Canada's Native people have inhabited this land since the Ice Age and were already accomplished traders, artisans, farmers and marine hunters when Europeans first reached their shores. Contact between Natives and European explorers and settlers initially presented an unprecedented period of growth and opportunity. But the two vastly different cultures soon clashed. Arthur J. Ray charts the history of Canada's Native people from first contact to current land claims. The result is a fascinating chronicle that spans 12,000 years and culminates in the headlines of today.

ARTHUR J. RAY is the author of, among other books, Indians and the Fur Trade. He is a professor emeritus of history at the University of British Columbia, a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and co-editor of the Canadian Historical Review. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

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“Written in an easy-flowing, conversational manner, it is both eye-opening and controversial.” The Saskatoon StarPhoenix

“.. provides the general reader with a useful introduction to many aspects of Aboriginal Canada’s history … The many well-chosen illustrations complement the text superbly.” The Globe and Mail

“[E]ngaging … a familiar story retold firmly from the original inhabitants’ point of view. Chock full of hundreds of photos, drawings, and maps, many in vivid colour, this handsome book is the ideal primer.” The Toronto Star