Voices: Indigenous Women on the Frontlines Speak

A book in process featuring interviews and illustrated portraits of Indigenous Women and Queer/Two-Spirit Land Defenders.

[voicesbook]

The Unist'ot'en Clan of the Wet'suwet'en Nation have been defending their traditional territories from Pipelines for nearly a decade and the fight is not over. Support their work.  Become a monthly donor:

http://unistoten.camp/support-us/donate/

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Unist’ot’en

Some time has passed dear lovelies since we last shared an update.  Wulf flies East to join beyon in Mass. in a week to begin a whirlwind 6 weeks making the long awaited book, Voices: Indigenous Women on the Front Lines Speak.  It’s been nearly a year and a half journey so far and there are many more days to come.

Let us set aside the catch up for now and go to where this project began and a place we return to.  For now we want to talk about the place where one Wulfgang and one beyon became friends just over 2 years ago.  We’d like to talk about the Unist’ot’en Clan, their territory Talbits Kwa and the work of Freda and her family.

Eight years ago Freda Huson, spokeswoman for her family, the Hereditary Leadership of the Unist’ot’en Clan of the Wet’suwet’en Nation, moved back onto her traditional territories to live full time.  The Wet’suwet’en of her generation were voicing growing concerns to their elders, concerns regarding the rapid destruction of their territories and the unceasing devastations of colonialism upon their families.   Following the direction of her father, Elders and the voices of her generation Freda set out to defend the Unist’ot’en Yintah, Talbits Kwa, from the emerging threat of pipelines.

Many have heard of the Unist’ot’en Camp; a site of resistance, of asserting Indigenous Sovereignty, of defeating pipelines, turning away the RCMP and defying colonial aspirations.  

What the Unist’ot’en yintah Talbits Kwah also is, is Freda’s home.  Freda and the matriarchs of her family have created a place within their territory where people can come from all over the world to drink directly from the ancient waters of the river Wedzinkwa. They have created a place of healing for their people, where ancestors and councilors can guide the people on paths of coming back to healthy living.  Where youth come to pick berries, hunt and trap and learn new old ways of being in relation to all life.  What the Unist’ot’en are in the process of doing is making the impossible possible by living in ways that make anti-racist and anti-colonial futures possible. They are bringing their people home to the land and responding to the many crises faced by the Wet’suwet’en living on reserves; responding in ways that exist outside of the state, outside of capitalist ‘solutions’ that only mean further exploitation and dependency.

While the Unist’ot’en and their supporters have successfully stopped industry, such as the Enbridge pipeline from entering their territory, the work of defending land, water and life is far from done.  Coastal Gas Link and Pacific Trails Pipeline still lie in waiting to enter illegally onto territories never ceded by the Unist’ot’en to the equally illegal occupier canada.  Moving forward into Healing the Land and Healing the People means growing support for Indigenous lead movements and resistance across all lands and waters.  The Unist’ot’en need the ongoing support of all peoples living on the unceded lands of Turtle Island to resource the work they are doing; the work to revitalize their culture, bring their peoples back to the land to heal and the work Freda and her family are doing to teach and support other Indigenous communities defending their lands. 

Undoing the many violences of 150 years of colonialism is the most crucial work of out time and we are all needed and all capable of rising to the occasion.

There are many ways you can support the work of Freda and the Unist’ot’en:

Volunteer your time on the land.

Hold a fundraiser or make a donation.

Sign up in September to become a monthly contributor!  (coming soon contact [email protected] for more info!)

[voicesbook]

An Update From the Road

Good Morning Deer Loves,

As our mother Earth turns us towards the sun and the seeds are rising up and growing tall much work is being done to protect land, water and Indigenous Sovereignty.

We wanted to take this moment to provide some news on this work because people on their lands doing this work need our support.

 xoxo wulf and beyon.

Wulf and two other trans white settler supporters living on Lkwungen Territory are facing charges and harsh proposed sentencing.  They are remaining strong and have connected with a lawyer who will be representing the three co-accused on a pay what you can basis.  Thank you to everyone who has been providing such incredible care, knowledge and support.

While this has been going on Wulf has been able to spend time at Flo’s farm and at Ulluisc mostly helping with getting food in the earth.  They are super grateful for all the love and support that makes it possible for them to be mobile and available on the ground especially to support the people they love.  

 Cyale

Flo and Wolverine’s farm, Cyale, is well underway with planting and much work was done by hand to weed and mulch the large strawberry patch and prepare the soil for beans, peas and potatoes.  The thing is Flo and her family are still trying to raise the funds to purchase tractor wheels, which cost about $3400.  Approximately $2600 has been raised so far.  To learn more about Flo’s work and contribute there is an online fundraiser here: https://fundrazr.com/flowolverinefarm

 Ulluisc

Christine Jack, caretaker of Ulluisc, is hosting 3 gatherings over the coming months.

On June 3rd Ulluisc will be hosting a walk and talk with Elders from 10 am to 2pm. June 19th to 23rd is the Women's Gathering at Ulluisc. This event is for Women identified people of all walks of life (this means trans women and two-spirit people wanting to work with woman energy welcome.)

 The third gathering is the All Others Gathering for Two-Spirit, Queer and Trans identified folks.  More details to come!

 For more information check out Christine’s most recent update video:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDBve6oBFTs

 And here is the event page for the Women’s gathering:

 https://www.facebook.com/events/523978791059714/

  To make monetary donations cheques can be mailed to PO Box 1188 Lillooet BC V0K 1V0.

 There is also a fundraiser for Ulluisc on Coast Salish Territory, vancouver bc, on May 29th.  

 https://www.facebook.com/events/258251721314546/permalink/270555103417541

 Lil’wat

The Indigenous Leadership Academy is building a Pit House in Lil'wat a part of the St'at'imc Nation. This is an educational project that revives Indigenous ways of being through teaching, and living.

 They are raising funds here: https://www.chuffed.org/project/pit-house-indigenous-architecture-revival-project#

 Yakguudang

Tsimshian, Haida and Nisga’a Water Protector Goot-Ges is currently raising funds to cover the cost for her and three other Indigenous Mothers on Tsimshian territory to take a trauma healing course as part of the preparations in establishing a safety plan for Girls and Women in the city of Prince Rupert.  With industry moving forward with export facilities on unceded waters the threat of Man Camps housing thousands of transient and exploited workers pose serious threats of violence against women.

 You can donate directly to Goot-Ges’s work through e-transfer here: [email protected]

 And learn more about her work here: https://yakguudangjournies.wordpress.com/

  Secwepemc

Secwepemc Women Warriors threw down recently at the Imperial Metals AGM where one supporter was arrested and later released.

 https://www.facebook.com/100012060671019/videos/303883980023622/

 And they are getting themselves and their people organized and need your support:

 FUNDRAISING APPEAL for the Secwepemc'ulecw Assembly All settler comrades, friends and allies, Elders and women from the Secwepemc nation are hosting a nation-wide Secwepemc’ulecw Assembly on the land in June. The goals of the Assembly are to discuss and take action under Secwepemc law against colonial corporate development impacting Secwepemc’ulecw without Collective Consent. One of the imminent concerns is to resist Kinder Morgan's pipeline expansion. The Assembly will be taking place on the land close to where the pipeline is proposed to cross. The LARGEST Indigenous territory that Kinder Morgan crosses is in fact Secwepemc territory. The pipeline would carry 900,000 barrels a day of diluted bitumen through 518 km of Secwepemc territory. This Assembly is rooted in the vision of beloved Secwepemc leader Arthur Manuel. Shortly before he passed away, he wrote to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: "We do not accept that the federal government can make this decision unilaterally and without the prior informed consent of the Secwepemc people as the rightful titleholders... Any leakage would immediately threaten the pacific salmon who spawn in the Thompson and Fraser River basins. It is not surprising that most Secwepemc people are in complete solidarity with the Water Protectors from Standing Rock North Dakota. Our waters are also sacred." Secwepemc women, elders and nation members are volunteering their time, energy and labour to host this assembly. They write, "The Secwepemc peoples' have survived the impacts of colonialism (disease, residential schools, the Indian Act) and maintain our original instructions to look after the water, plants, and animals." *** HOW TO SUPPORT **** As settlers, our responsibilities must also be unwavering and unequivocal - to support Indigenous Peoples affirming collective Indigenous law over their territories. As settlers and organizations, we daily materially benefit from living and working on lands that are unjustly seized and occupied. One concrete way to support is to financially resource this grassroots effort. ** We suggest all settlers donate at least one day of their wage or whatever you can contribute to resourcing this Assembly. ** The fundraising goal is $15,000 for food, tents, gas and transportation costs, elders lodging, sound equipment and more. Etransfer funds to: [email protected] Question: What is this for? Password: Assembly. or Cheques to Janice Billy, Treasurer, George Manuel Institute, Unit B – 5836 Trans Canada Highway, Chase, BC, V0E 1M0. Everyone also email [email protected] if you are sending an etransfer or cheque with the amount being sent and if and how you would like to be included in the list of thank yous. Thank you for contributing to this struggle and strengthening collective Secwepemc governance. Share this far and wide.

xoxo

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Wulfgang just returned to the big concrete after spending some time with the wonderful Christine Jack up at Ulluisc.  Here’s a video they shot for Christine and if you have any questions about how you can support Christine’s work or if you are interested in attending the Gathering and need more info. please get in touch and they might be able to help answer or direct your questions :) 

Also!  There is the “All Others Gathering” going down in August, which is specifically for Two-Spirit, Queer and Trans humans.  So stay tuned for more details about that in the coming weeks.

xoxo

Christine Jack caretaker of Ulluisc, part of St'at'imc territory, provides an update about upcoming gatherings.  

On June 3rd Ulluisc will be hosting a walk and talk with Elders from 10 am to 2pm.

 June 19th to 23rd is the Women's Gathering at Ulluisc.  This event is for Women identified people of all walks of life (this means trans women and two-spirit people wanting to work with woman energy welcome.)  Space for children will be provided with child minders.  The terrain is rocky with dirt roads and the outhouse at the cabin is wheel chair accessible.  There will be people on site skilled with first aid.

There will be lunch served as people arrive on the 19th and a farewell circle on the 23rd.

Please bring your camping gear, foods to contribute (particularly if you have allergies), any donations you would like to make to the gratitude table, a blanket donation for the sweat lodge if you so desire, and any sacred items you wish to work with.  No need to pack water as the creak is drinkable.  There will be volunteer cooks to provide meals.

Much love and solidarity to you all.

Christine Jack is a Two-Spirit spiritual leader and healer who lives 51 km up the mountains at Ulluisc to protect the ancestral village, the animals, the waters and the lands from threat of industrial expansion and logging.

To get to Ulluisc: Stay on the Yalakom road following the yellow kilometer markers go past the Ore Creek Campsite, go past the yellow 44km marker, go past the turn off to Lac la Mare (stay on the road that goes along the river), keep staying on the Yalakom road until just past the 50 km mark.

To make monetary donations cheques can be mailed to PO Box 1188 Lillooet BC V0K 1V0.

You can learn more about Ulluisc here:

https://www.facebook.com/reoccupationofjunctioncreek/

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Support Flo, Wolverine’s widowed partner and Wolverine’s Grandchildren continue the farm they built together.

https://fundrazr.com/flowolverinefarm

“You need two hands to fight the system.  You cannot have one hand asking for something and the other one closed.  You have to be able to fight with both hands.”

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Raising Funds for Secwepemc Elder, Flo, and the late Wolverine’s Farm.  Feed the Resistance.

Cyale means gathering place. It is the Secwepemc word for the hollow in the hillside where people gather, such as the one on Flo’s land. Flo tells stories of how people would come for giveaways to this place since time immemorial.

She explains that the farm is called Cyale to continue this legacy and tradition: to grow food for her community, for her Nation, and for other Nations fighting for their lands.

The late Wolverine and Flo built a farm in Adam’s Lake First Nation, near Chase in so-called BC to grow food for people in their community and also to support Frontline Land Defenders. They have been transporting a big portion of their harvest ever year to the Unist’ot’en Yintah and to other Indigenous Frontlines. They grow heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables and save seeds for future use.

We are working with other supporters to raise funds for the critical infrastructure that Flo needs to keep the farm going and providing nourishment for Land Defenders.

Flo needs tractor tires which are $3800 and materials for constructing a greenhouse which we estimate at $2000.

To make a contribution to Flo, Food Sovereignty and Protection of the Land:

Mail cheques to: Flo Sampson Box 819 Chase Bc V0E 1M0 Canada Email money transfer: [email protected] PayPal:

[email protected] For etransfer and PayPal put “Donation to farm” in the message field

xo beyon and wulfgang

p.s. if you have any questions hit us up at [email protected]

[voicesbook]

Sharing this around again as some folks a little East of here have put up an online fundraiser with some sweet perks available by Beyon.

Also Wulf is out at the farm now getting their hands in the dirt and that tractor needs wheels!

xo <3

[voicesbook]

If nobody is speaking the truth then we are all living a lie.

-Queen Sacheen

What I do know of our people out here was that when it was time to go to war we weren’t pacifists.  When we prayed at wartime we prayed to kill our enemies, we prayed to be victorious; we prayed to be the winners of the battle. Whatever that battle was, whether it was over a broken paddle or a broken promise we weren’t peaceful, we weren’t pacifists, we weren’t negating spirituality either; it was also ceremonial.

-Queen Sacheen

Xhopakelxhit, Sacheen Seitcham, is a Snuneymuxw, Nuu Chah Nulth, Coast Salish and Cree Grandmother, Medicine Maker, Water Protector and Strategist.  Co-Founder of the Coast Salish Native Youth Movement, The West Coast Women Warrior Society Media Cooperative, Yaakswiis Warriors, Imperial No More and Ancestral Pride Sacheen’s life is dedicated to the futures of the children.  In August of 2016 Sacheen and 3 others were arrested for attempting to block the restocking of a fish farm in Ahousaht waters and in the autumn Sacheen and her family were throwing down with Red Warrior at Standing Rock and providing crucial on the ground media coverage.

Sacheen’s work relies on the support of people like you dedicated to Indigenous Sovereignty and Protection of Water, Land and Life.  With court dates coming up on both sides of the colonial border, family to support and Imperial Metals, the Kinder Morgan Pipeline and Cermaq to fuck up your donations are crucial.

Please support Warriors.

E- transfers can be made to: [email protected]

Sign up to make a monthly donation

Donate Sacheen’s work with Imperial No More

or Donate directly to support Sacheen

[voicesbook]

I do believe that the creator lives inside of everybody and I do believe in my ancestors and I do believe that I am doing what’s right.  The things that I am motivated by and that keep me going are my Grandkids.  I have a responsibility to them.  It’s really sad that the work that we do as Mothers and Grandmothers and Protectors and Warriors is vilified.  

-Queen Sacheen

Xhopakelxhit, Sacheen Seitcham, is a Snuneymuxw, Nuu Chah Nulth, Coast Salish and Cree Grandmother, Medicine Maker, Water Protector and Strategist.  Co-Founder of the Coast Salish Native Youth Movement, The West Coast Women Warrior Society Media Cooperative, Yaakswiis Warriors, Imperial No More and Ancestral Pride Sacheen’s life is dedicated to the futures of the children.  In August of 2016 Sacheen and 3 others were arrested for attempting to block the restocking of a fish farm in Ahousaht waters and in the autumn Sacheen and her family were throwing down with Red Warrior at Standing Rock and providing crucial on the ground media coverage.

Sacheen’s work relies on the support of people like you dedicated to Indigenous Sovereignty and Protection of Water, Land and Life.  With court dates coming up on both sides of the colonial border, family to support and Imperial Metals, the Kinder Morgan Pipeline and Cermaq to fuck up your donations are crucial.

Please support Warriors.

E- transfers can be made to: [email protected]

Sign up to make a monthly donation

Donate Sacheen’s work with Imperial No More

or Donate directly to support Sacheen

[voicesbook]

Rebelling is not like a cool thing you do and then you go to college and then get a fucking job and then be a fucking capitalist for the rest of your life.

-Queen Sacheen

It’s a colonial lie that we cannot support each other in a diversity of tactics.  

-Queen Sacheen

Xhopakelxhit, Sacheen Seitcham, is a Snuneymuxw, Nuu Chah Nulth, Coast Salish and Cree Grandmother, Medicine Maker, Water Protector and Strategist.  Co-Founder of the Coast Salish Native Youth Movement, The West Coast Women Warrior Society Media Cooperative, Yaakswiis Warriors, Imperial No More and Ancestral Pride Sacheen’s life is dedicated to the futures of the children.  In August of 2016 Sacheen and 3 others were arrested for attempting to block the restocking of a fish farm in Ahousaht waters and in the autumn Sacheen and her family were throwing down with Red Warrior at Standing Rock and providing crucial on the ground media coverage.

Sacheen’s work relies on the support of people like you dedicated to Indigenous Sovereignty and Protection of Water, Land and Life.  With court dates coming up on both sides of the colonial border, family to support and Imperial Metals, the Kinder Morgan Pipeline and Cermaq to fuck up your donations are crucial.

Please support Warriors.

E- transfers can be made to: [email protected]

Sign up to make a monthly donation

Donate Sacheen’s work with Imperial No More

or Donate directly to support Sacheen

[voicesbook]

Look into your babies eyes and tell me, tell me you are not going to do everything in your power to make sure they have a future that doesn’t involve living in fucking consumer barracks, living in the capitalist trenches of the cities fucking being mindless zombies living in fucking boxes and buying fucking boxes and throwing fucking boxes away and then ending up in a box and it all meant nothing and that’s the legacy.  To me the legacy is freedom.  The legacy is liberation.  And maybe there will be blood shed, more than already has been, and maybe that blood will be mine, but if there’s a future worth having then it is worth it to me.

-Queen Sacheen

Xhopakelxhit, Sacheen Seitcham, is a Snuneymuxw, Nuu Chah Nulth, Coast Salish and Cree Grandmother, Medicine Maker, Water Protector and Strategist.  Co-Founder of the Coast Salish Native Youth Movement, The West Coast Women Warrior Society Media Cooperative, Yaakswiis Warriors, Imperial No More and Ancestral Pride Sacheen’s life is dedicated to the futures of the children.  In August of 2016 Sacheen and 3 others were arrested for attempting to block the restocking of a fish farm in Ahousaht waters and in the autumn Sacheen and her family were throwing down with Red Warrior at Standing Rock and providing crucial on the ground media coverage.

Sacheen’s work relies on the support of people like you dedicated to Indigenous Sovereignty and Protection of Water, Land and Life.  With court dates coming up on both sides of the colonial border, family to support and Imperial Metals, the Kinder Morgan Pipeline and Cermaq to fuck up your donations are crucial.

Please support Warriors.

E- transfers can be made to: [email protected]

Sign up to make a monthly donation

Donate Sacheen’s work with Imperial No More

or Donate directly to support Sacheen

[voicesbook]

Dear Mr. Prime Minister: this poet has something to say to you about Indigenous rights

Writer Helen Knott has a call out to Justin Trudeau to protect the rights of Canada's Indigenous population.

This!  xo

[voicesbook]

My Dad always told me, life is not about you, it’s not about me, it’s about the future.

-Queen Sacheen

When I say that leadership sells us out they are literally signing deals with companies like Cermaq to stand against their own people.  I am afraid that there are not enough people who can take the time or effort to fight.  Industry and complicit leadership use tactics to bully people and silence them.

-Queen Sacheen

Xhopakelxhit, Sacheen Seitcham, is a Snuneymuxw, Nuu Chah Nulth, Coast Salish and Cree Grandmother, Medicine Maker, Water Protector and Strategist.  Co-Founder of the Coast Salish Native Youth Movement, The West Coast Women Warrior Society Media Cooperative, Yaakswiis Warriors, Imperial No More and Ancestral Pride Sacheen’s life is dedicated to the futures of the children.  In August of 2016 Sacheen and 3 others were arrested for attempting to block the restocking of a fish farm in Ahousaht waters and in the autumn Sacheen and her family were throwing down with Red Warrior at Standing Rock and providing crucial on the ground media coverage.

Sacheen’s work relies on the support of people like you dedicated to Indigenous Sovereignty and Protection of Water, Land and Life.  With court dates coming up on both sides of the colonial border, family to support and Imperial Metals, the Kinder Morgan Pipeline and Cermaq to fuck up your donations are crucial.

Please support Warriors.

E- transfers can be made to: [email protected]

Sign up to make a monthly donation

Donate Sacheen’s work with Imperial No More

or Donate directly to support Sacheen

[voicesbook]

I never think of the land as a separate being from myself.  It’s part of who I am. My ancestors bled for the land, their bones are in the land, their ashes are in the land and in the water.

-Queen Sacheen

When war is happening every day to our people, when war is happening every day to our fucking psyches and our minds, through social media, and resource extraction, through neo-colonialism, through our elected leaders signing papers with corporations these are acts of war.  So everyday when I am praying in the morning and praying when I go to bed I am praying to be strong enough to fight that war. 

-Queen Sacheen

Xhopakelxhit, Sacheen Seitcham, is a Snuneymuxw, Nuu Chah Nulth, Coast Salish and Cree Grandmother, Medicine Maker, Water Protector and Strategist.  Co-Founder of the Coast Salish Native Youth Movement, The West Coast Women Warrior Society Media Cooperative, Yaakswiis Warriors, Imperial No More and Ancestral Pride Sacheen’s life is dedicated to the futures of the children.  In August of 2016 Sacheen and 3 others were arrested for attempting to block the restocking of a fish farm in Ahousaht waters and in the autumn Sacheen and her family were throwing down with Red Warrior at Standing Rock and providing crucial on the ground media coverage.

Sacheen’s work relies on the support of people like you dedicated to Indigenous Sovereignty and Protection of Water, Land and Life.  With court dates coming up on both sides of the colonial border, family to support and Imperial Metals, the Kinder Morgan Pipeline and Cermaq to fuck up your donations are crucial.

Please support Warriors.

E- transfers can be made to: [email protected]

Sign up to make a monthly donation

Donate Sacheen’s work with Imperial No More

or Donate directly to support Sacheen

[voicesbook]

Raising Funds for Secwepemc Elder, Flo, and the late Wolverine’s Farm.  Feed the Resistance.

Cyale means gathering place. It is the Secwepemc word for the hollow in the hillside where people gather, such as the one on Flo’s land. Flo tells stories of how people would come for giveaways to this place since time immemorial.

She explains that the farm is called Cyale to continue this legacy and tradition: to grow food for her community, for her Nation, and for other Nations fighting for their lands.

The late Wolverine and Flo built a farm in Adam’s Lake First Nation, near Chase in so-called BC to grow food for people in their community and also to support Frontline Land Defenders. They have been transporting a big portion of their harvest ever year to the Unist’ot’en Yintah and to other Indigenous Frontlines. They grow heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables and save seeds for future use.

We are working with other supporters to raise funds for the critical infrastructure that Flo needs to keep the farm going and providing nourishment for Land Defenders.

Flo needs tractor tires which are $3800 and materials for constructing a greenhouse which we estimate at $2000.

To make a contribution to Flo, Food Sovereignty and Protection of the Land:

Mail cheques to: Flo Sampson Box 819 Chase Bc V0E 1M0 Canada Email money transfer: [email protected] PayPal:

[email protected] For etransfer and PayPal put "Donation to farm" in the message field

xo beyon and wulfgang

p.s. if you have any questions hit us up at [email protected]

[voicesbook]

Haida, Nisga'a, Tsimshian Water Protector Big Fire Woman co-hosts with Gunargie on this episode from Monday March 20th.

[voicesbook]

Haida, Nisga'a and Tsimshian Water Protector, Goot-Ges (Patrika McEvoy) co-hosting with Gunargie, Thursday March 23rd.

[voicesbook]

This year, the federal government plans to spend half a billion dollars on events marking Canada’s 150th anniversary, prompting a great deal of debate about its historical treatment of Indigenous peoples. The majority of Canadians don’t have all the facts about that, while First Nations continue to live the crisis-level effects of that legacy. Perhaps Canada should cancel its celebrations and undertake the hard work necessary to make amends.

The Scream, on the cover, The Subjugation of Truth, by Kent Monkman.

by Pamela Palmater, Now Toronto, March 29, 2017

For many Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island (North America), it’s difficult to imagine Prime Minister Justin Trudeau – who has said that “no relationship is more important to Canada than the one with Indigenous peoples”- celebrating the last 150 years of brutal colonization and the foundation of what is now known as Canada.

This year, the federal government plans to spend half a billion dollars on events marking Canada’s 150th anniversary. Meanwhile, essential social services for First Nations people to alleviate crisis-level socio-economic conditions go chronically underfunded. Not only is Canada refusing to share the bounty of its own piracy; it’s using that same bounty to celebrate its good fortune. Arguably, every firework, hot dog and piece of birthday cake in Canada’s 150th celebration will be paid for by the genocide of Indigenous peoples and cultures.

Many places are struggling with the nation’s genocidal origins.

In Halifax, the school board voted to change the name of Cornwallis Junior High because its namesake, Edward Cornwallis, was responsible for putting bounties on the scalps of Mi’kmaw people, causing many deaths.

Likewise, in Toronto, Ryerson University has come under scrutiny for its namesake, Egerton Ryerson, a strong supporter of residential schools, where thousands of Indigenous children died violent, torturous deaths.

Even the “Famous Five” women long celebrated as champions of women’s rights have had their hero status questioned because of their support for sterilization of Indigenous women. Celebrating genocide is not what most would consider a modern Canadian value.

While use of the term “genocide” to describe Canada’s treatment of Indigenous peoples has created a great deal of debate, there has always been a recognition that, at minimum, Canada was guilty of “cultural genocide,” even if individuals couldn’t bring themselves to accept more sinister intentions.

Former prime minister Paul Martin told the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) that it was time to call the residential schools policy what it was: “cultural genocide.”

Supreme Court of Canada Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin weighed in on Canada’s dismal human rights record, saying that residential schools were attempts to commit “cultural genocide” against Indigenous peoples.

While these comments were made before the TRC report was tabled in late 2015, they did raise questions in the public sphere about how to recognize genocide when it’s not part of something like the Holocaust or the war in Rwanda.

Despite the sensitive nature of making the claim of genocide, the TRC went further after investigating the historical record, stating that the totality of policies toward Indigenous peoples amounted to cultural, biological and physical genocide.

The difficult part about public discourse related to genocide is that the majority of Canadians don’t have all the facts.

Most mistakenly believe genocide only occurs when millions of people are killed in concentration camps. They’re not taught in school about the real history of the atrocities committed against Indigenous peoples that over time resulted in millions dying. Some universities teach genocide studies without any mention of the lethal colonization process in Canada.

The real history, however, shows that even after signing peace treaties with First Nations, laws were enacted in Canada offering bounties for scalps of Indigenous men, women and children. The treaty negotiation process itself was conducted under conditions of starvation or threats of violence. While some argue that these acts were committed pre-Confederation, it must be kept in mind that they are in fact how Canada became Canada.

“Indian policy” was based on acquiring Indigenous lands and resources and reducing financial obligations to Indigenous peoples. The primary methodology was either assimilation or elimination. These acts included confining Indigenous peoples to tiny reserves and forbidding them to hunt, fish or provide for their families, forcing them to live on unhealthy and insufficient rations that caused ill health and starvation.

It didn’t stop there. Other genocidal acts included the forced sterilization of Indigenous women and little girls and the mass theft from families of Indigenous children, many of whom were physically and sexually assaulted, experimented on, tortured and starved at residential schools – leading to the deaths of thousands.

This is how Canada cleared the land for farms, mining, oil extraction and development. It simply would not be the wealthy country it is, one of the best countries in the world to live and raise a family, were it not for the removal of Indigenous peoples from the source of Canada’s wealth.

The real crime, however, is not only Canada’s failure to take steps to right the wrongs of the past.

Today, more Indigenous children are taken from their families – now put into foster care – than at the height of the residential schools cruelty. The over-incarceration of Indigenous men, women and children continues at alarming rates. Even though Indigenous people represent only 4 per cent of the population, some prisons contain nearly 100 per cent Indigenous inmates.

The federal government and law enforcement agencies have allowed the crisis of murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls to continue with little intervention – suggesting complicity in the deaths.

The prime minister spoke at National Aboriginal Day ceremonies in 2016 about “the importance of reconciliation and the process of truth-telling” in healing Canada’s relationship with Indigenous peoples.

He has no right to speak about reconciliation before he takes the necessary steps to make amends. Canada has no right to ask any one of us to talk about moving forward until the prime minister and all premiers take responsibility for what their institutions have done – and continue to do – to Indigenous peoples. No amount of token showcasing of Indigenous art, songs or dances in Canada’s 150th celebration will stop the intergenerational pain and suffering, suicides, police abuse, sub-standard health care, housing and water, or the extinction of the majority of Indigenous languages.

Perhaps Canada should humble itself, step back, cancel its plans and undertake the hard work necessary to make amends for its legacy. Then we could all celebrate the original treaty vision of mutual respect, prosperity and protection envisioned by our ancestors. Until then, I’ll pass on the cake.

Pamela Palmater is a Mi’kmaw citizen member of Eel River Bar First Nation. She has been practising Indigenous law for 18 years and is currently an associate professor and the Chair in Indigenous Governance at Ryerson University.

How the United Nations defines genocide

According to the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, genocide is defined in Article II as acts “committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.” Described by the UN as an “odious scourge” (repulsive evil causing great suffering), genocide can be committed in any one of following ways: killing members of the group; causing serious bodily or mental harm; inflicting conditions of life meant to bring about their destruction; preventing births within the groups; and/or forcibly transferring the children of the group to another group.