The Language of Property

This flow follows the evolving conflict between Indigenous relationships to land and colonial legal systems that define ownership through title, improvement, and payment.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Land Without a Lord

Land Without a Lord Contrasting Assumptions Mi’kmaw communities move through land according to kinship, seasonal use, and knowledge, rather than exclusive ownership. Colonial Allocation French officials assign property and labor obligations, treating settlement and forest clearance as proof of entitlement.

The Improvement Doctrine

The Improvement Doctrine Clearing as Proof Settlers claim that cultivation and building establish a moral title to land, while hunting and gathering count as idleness. Indigenous Knowledge Dismissed Mi’kmaw use of forest, water, and plants is treated as absence of improvement rather than a coherent way of living.

The House and the Ledger

The House and the Ledger Records Decide The Sel siblings lose their home when Captain Bouchard’s ledger fails to preserve their claim and settlers assert paper title. Law as Power The episode shows that possession alone is insufficient when colonial authorities control the documents and courts.

The Cost of Legal Forms

The Cost of Legal Forms Ownership Through Documents Timber firms exploit patents, permits, and land acts to consolidate forests and protect commercial access. Unequal Legibility Mi’kmaw claims become difficult to defend within a system that demands English records and fee-based proof.

A Claim Beyond the Company

A Claim Beyond the Company Blood and Property The discovery of direct descendants challenges the assumption that the adopted line alone can represent Charles Duquet’s legacy. Erased Evidence Lavinia suppresses the report, leaving the company’s wealth protected by a legal history that excludes Indigenous descendants.

Early settlement, in René’s first years

Mid-eighteenth century, as settlers expand

After René’s death

Nineteenth century, as the company expands

Late in the novel