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Why Canada’s Indigenous Uprising Is About All of Us by Sarah van Gelder – YES! Magazine
February 9, 2013 by ohnwentsya | Leave a comment
Why Canadas Indigenous Uprising Is About All of Us
When a new law paved the way for tar sands pipelines and other
fossil fuel development on native lands, four women swore to be idle no
more. The idea took off.
by Sarah van Gelder
posted Feb 07, 2013
Founders of Idle No More, from left, Sheelah McLean, Nina Wilson, Sylvia McAdam, Jessica Gordon. Photo by Marcel Petit.
The four founders of Idle No More
didnt start out famous. Until flash-mob round dances, prayer circles,
and blockades spread across Canada, few people knew Jessica Gordon,
Sylvia McAdam, Sheelah McLean, and Nina Wilson.
But today, Idle No More is emerging as a powerful movement for the rights of native peoples to protect the lands and waters.
The stakes extend far beyond First Nations land. Bill C-45, which
sparked the movement, paves the way for expansion of tar sands mining
and for building a pipeline to carry some of the Earths most polluting,
carbon-intensive oil from Alberta to the Pacific coast for shipment to
overseas markets. NASA climate scientist James Hansen says burning large
quantities of tar sands oil would mean game over for the planet.
Bill C-45 outraged First Nations people across Canada; after the bill
was signed into law, many joined the four founders in declaring that
they, too, would be idle no more. Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence
began a hunger strike on December 11 to press for a meeting with the
prime minister and the representative of the Queen. Round dances, and
other demonstrations continue, along with solidarity actions in the
United States, Europe, and elsewherecoverage can be found at www.yesmagazine.org.
YES! Magazine Executive Editor Sarah van Gelder spoke with two of the
founders on January 13: Sylvia McAdam, an author and educator from the
Nehiyaw (Cree) Nation, and Sheelah McLean, an instructor at the
University of Saskatchewan whose ancestors were European settlers.
Sarah van Gelder: Sylvia and Sheelah, how did you each come to be involved in the founding of Idle No More?
Sylvia McAdam: After I graduated from law school, I
returned to my fathers traditional land near the Whitefish reserve and
to the waters that I had been to when I was a child, and they were gone.
The waters had dried up! It was a terrible thing to witness.
When my father and I went back to his traditional hunting lands, his
cabin was gone. There was just a huge burn mark on the ground. When my
father saw it, he just stood there, so quiet, so upset. It was terrible
to watch.
had blocked hunting roads to keep the traditional indigenous hunters
away, and the lands were being logged. I felt intensely protective of
the land and the water, so I went around nailing boards on trees,
saying, No Trespassing. Treaty 6 Territory!
When I read Bill C-45, I was horrified. I got into a chat on Facebook
with Jessica and Nina, and I started explaining to them the
implications of C-45 for the environment, for the waters. I told them
theres something in law called acquiescence. That means that if youre
silent, then your silence is taken as consent. All of us agreed that we
couldnt be silent, that grassroots people have a right to know.
And then I told them, I know this phenomenal white woman, and I pulled Sheelah in.
When we first did our teach-in, we were literally laughed at. People did
not take it seriously, and we were so poorwe had nothing.
Sheelah McLean: Im a third generation white settler.
I taught native studies in high school, and my aboriginal students kept
talking about the racism they experienced in school and in the
community.
I wanted to understand more, so I did a Masters degree in whats
called anti-racist, anti-oppressive education. I had amazing mentorsall
indigenous womenwho taught me about the impact of colonialism on
indigenous people worldwide. I did a lot of research on capitalism,
globalization, and how racism is used to justify unequal relationships
between settler societies and indigenous peoples.
van Gelder: Where did the name Idle No More come from?
McAdam: Jessica said, Were all being far too idle.
Were going to be idle no more! And that became the name of our Facebook
chat. It was not intended to dishonor the hard work of phenomenal,
passionate, determined activists and lovers of the land. When we said
Idle No More, we meant we had been idle, and we didnt want to be
anymore.
Photo by Sarah van Gelder.
van Gelder: What is at stake here? What does Bill C-45 represent and what does this moment represent?
McAdam: Bill C-45 is an omnibus budget bill. It
lumps a slew of bills under one name. There are two that are especially
detrimental. One removes much of the protection under the Navigable
Waters Protection Act and, in some cases, totally removes that
protection. It gives major corporations direct and easy access to our
waters and to our land.
McLean: Its so clear what the government is doing: The bill opens the land for resource development, for oil pipelines.
People have been socialized to believe that an economy that relies on
nonrenewable resource extraction creates jobs and brings money to our
communities. But look at whats happening to communities in Albertas tar
sands region, which has one of the highest debts of any province in
Canada. What about the poisoned land and water, and the fact that there
are many aboriginal communities around the tar sands with very high
rates of cancer, and types of cancer that have never been seen before?
This is the time to say, Enough is enough.
McAdam: Theres also an amendment to the Indian Act
in the bill that allows for surrender of reserve land without proper
consent of all Indian people affected and makes it easier for land to be
redesignated to allow, for example, nuclear waste to be stored.
McLean: These attacks are directed at indigenous
peoples because the government is very aware that First Nations people
can stop development on their land. These attacks are coming because
multinational corporations want nonrenewable resource extraction.
So everything is at stake. We know about climate change and that its
already affecting many species and also our communities. We cant live in
a world that doesnt have clean air and land and water.
van Gelder: Watching from a distance, its extraordinary to see how quickly Idle No More took hold.
McLean: A key element is that it speaks the truth.
The truth is that this continent, Turtle Island, was supposed to be
built on nation-to-nation relationships with indigenous people. Were
just trying to rebuild that. The second truth is that we all need
healthy air, water, and land. alThe other thing is that theres a spirit
and a heart to this movement. Its about love, about honoring human
dignity, and about honoring our relationship with the land.
McAdam: I believe it was that spiritualitythe
combination of many prayersthat has been the biggest support to this
movement. As we moved out into the communities with our teachings, I
would approach elders and give them tobacco and a gift as a way of
asking for their support in a sacred way. It was so beautiful to hear
them speak about how this movement has a sense of liberation, a sense of
freedom, a sense of empowerment for all people.
van Gelder: Do you have children?
McLean: Were all moms, all four of us.
McAdam: I think one of our strongest motivations is
our children. We want them to witness that we werent silent about Bill
C-45, and we want them to be able to be a part of our resistance.
van Gelder: How does it feel to see people across Canada, the United States, and all over supporting you?
McAdam: I cant tell you how many times weve wept.
van Gelder: How do you see the role of non-natives in this movement?
that we had a real chance of becoming self-determining because of this
movement, we were high-fiving each otherwe were so happy, so full of
joy. Then we saw Sheela, and she was quietly looking at us, and we
realized that we could not leave her behind.
The Canadian government is not acting in the best interests of
Canadian citizens, so we have to defend them as well. This is what the
elders have directed us. The treaty informs us that we adopted the
Europeans and the subsequent descendents; theyve become a part of our
family, so they must be protected.
McLean: For settlers, I think its important to
support indigenous sovereignty because our humanity is tied up together.
Attacks on one group hurt us all. Allies play an important role in this
movement; there are lots of us at those rallies and round dances. I
think people should just join in.
McAdam: Yeah, Sheelah, remember the Raging Grannies?
Theres something happening in Calgary, and it doesnt have anything to
do with the flash mobs. Some grassroots allies built a symbolic little
coffin, and they put Racism on the side of it, and theyre going to have
people send letters, and poems, and songs, or whatever, saying goodbye
to racism. I thought that was so cool!
van Gelder: Let me ask you about Chief Spence, who is on a hunger strike as we speak, and the other chiefs. Are they part of your movement?
McAdam: The face of Idle No More is the face of all
grassroots people, not specifically one person. Its the face of the many
who have fasted, and walked, and been part of rallies, who have been
organizing from the very beginning.
van Gelder: Whats your view about the blockade of railroads, highways, and border crossings?
McAdam: We dont support really dramatic actions
because our children and our elders are there, and their safety is a
priority. As this movement goes global, were concerned that those types
of actions will give people reason to use further violence against
indigenous people. And I think a lot of people would agree that our
peaceful actions have worked.
van Gelder: When you think of people sitting on train tracks, for example, do you consider that a violent act?
McAdam: Suppose a community were to come to us as
Idle No More asking if they could blockade a road leading to where
theres going to be devastation to landsay, fracking. We would ask that
they do ceremony and prayers, and that grassroots peoplelike the
eldersbe spoken to and their direction be asked. I think then Idle No
More would support those types of blockades.
van Gelder: When you imagine the sort of world youre hoping your children will grow up into, what are some of the features of that world?
Indigenous Women Take the Lead in Idle No More
Motivated by ancient traditions of female leadership as
well as their need for improved legal rights, First Nations women are
stepping to the forefront of the Idle No More movement.
McLean: I have visions of tackling inequality; were
one of the richest countries in the world off indigenous lands and
resources, and yet they are some of the poorest communities. And Id like
to see sustainable communities. Whats beautiful is that sustainable
energy and technologies are absolutely in line with everything that
Sylvia talks about in terms of indigenous laws on how to live with the
land.
McAdam: Its absolutely that, yeah. For me its also
self-determination for my people. And I would like that young people no
longer utilize suicide as an option.
van Gelder: How do you see things going from here?
McLean: Were starting to connect to the global
community, to the United Nations, to solidarity groups around the world.
Indigenous peoples worldwide are facing these same issues of having
their land taken away, their resources extracted, and their land and
water poisoned.
As more and more people come on board, it will take the shape that it
needs to take. Each community has to decide how theyre going to tackle
the issues of sovereignty and rethinking what it means to live with the
land and water. It is going to continue to grow, theres no doubt about
that. And it will take various forms of resistance and building.
McAdam: Indigenous self-determination, sovereignty,
protection of land and water, and however that looks, I think those are
critical at this point, and well keep working toward that, until those
things are in place.
Thanks to: http://2012spiritinaction.wordpress.com
February 9, 2013 by ohnwentsya | Leave a comment
Why Canadas Indigenous Uprising Is About All of Us
When a new law paved the way for tar sands pipelines and other
fossil fuel development on native lands, four women swore to be idle no
more. The idea took off.
by Sarah van Gelder
posted Feb 07, 2013
Founders of Idle No More, from left, Sheelah McLean, Nina Wilson, Sylvia McAdam, Jessica Gordon. Photo by Marcel Petit.
The four founders of Idle No More
didnt start out famous. Until flash-mob round dances, prayer circles,
and blockades spread across Canada, few people knew Jessica Gordon,
Sylvia McAdam, Sheelah McLean, and Nina Wilson.
But today, Idle No More is emerging as a powerful movement for the rights of native peoples to protect the lands and waters.
The stakes extend far beyond First Nations land. Bill C-45, which
sparked the movement, paves the way for expansion of tar sands mining
and for building a pipeline to carry some of the Earths most polluting,
carbon-intensive oil from Alberta to the Pacific coast for shipment to
overseas markets. NASA climate scientist James Hansen says burning large
quantities of tar sands oil would mean game over for the planet.
Bill C-45 outraged First Nations people across Canada; after the bill
was signed into law, many joined the four founders in declaring that
they, too, would be idle no more. Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence
began a hunger strike on December 11 to press for a meeting with the
prime minister and the representative of the Queen. Round dances, and
other demonstrations continue, along with solidarity actions in the
United States, Europe, and elsewherecoverage can be found at www.yesmagazine.org.
YES! Magazine Executive Editor Sarah van Gelder spoke with two of the
founders on January 13: Sylvia McAdam, an author and educator from the
Nehiyaw (Cree) Nation, and Sheelah McLean, an instructor at the
University of Saskatchewan whose ancestors were European settlers.
Sarah van Gelder: Sylvia and Sheelah, how did you each come to be involved in the founding of Idle No More?
Sylvia McAdam: After I graduated from law school, I
returned to my fathers traditional land near the Whitefish reserve and
to the waters that I had been to when I was a child, and they were gone.
The waters had dried up! It was a terrible thing to witness.
When my father and I went back to his traditional hunting lands, his
cabin was gone. There was just a huge burn mark on the ground. When my
father saw it, he just stood there, so quiet, so upset. It was terrible
to watch.
“It’s so clear what the government is doing: the bill opens up the land for resource development, for oil pipelines.”I started investigating, and I learned that the conservation officers
had blocked hunting roads to keep the traditional indigenous hunters
away, and the lands were being logged. I felt intensely protective of
the land and the water, so I went around nailing boards on trees,
saying, No Trespassing. Treaty 6 Territory!
When I read Bill C-45, I was horrified. I got into a chat on Facebook
with Jessica and Nina, and I started explaining to them the
implications of C-45 for the environment, for the waters. I told them
theres something in law called acquiescence. That means that if youre
silent, then your silence is taken as consent. All of us agreed that we
couldnt be silent, that grassroots people have a right to know.
And then I told them, I know this phenomenal white woman, and I pulled Sheelah in.
When we first did our teach-in, we were literally laughed at. People did
not take it seriously, and we were so poorwe had nothing.
Sheelah McLean: Im a third generation white settler.
I taught native studies in high school, and my aboriginal students kept
talking about the racism they experienced in school and in the
community.
I wanted to understand more, so I did a Masters degree in whats
called anti-racist, anti-oppressive education. I had amazing mentorsall
indigenous womenwho taught me about the impact of colonialism on
indigenous people worldwide. I did a lot of research on capitalism,
globalization, and how racism is used to justify unequal relationships
between settler societies and indigenous peoples.
van Gelder: Where did the name Idle No More come from?
McAdam: Jessica said, Were all being far too idle.
Were going to be idle no more! And that became the name of our Facebook
chat. It was not intended to dishonor the hard work of phenomenal,
passionate, determined activists and lovers of the land. When we said
Idle No More, we meant we had been idle, and we didnt want to be
anymore.
Photo by Sarah van Gelder.
van Gelder: What is at stake here? What does Bill C-45 represent and what does this moment represent?
McAdam: Bill C-45 is an omnibus budget bill. It
lumps a slew of bills under one name. There are two that are especially
detrimental. One removes much of the protection under the Navigable
Waters Protection Act and, in some cases, totally removes that
protection. It gives major corporations direct and easy access to our
waters and to our land.
McLean: Its so clear what the government is doing: The bill opens the land for resource development, for oil pipelines.
People have been socialized to believe that an economy that relies on
nonrenewable resource extraction creates jobs and brings money to our
communities. But look at whats happening to communities in Albertas tar
sands region, which has one of the highest debts of any province in
Canada. What about the poisoned land and water, and the fact that there
are many aboriginal communities around the tar sands with very high
rates of cancer, and types of cancer that have never been seen before?
This is the time to say, Enough is enough.
McAdam: Theres also an amendment to the Indian Act
in the bill that allows for surrender of reserve land without proper
consent of all Indian people affected and makes it easier for land to be
redesignated to allow, for example, nuclear waste to be stored.
McLean: These attacks are directed at indigenous
peoples because the government is very aware that First Nations people
can stop development on their land. These attacks are coming because
multinational corporations want nonrenewable resource extraction.
So everything is at stake. We know about climate change and that its
already affecting many species and also our communities. We cant live in
a world that doesnt have clean air and land and water.
van Gelder: Watching from a distance, its extraordinary to see how quickly Idle No More took hold.
McLean: A key element is that it speaks the truth.
The truth is that this continent, Turtle Island, was supposed to be
built on nation-to-nation relationships with indigenous people. Were
just trying to rebuild that. The second truth is that we all need
healthy air, water, and land. alThe other thing is that theres a spirit
and a heart to this movement. Its about love, about honoring human
dignity, and about honoring our relationship with the land.
McAdam: I believe it was that spiritualitythe
combination of many prayersthat has been the biggest support to this
movement. As we moved out into the communities with our teachings, I
would approach elders and give them tobacco and a gift as a way of
asking for their support in a sacred way. It was so beautiful to hear
them speak about how this movement has a sense of liberation, a sense of
freedom, a sense of empowerment for all people.
van Gelder: Do you have children?
McLean: Were all moms, all four of us.
McAdam: I think one of our strongest motivations is
our children. We want them to witness that we werent silent about Bill
C-45, and we want them to be able to be a part of our resistance.
van Gelder: How does it feel to see people across Canada, the United States, and all over supporting you?
McAdam: I cant tell you how many times weve wept.
van Gelder: How do you see the role of non-natives in this movement?
“The government is not acting in the best interests ofMcAdam: When Nina, Jessica, and I began to realize
Canadian citizens, so we have to defend them as well. This is what the
elders have directed.”
that we had a real chance of becoming self-determining because of this
movement, we were high-fiving each otherwe were so happy, so full of
joy. Then we saw Sheela, and she was quietly looking at us, and we
realized that we could not leave her behind.
The Canadian government is not acting in the best interests of
Canadian citizens, so we have to defend them as well. This is what the
elders have directed us. The treaty informs us that we adopted the
Europeans and the subsequent descendents; theyve become a part of our
family, so they must be protected.
McLean: For settlers, I think its important to
support indigenous sovereignty because our humanity is tied up together.
Attacks on one group hurt us all. Allies play an important role in this
movement; there are lots of us at those rallies and round dances. I
think people should just join in.
McAdam: Yeah, Sheelah, remember the Raging Grannies?
Theres something happening in Calgary, and it doesnt have anything to
do with the flash mobs. Some grassroots allies built a symbolic little
coffin, and they put Racism on the side of it, and theyre going to have
people send letters, and poems, and songs, or whatever, saying goodbye
to racism. I thought that was so cool!
van Gelder: Let me ask you about Chief Spence, who is on a hunger strike as we speak, and the other chiefs. Are they part of your movement?
McAdam: The face of Idle No More is the face of all
grassroots people, not specifically one person. Its the face of the many
who have fasted, and walked, and been part of rallies, who have been
organizing from the very beginning.
van Gelder: Whats your view about the blockade of railroads, highways, and border crossings?
McAdam: We dont support really dramatic actions
because our children and our elders are there, and their safety is a
priority. As this movement goes global, were concerned that those types
of actions will give people reason to use further violence against
indigenous people. And I think a lot of people would agree that our
peaceful actions have worked.
van Gelder: When you think of people sitting on train tracks, for example, do you consider that a violent act?
McAdam: Suppose a community were to come to us as
Idle No More asking if they could blockade a road leading to where
theres going to be devastation to landsay, fracking. We would ask that
they do ceremony and prayers, and that grassroots peoplelike the
eldersbe spoken to and their direction be asked. I think then Idle No
More would support those types of blockades.
van Gelder: When you imagine the sort of world youre hoping your children will grow up into, what are some of the features of that world?
Indigenous Women Take the Lead in Idle No MoreMotivated by ancient traditions of female leadership as
well as their need for improved legal rights, First Nations women are
stepping to the forefront of the Idle No More movement.
McLean: I have visions of tackling inequality; were
one of the richest countries in the world off indigenous lands and
resources, and yet they are some of the poorest communities. And Id like
to see sustainable communities. Whats beautiful is that sustainable
energy and technologies are absolutely in line with everything that
Sylvia talks about in terms of indigenous laws on how to live with the
land.
McAdam: Its absolutely that, yeah. For me its also
self-determination for my people. And I would like that young people no
longer utilize suicide as an option.
van Gelder: How do you see things going from here?
McLean: Were starting to connect to the global
community, to the United Nations, to solidarity groups around the world.
Indigenous peoples worldwide are facing these same issues of having
their land taken away, their resources extracted, and their land and
water poisoned.
As more and more people come on board, it will take the shape that it
needs to take. Each community has to decide how theyre going to tackle
the issues of sovereignty and rethinking what it means to live with the
land and water. It is going to continue to grow, theres no doubt about
that. And it will take various forms of resistance and building.
McAdam: Indigenous self-determination, sovereignty,
protection of land and water, and however that looks, I think those are
critical at this point, and well keep working toward that, until those
things are in place.
Thanks to: http://2012spiritinaction.wordpress.com
