Did the Indians Colonize the Settlers?- Bryan Trumble

In the movie Black Robes there was the concept mentioned that perhaps the Algonquin Indians were colonizing the French settlers as opposed to the settlers colonizing the Indians. This idea is interesting when one thinks about cultural differences among peoples. When considering the idea of colonizing it seems that it has a negative connotation, I say this in that it automatically assumes one culture is better than the other, a fairly ethnocentric point of view, as opposed to a holistic point of view. When viewing the concept of colonizing it seems necessary to assess both the view point of those acting and being acted on. A person with a holistic view, such as an anthropologist, would likely see neither group as wholly acting or wholly being acted on. The anthropologist would see colonizing more or most like a fairly equal exchange of culture. I believe this viewpoint is most effective when trying to understand any aspect of a people.
Looking at the movie Black Robes one can see easily how the Algonquin were “colonized” or influenced by the French: they were exposed to technologically advanced tools and methods, and were introduced to Christianity. At the same time one can see the views of the French Missionaries changing not only as the attempt to relate the Bible to the Algonquin, but also as they consider these ideas for themselves. The assistant missionary serves as a direct example of this as he was drastically changed. In closing, the idea of the French colonizing the Algonquin is just as valid as the notion of the Algonquin colonizing the French.