UNM's History Department Colloquium

History Colloquium Fall Series :

Title: "Widow Property: Making and Leasing 'Indian Land' in Canada."

According to the 1876 Indian Act, Indian land in Canada could not be leased or sold without first being surrendered to the Crown. Why, then, were Indigenous widows regularly leasing out their land without surrendering title, using deeds composed and witnessed by other Indigenous individuals? What was the significance of this legal practice for both Indigenous widows and their larger communities, and how did it change over time? In addressing these questions, this paper argues that widow leases offer a crucial lens into the practical work of turning of Indigenous land into property. It finds that widow leases implicitly challenged qualities of Indian ownership, and in doing so they raised unsettling questions around what, exactly, ‘lands reserved for Indians’ were or ought to be. 

Bio: Kate Reeve is a PhD Candidate in the Department of History at Columbia University

As per our works-in-progress convention at the Colloquium Series, the paper will be pre-circulated before the event to allow for a more sustained conversation. The paper will be available to read by November 20th, 2024 and you can access it by visiting the Colloquium Page on the History Department's website, here.  

 Please call the History Department if you need the password or would like a copy emailed to you.

We look forward to seeing you there. 

History Common Room - Mesa Vista Hall 1104

December 4th 12:00 noon to 1:30 pm

For more information on Colloquium events, please contact:

The University of New Mexico
Department of History
MSC06 3760
1104 Mesa Vista Hall
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
505-277-2451