Contact Zones

Book excerpt: As both colonizer and colonized (sometimes even simultaneously), women were uniquely positioned at the axis of the colonial encounter � the so-called "contact zone" � between Aboriginals and newcomers. Aboriginal women shaped identities for themselves in both worlds. By recognizing the necessity to "perform," they enchanted and educated white audiences across Canada. On the other side of the coin, newcomers imposed increasing regulation on Aboriginal women's bodies. Contact Zones provides insight into the ubiquity and persistence of colonial discourse. What bodies belonged inside the nation, who were outsiders, and who transgressed the rules � these are the questions at the heart of this provocative book.