they are a directwill continue to expert an ever increasing
link and linkage to Canadian Aboriginal culture andimportant role in the cultural preservation of
heritage.Aboriginal culture in Canada.
Though Canadian Aboriginals make up only one