"In this collective , each person has both rights advantages from being part of the whole but also has obligations and responsibilities that define membership and citizenship...As one understands oneself-spiritually, mentally, physically and emotionally-one becomes centered and focused, and thus becomes a vital force in enabling others to do the same."- Marie Battiste and James Youngblood Henderson
This quote is from a Mi'kmaq viewpoint; the Aboriginals believed in the community relying on each other, as a collective. But understanding your role and what you are capable of doing is more beneficial to the collective. The belief of you must first help yourself before you help others is along the same lines as this quote. Everyone has a role in society, whether they know what role they have or not. A collective society needs everyone to be helping, otherwise it wouldn't be a collective. An individualistic society would follow along with the understanding of self and what your abilities are. A society made of smoothly working people, is a society that runs well.
"It is on this concept of territory that Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people do not understand one another. Territory is a very important thing, it is the foundation of everything. Without territory, there is no autonomy, without territory, there is no home. The Reserve is not our home. I am territory. Language is territory. Belief is territory, it is where I come from. Territory can also vanish in an instant..."- Oscar Kistabish
Land is very important to identity, to many there heritage and land is what makes them proud and defines them. It bonds people together. To the Aboriginals land has a huge significance to them and their beliefs and values. To us it's just land that we live on, or a place we'll move to; it holds no importance. Taking Aboriginals off their land is a shot to their identity, the land holds religious values. The home that was theirs for centuries now gone. Land may not be a source of identity or an ideology to some, but it holds huge value to others. it is a place to carry their lifestyles and traditions freely, in the place they call home.
"What is the meaning of human life, or of organic life altogether? To answer this question at all implies a religion. Is there any sense then, you ask, in putting it? I answer, the man who regards his own life and that of his fellow creatures as meaningless is not merely unfortunate but almost disqualified for life."- Albert Einstein
Religion holds a huge aspect of identity for many people, it is how their morals and decisions based. It gives a sense of purpose to life. It gathers people who believe in the same god(s) and gives a sense of community. Religion gives a life to peoples lives and drives out the feeling of hopelessness and despair. Entire ideologies are based off religion: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, etc. Religion has been a driving force throughout history for people. It's not just a collective practice, but can also be an individual practice.
Ideologies have been foundations for peoples identities for centuries. Who am I? What do I believe in? What is my purpose? Many choose an ideology (or parts of it) to live by, either consciously or unconsciously. No one lives without choosing how they want to be or what they believe in. Religion, land, and a sense of self have let people find others like them, starting ideologies and groups.