ABSTRACT
When talking about salaried work, Native peoples of Canada are more readily associated with handouts than with entrepreneurship. In a context of dependence on the state, plus poor education, lack of capital, and non-ownership of their lands, Native peoples do not seem to have much to offer. Yet, in an environment so unconducive to innovation, there are nonetheless striking examples of people moving towards autonomy and empowerment. Pikogan, a small Anishinabe community of northwestern Quebec, has decided to take its destiny into its own hands: the band council organises and promotes initiatives such as Job Days, mentorship, and negotiations with companies. Drawing on data collected during a study about the colonization of the Abitibiwinnik (Pikogan band members), and including the transformation of their economy, I argue that these measures are a veritable act of decolonization; that is, the Abitibiwinnikare seeking to change the existing colonial structure of social and economic relations.
