Category: Event

Mutual Aid stories

For the past week I’ve been thinking and praying a lot about Mutual Aid in preparation for a discussion we plan to have at my Quaker meeting tomorrow.

As I have nearly every Saturday for the last year, I was with my Mutual Aid friends this morning for our weekly food distribution. Here are a few stories triggered from what happened this morning.

I had a clear spiritual leading to become involved in Des Moines Mutual Aid. For the sake of brevity, I’ll begin with my return to Iowa in 2017. I was looking for justice activists and soon had the opportunity to walk on the First Nation-Farmer Climate Unity March. A group of about ten native and ten non-native people walked and camped together for ninety-four miles, over eight days, along the path of the Dakota Access pipeline. The intention was for us to get to know each other as we shared stories, and that worked amazingly well. I got to know Sikowis Nobiss, Trisha Etringer, Matthew Lone Bear, Alton and Foxy Onefeather, and Donnielle Wanatee, among others. Various combinations of us worked together since then on things like racist monuments and mascots, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and an Indigenous led Green New Deal.

There are a lot of photos and blog posts related to this sacred journey here: https://firstnationfarmer.com/ Part of the story relates to the support we received from Friends.

The summer of 2019 Peter Clay, Jim Glasson, Linda Lemons, and I helped arrange for Paula Palmer to have several sessions in the Midwest related to her ministry regarding Quakers and Indigenous peoples.

We wanted to continue this work. On February 7, 2020, we planned to meet at Friends House in Des Moines.

At that time, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were attacking the Wet’suwet’en peoples in British Columbia. They were clearing the way for the construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline through Wet’suwet’en territory. There was nothing about that in the mainstream press.

I learned about this when I saw the title of a YouTube video about the eviction of Coastal GasLink personnel from Wet’suwet’en territory. For many years I worked on the Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines resistance when I was in Indianapolis. I remember how shocked I was to see pipeline construction personnel evicted! I’m sure the Spirit led me to learn about the Wet’suwet’en. This struggle has become one of my primary areas of justice work since.

Returning to the February 7 meeting, we thought we would hold a rally in support of the Wet’suwet’en before the meeting we had already planned. I created a Facebook event in case anyone else might want to join us.

As the Spirit would have it though, Ronnie James saw that and joined us. I learned Ronnie has had over 20 years of experience as an Indigenous organizer. He was surprised anyone else in the Midwest knew about the Wet’suwet’en and came to check us out. A great organizing technique.

Peter Clay, Linda Lemons and Ronnie James

Over the subsequent two years Ronnie has become one of my closest friends, as well as my Mutual Aid mentor.

The Des Moines Mutual Aid project I’ve been involved in is the weekly food distribution project. There are many stories related to that but I’ll just tell about things that happened this morning.

About sixty boxes of food are put together in the basement of a church in Des Moines. Then they are taken outside and put on four tables, from which they are loaded into cars as they pull up. People know by word of mouth to park in the parking lot at 10 am. Then one of us directs them to drive up to the tables of food.

I learned those four long tables were donated to the church years ago from a mental health facility that my Quaker meeting, Bear Creek did a lot of work on.

This morning we could only find two of the tables. We looked all over and when we couldn’t find them, we carried a few smaller tables down from the third floor of the church. Shortly after though, when the bread that had been piled on some tables was put in the food boxes, we discovered the tables we were looking for had been hidden by the bread. We had a good laugh about that. Ronnie told me I’d have to write about that on my blog. This is a small example of how we all get to know each other as we work together.

The institutions of forced assimilation are often on my mind. Some Quakers had been involved in those institutions. Ronnie and I had a discussion about that.

I enjoyed hearing him talk about his son. Ronnie said, “he makes me happy (most of the time)”. I remember when Ronnie introduced me to him. He rarely says anything, but his voice sounds just like Ronnie’s. This morning I heard him say “dad”. When I left this morning, he was the only person in the basement. I said, “see you later” and he said, “see you later”. (It feels like I should not write his name. So many of those involved in Mutual Aid have had experiences with the police.)

I will finish by returning to the Wet’suwet’en peoples, who are yet again being threatened by the RCMP. When these latest threats began again in November, Ronnie and I talked about whether to do something in support. We decided to invite whoever wanted to hold signs in support after our Mutual Aid work was finished. It was like completing a circle from our initial meeting related to the Wet’suwet’en.

I don’t get opportunities to take photos when with my Mutual Aid friends, again because of concerns related to police. But this time it was OK because of the masks and each person had given permission. When people were lining up, someone said, “across the street”. I thought they meant to move across the street, but what was meant was to line up across the street. And after the first few shots someone said, “wait, am I the only one with a fist up?”

You might notice the sign on the far right. A 5-year-old attends every Saturday, the life of the party. I knew he liked to draw, so I brought markers and a blank sheet for him.

In December, the Wet’suwet’en called on supporters for solidarity actions. Chase bank funds the Coastal GasLink pipeline. A solidarity event was organized at a Chase bank in Des Moines. People were there from Mutual Aid, and Jon Krieg of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and his partner Patti. You will also see one of the leaders of Des Moines Black Liberation there in support of the Wet’suwet’en.

Prairie Not Pipelines

Tonight, my friends at the Great Plains Action Society will present Episode 1 of an Indigenous web series related to climate, water, and resource extraction on the Plains.

“Currently, the majority of the media and public pushback is coming from white landowners. However, these pipelines are being proposed to be forced through stolen land and treaty territories where Indigenous voices need to be heard. This forum will discuss the legal, environmental, and tribal perspectives of Carbon Capture and Storage.”

Great Plains Action Society

Event today: PRAIRIE NOT PIPELINES
An Indigenous web series on climate, water and resource extraction on the plains
December 28 at 6PM CST

May be an image of outdoors and text that says 'PRAIRIE NOT PIPELINES AN INDIGENOUS WEB SERIES ON CLIMATE, WATER AND RESOURCE EXTRACTION ON THE PLAINS Episode 1 Carbon Capture and Sequestration in the Great Plains and Indian Country December 28 at 6PM CST Streamed on Great Plains Action Society's FB and YouTube Pages Hosted by Mahmud Fitil and Sikowis Nobiss With Guests Lisa Deville, Carolyn Raffensperger, Chase Jensen, Frank James, Michelle Free-LaMere, Brian Jorde, Donnielle Wanatee, Joseph White Eyes, and Scott Skokos DAKOTA RESOURCE COUNCIL SCIENCE ENVIRONMENTAL BAC ETWORK DAKOTA RURAL ACTION GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING THE FUTURE'
https://www.facebook.com/events/2712621119047428

Event by Dakota Rural Action, Ní Btháska Stand and Great Plains Action Society
Public  · Anyone on or off Facebook

December 28 at 6pm
OnlineWatch on FB at:
https://www.facebook.com/GreatPlainsActionSociety
Watch on YouTube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RUfRUgVVLQ

Check out the first webisode of Prairie Not Pipelines, an Indigenous web series focused on climate, water, and resource extraction on the plains.
Hosted by Mahmud Fitil and Sikowis Nobiss.
Folks from across the Great Plains in ND, SD, NE, and Iowa will be discussing the recent push for CO2 pipelines across the region. Currently, the majority of the media and public pushback is coming from white landowners. However, these pipelines are being proposed to be forced through stolen land and treaty territories where Indigenous voices need to be heard. This forum will discuss the legal, environmental, and tribal perspectives of Carbon Capture and Storage. These projects are being touted as environmentally sound when in fact they are huge greenwashed projects which extend a lifeline to the fossil fuel industry which is responsible for our current climate emergency in the first place. These investors and corporations are merely looking to profit from government programs and subsidies rather than address our climate woes in any meaningful way. The people, land, and water in the way of their profiteering ambitions are of little concern.
Guest Speakers
From Iowa:
Carolyn Raffensperger – Executive Director, Science and Environmental Health Network
Donielle Wanatee – Meskwaki Nation, Sac & Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa
From Nebraska:
Michelle Free – HoChunk/Ojibwa, Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
Brian Jorde – Managing Lawyer, Domina Law Group
From South Dakota:
Chase Jensen – Community Organizer and Lobbyist, Dakota Rural Action
Frank James – Staff Director, Dakota Rural Action
Joseph White Eyes – Lakota, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe & Collective Member of Cheyenne River Grassroots Collective
From North Dakota:
Lisa DeVille – The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation
Scott Skokos – Executive Director, Dakota Resource Council

Two Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) pipelines are proposed to be built in Iowa. There are many reasons carbon capture is a bad idea. The table below lists numerous organizations working to stop CCS.

Pipeline Watchdogs: Monitoring Construction and Operations
Carbon (CCS) Pipeline Resistance Coalition – Iowa
Great Plains Action Society
Bold Iowa
LANDBACK Friends
Food & Water Watch
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement.
Petition: No more public dollars for false carbon storage solutions
At Summit Carbon Solutions offices, Ames, Iowa
12/18/2021

Iowans pushing back on CO2 pipelines

May be an image of 1 person, horse and text

#NoCO2Pipelines
#NoCCS
#NoCarbonPipelines
#ClimateEmergency
#NoCO2Pipelines
#StopNavigator
#StopSummit
#HiFromIA

Iowa Solidarity with Wet’suwet’en

As I’ve been writing (see table below), the Wet’suwet’en peoples have declared the week of December 20 as a time for international support for their struggle to stop the completion of the Coastal GasLink pipeline through their pristine lands and water.

The map shows only two actions were planned in the Midwest. One is the action we took at the Chase bank in Des Moines yesterday, and the second will be held today in Chicago. Ironically, a mutual friend introduced me to Daniel, another Quaker working in support of the Wet’suwet’en and for LandBack. Daniel will be participating in the Midwest solidarity event in Chicago today.

Another new connection was made when my friend Jon Krieg (American Friends Service Committee) introduced me to Julie Brown, Turtle Island Solidarity Network, who has connections with the Wet’suwet’en organizers as well as activists in Iowa. Julie had connections with most of those who showed up yesterday. She also spoke with the bank manager by phone the day before our event, which facilitated talking with the manager and delivering a letter when we were there yesterday.

The people in the bank were clearly uncomfortable when we entered, but we were silent and non-threatening as we waited for the manager to appear. I was told I could not take photos in the bank and immediately stopped, although I had several shots prior to that.

Dear Branch Manager Minnihan,

As concerned residents of Des Moines and surrounding areas in Iowa, we are gathering today at the Chase bank branch on Merle Hay Road to demand that Chase immediately stops funding of the Coastal GasLink (CGL) project in Wet’suwet’en territory.

Coastal GasLink does not have the consent of the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs, whose title to the land the Supreme Court of Canada recognizes. And yet Chase has continued to bankroll this illegal project and the destruction of Wet’suwet’en land, When met with resistance, the CGL project deployed sniper rifles and militarized squads against unarmed Indigenous peoples on their own land. People will not stand for this.

We demand that Chase immediately stops funding Coastal GasLink and profiting off of the illegal destruction and invasion of Wet’suwet’en land.

Attached are copies of the eviction notice issued on January 4, 2020, by Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs and the notice of enforcement issues on November 14, 2020.

Concerned local residents of Des Moines, Iowa

Action Goals
  • Take up the time and energy of Chase leadership nationally and locally
  • Educate members of the public on the role of TC Energy in their role in violating Indigenous rights by sharing graphics on social media, on email lists & in-person interactions
  • Increase the skills and leadership abilities of action participants 
  • Informing the public about the link between the bank’s fossil investments, land theft, and the climate crisis. 
  • Building solidarity between Land Defenders on the frontlines and the broader climate movement. 
  • Building power for the movement by training teams who can escalate against Chase come spring.
Defund Coastal GasLinkhttps://landbackfriends.com/2021/12/22/defund-coastal-gaslink/
Evicting Colonizershttps://landbackfriends.com/2021/12/21/evicting-colonizers/
International Week of Action to Defund Coastal GasLinkhttps://landbackfriends.com/2021/12/20/international-week-of-action-to-defund-coastal-gaslink/
Wet’suwet’en solidarity in Iowahttps://landbackfriends.com/2021/12/19/wetsuweten-solidarity-in-iowa/

#WetsuwetenStrong
#WetsuwetenSolidarity
#AllOutForWedzinKwa
#1492LandBackLane
#LandBack

Defund Coastal GasLink

Today (12/22/2021) we will be gathering in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en peoples at 4:00 PM. at the Chase Bank, 3621 Merle Hay Rd, Des Moines, IA 50310.

Chase is one of the major institutions funding fossil fuel projects, including the Coastal GasLink pipeline being built on Wet’suwet’en lands. Pressuring financial institutions to divest funds from fossil fuel projects has been a tactic for many years. Gatherings like this can encourage the bank to divest from fossil fuel projects. They can also provide a public way for individuals to divest their funds from these banks.

Banks and private equity companies are pouring billions on a massive fracked gas pipeline to cross Wet’suwet’en territory: Coastal GasLink. 

Indigenous Hereditary chiefs and supporters have responsibilities to defend the sacred, pristine headwaters of the Wedzin Kwa, in Wet’suwet’en law. They hold uninterrupted title to the land, in colonial law. For peacefully acting in accordance with the law and defending our shared future, land defenders, allies and journalists were removed at gunpoint. 

These companies are bankrolling Wet’suwet’en people being removed at gunpoint from their land.

  • RBC, Chase, and KKR are violating the rights of the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary chiefs by funding the Coastal GasLink pipeline. 
  • This week of action comes one month after RCMP raided Wet’suwet’en land, arresting 32 people (Land Defenders, Elders, journalists, and allies). 

Action Goals
  • Take up the time and energy of Chase leadership nationally and locally
  • Educate members of the public on the role of TC Energy in their role in violating Indigenous rights by sharing graphics on social media, on email lists & in-person interactions
  • Increase the skills and leadership abilities of action participants 
  • Informing the public about the link between the bank’s fossil investments, land theft, and the climate crisis. 
  • Building solidarity between Land Defenders on the frontlines and the broader climate movement. 
  • Building power for the movement by training teams who can escalate against RBC come spring.
https://twitter.com/quakers_seekers/status/1473660041597177867?s=20
https://twitter.com/quakers_seekers/status/1473661024658202629?s=20

I will not tell my children and grandchildren that a piece of paper from a colonial court kept me from standing up for our lands and waters.

Skyler Williams

The camp that was burned to the ground by the RCMP with help from CGL has be retaken, the Wet’suwet’en returned to their lands!

The courts and cops think that we will just go away, that we will stop honouring our connection to these lands and waters. That we will forget our responsibilities to our children. When will Canada realize that we cannot be forced from our lands, that we will cannot be forced into giving up on our future generations?

I will not tell my children and grandchildren that a piece of paper from a colonial court kept me from standing up for our lands and waters. The police have power because they use fear, intimidation and violence. Our power comes from our love for our lands and for each other.

Skyler Williams

#WetsuwetenStrong
#WetsuwetenSolidarity
#AllOutForWedzinKwa
#1492LandBackLane
#LandBack

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Wet’suwet’en Evict Coastal Gaslink From Drill Site; Re-Establish Coyote Camp

Dec 20, 2021 – Unceded Gidimt’en Territory, Smithers (BC):

Gidimt’en land defenders and supporters have once again evicted Coastal Gaslink workers from a key pipeline drill site, protecting Wet’suwet’en headwaters and re-occupying the area known as “Coyote Camp”. 

Early Sunday, in observance of Wet’suwet’en law, land defenders enforced the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs’ 2020 Eviction Notice to Coastal Gaslink, removing pipeline workers and re-establishing the blockade that ended on Nov 19th after two days of militarized police raids. 
The eviction took place exactly one month after RCMP made 30 arrests on Wet’suwet’en yintah, marking the third large-scale militarized operation on unceded Wet’suwet’en land since 2019. Approximately 100 RCMP, equipped with assault weapons, sniper rifles, and dogs were deployed while floodwaters raged throughout the province, to facilitate construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline and the theft of sovereign Wet’suwet’en land.

The Wet’suwet’en people have never sold, surrendered, or in any way relinquished title to Wet’suwet’en land.

Today’s action follows the 24th anniversary of the 1997 Delgamuukw-Gisday’wa court ruling, which proved that Aboriginal title has never been extinguished across 58,000km2 of Wet’suwet’en and Gitxsan lands. The Supreme Court of Canada recognized the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs as representatives of the Wet’suwet’en title holding collective, and Anuc ‘nu’at’en (Wet’suwet’en law) as the basis of Wet’suwet’en society.

In violation of the Delgamuukw-Gisday’wa ruling, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and Anuc ‘nu’at’en, the Coastal GasLink pipeline has proceeded without the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent of the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs.

In early 2020, Hereditary Chiefs representing all five clans of the Wet’suwet’en nation issued an eviction notice to Coastal Gaslink, leading to a series of blockades across Wet’suwet’en land and sparking nationwide solidarity actions. Today, this eviction is once again in force.

“Coastal GasLink does not and will never have the consent of the Wet’suwet’en Hereditary governance system and should expect that Wet’suwet’en law will prevail on our lands. No amount of state violence against us will make us forget our responsibility to protect the water for all future generations”, says Sleydo’, spokesperson for the Gidimt’en Checkpoint. 

Media contact: Jennifer Wickham, Gidimt’en Checkpoint Media Coordinator
yintahaccess@gmail.com
250-917-8392 

Media Backgrounder :
Wet’suwet’en 101: https://www.yintahaccess.com/media-background

Wet’suwet’en Hereditary Chiefs’ Eviction Notice:
https://unistoten.camp/wetsuweten-hereditary-chiefs-evict-coastal-gaslink-from-territory/

International Week of Action to Defund Coastal GasLink
Wet’suwet’en solidarity in Iowa

#WetsuwetenSolidarity
#AllOutForWedzinKwa
#1492LandBackLane
#LandBack

EVICTING COLONIZERS

The complete title of the post quoted below is “WET’SUWET’EN RESISTANCE AND SOLIDARITY: EVICTING THE COLONIZERS” By YintahAccess.com, December 19, 2021.

Wet’suwet’en land defenders have reminded us through their recent re-capture of Coyote Camp – injunctions are only pieces of paper. Canadian law has no legitimacy on stolen land. #LANDBACK

Reconciliation at Gunpoint

CONTENT WARNING: Detailed description of colonial violence and dehumanization at the hands of police and prison/court staff.

In this interview, Layla Staats and Skyler Williams describe their arrest on unceded Cas Yikh territory, and the disgusting lengths that the Canadian state went to try and break their warrior spirits.

Through these desperate and brutal actions, the RCMP and the courts showed the true essence of ‘reconciliation’ in a militarized settler-colonial state.

As Skyler says, and Wet’suwet’en land defenders have reminded us through their recent re-capture of Coyote Camp – injunctions are only pieces of paper. Canadian law has no legitimacy on stolen land.

#AllOutForWedzinKwa #shutdowncanada

https://twitter.com/quakers_seekers/status/1473288514611601411?s=20

The Wet’suwet’en peoples are calling for this to be an International Week of Action to Defund Coastal GasLink.

Hold an Action in your city or your town. Banner drop, hold a Rally/March at RBC or Chase headquarters/ building, have a sit in, jam up phone lines, etc…spread the awareness! You can do this. There were just six of us who stood on a street corner at our first vigil in support of the Wet’suwet’en peoples in February 2020. We knew nobody would recognize Wet’suwet’en, but that was our intention, to “spread awareness”. And amazing connections were made at that event. You never know what will happen. That was where I met Ronnie James who taught me the concepts of Mutual Aid.

Wet’suwet’en vigil, Des Moines, Iowa

We have a sacred responsibility to our children, to protect Wedzin Kwa, our clean drinking water, our salmon, and the right to be Wet’suwet’en, for all future generations. We will not endure genocide by oil and gas corporate colonizers. We call on our allies everywhere, to rise up, stand up, fight back! Put pressure on investors, on industry, and the government to put an end to the Coastal GasLink pipeline. All Out for Wedzin Kwa! Join the Wet’suwet’en resistance!

YintahAccess.com

For the third time in three years, the Wet’suwet’en have faced militarized raids on our ancestral territory.

One month ago today, the RCMP violently raided unceded Gidimt’en territory (November 18-19, 2021), removing Indigenous people from their land at gunpoint on behalf of TC Energy’s proposed Coastal GasLink pipeline. The Wet’suwet’en enforced our standing eviction of CGL by closing roads into the territory November 14-17. Following the raids, arrestees received cruel and violent treatment in prison. The conditions set forth by the court are human rights violations to Indigenous peoples. We’re still here. We’re still throwing down. We are more determined than ever to protect our traditional territories for future generations.

In September 2021, Gidimt’en Checkpoint reoccupied Lhudis Bin territory, building a clan cabin on the drill pad site where Coastal GasLink pipeline wants to drill underneath our sacred headwaters, Wedzin Kwa. The Coyote Camp re-occupation of Cas Yikh Gidimt’en Yintah was an historic 56 days long.

CGL took extreme measures to force us from our ancestral lands. They employed fear tactics and threats of violence daily. They surveilled us with helicopters and drones, threatened us with attack dogs, pointed guns at us and chainsawed down the doors to our homes. They put their own workers in danger and used them as political pawns for profit. They tried to break our spirits in prison and in court with torture and colonial “release conditions”.

Again, they threatened to kill us and steal our land. But we’re still here.

In 2010, there were 13 proposed pipeline projects to go through Wet’suwet’en territory. Investors were forced to pull out of these mega-destructive projects through our territory and the CGL pipeline is the only one left, from Enbridge, Pacific Trails Pipeline, Spectra, Pembina, and several others.

Within the first days of the reoccupation there were violent arrests and police brutality on unarmed welcome guests on Cas Yikh yintah. We put a callout for solidarity from our neighboring nations and from our allies. The Haudenosaunee showed up in solidarity and walked the RCMP out of the territory. Gitxsan erected a railway blockade in solidarity with our reoccupation. Others took action in their territories including land back, rolling blockades, highway shut downs and rallies across Turtle Island.

Wet’suwet’en RESISTANCE AND SOLIDARITY: EVICTING THE COLONIZERS” By YintahAccess.com, December 19, 2021.

International Week of Action week of December 20th 2021

We are calling on our supporters and allies to join us to turn our outrage towards RBC once again! Their lack of accountability in financing Colonial Violence and land theft from Indigenous People is unacceptable. We are all in this together and we all have a responsibility to stand up to big financial institutions that invest and keep the fossil fuel industry going full force. With no green sustainability transition in the foreseeable future, all of humanity and our kin are at dangerous risk. With the fires and floods that happened recently south of so-called British Columbia we can’t let any more time pass while big banks are fueling our demise. 

Hold an Action in your city or your town. We know it’s close to the end of the year, we need to make sure RBC doesn’t slip through the cracks and slither away! 

Banner drop, hold a Rally/March at RBC headquarters/ building, have a sit in, jam up phone lines, etc…spread the awareness! 

https://www.yintahaccess.com/

Wet’suwet’en solidarity in Iowa

There will be a gathering in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en peoples this Wednesday, December 22, at 4:00 PM. at the Chase Bank, 3621 Merle Hay Rd, Des Moines, IA 50310.

International Week of Action to Defund Coastal GasLink

Toolkit: 20 December Week of Action to #DefundCoastalGasLink.
This toolkit is for grassroots activists wishing to take part in the week of action the week of December 20st against Coastal Gaslink’s partners.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q7GBPhpkCBn5f4_X-oxUpDHNnkZsqXsg01eaaM-KLMU/edit

There will be a gathering in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en peoples this Wednesday, December 22, at 4:00 PM. at the Chase Bank, 3621 Merle Hay Rd, Des Moines, IA 50310.

Chase is one of the major institutions funding fossil fuel projects, including the Coastal GasLink pipeline being built on Wet’suwet’en lands. Pressuring financial institutions to divest funds from fossil fuel projects has been a tactic for many years. Gatherings like this can encourage the bank to consider divesting from fossil fuel projects. They can also provide a public way for individuals to divest their funds from these banks.

https://landbackfriends.com/2021/12/19/wetsuweten-solidarity-in-iowa/

Wet’suwet’en hereditary Chief Woos is taking the fight against Coastal GasLink abroad, calling on international shareholders to divest from the multibillion-dollar gas pipeline.

On Friday, Chief Woos spoke at an annual shareholder meeting of the National Australia Bank (NAB). Last year, NAB pumped $117 million into the company to help it build the pipeline as part of a $6.4-billion loan to Coastal GasLink backed by 27 banks.

“As shareholders of National Australia Bank, you should know that your company is not upholding its own commitments to respect Indigenous and human rights,” he said.

“How do you reconcile your company’s supposed commitments to (the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or UNDRIP) while financing a project that is illegal and committing human rights violations and perpetuating the oppression of Indigenous people for the purpose of colonial extractivism?”

On Sunday, the Gidimt’en Checkpoint said it evicted Coastal GasLink workers from the drill site and had reoccupied Coyote Camp. Coyote Camp is where several land defenders and journalists were arrested a month ago during an RCMP raid.

Gidimt’en Checkpoint spokesperson Sleydo’ also spoke at the shareholder’s meeting, describing her recent arrest by the RCMP at gunpoint and being restricted from returning to her territory. The project is contributing to the genocide of her people, she told the shareholders, and asked if the NAB was willing to take accountability for that.

Wet’suwet’en hereditary chief takes fight against Coastal GasLink all the way to the banks
By John Woodside, National Observer, December 20th 2021

https://twitter.com/quakers_seekers/status/1472928907481468938?s=20

Banks and private equity companies are pouring billions on a massive fracked gas pipeline to cross Wet’suwet’en territory: Coastal GasLink. 

Indigenous Hereditary chiefs and supporters have responsibilities to defend the sacred, pristine headwaters of the Wedzin Kwa, in Wet’suwet’en law. They hold uninterrupted title to the land, in colonial law. For peacefully acting in accordance with the law and defending our shared future, land defenders, allies and journalists were removed at gunpoint. 

Banks and investors bankroll the violence it will take to complete and operate Coastal GasLink. It’s time to tell them that no investment is worth damaging the lands and waters of Wet’suwet’en Yintah and the climate all of us share.

Twitter

Follow:  @gidimten, @likhtsamisyu,

Twitter: Week of Action 

  • .@RBC is funding climate destruction and Indigenous rights violations by bankrolling Coastal GasLink.
  • .@kkr_co is refusing to meet with Wet’suwet’en hereditary chiefs while funding Coastal GasLink on their territory.
  • If we stop the flow of money, we can stop the flow of fracked gas. Let’s organize on the week of December 20 to support frontline Indigenous leaders about the impacts of Coastal GasLink @RBC, @KKR_Co, and @chase needs to drop ➡️ https://bit.ly/Dec20toolkit 
  • Join us the week of December 20 to call on @RBC, @Chase, @kkr_co, and other global finance giants to drop toxic fossil fuels including Coastal GasLink. Learn more and register your action

Hashtags: #DefundCoastalGasLink #DivestCGL, #WetsuwetenStrong #AllOutForWedzinKwa

Yesterday the Gidimt’en Checkpoint said it evicted Coastal GasLink workers from the drill site and had reoccupied Coyote Camp.

Gidimt’en Checkpoint

12/19/2021  · BREAKING –
Gidimt’en Clan Evicts Coastal Gaslink from Drill Site; Re-Occupies Coyote Camp

Early Sunday, Gidimt’en land defenders evicted Coastal Gaslink workers and re-established control of Coyote Camp, the site where Coastal Gaslink plans to drill beneath Wet’suwet’en headwaters.
This courageous action took place one month after a wave of militarized raids on Gidimt’en land, where police with assault weapons, dogs, and sniper rifles arrested 30 people, including land defenders, journalists, and legal observers.
Wet’suwet’en people have never surrendered this land, and we never will. Our lands are not for sale, and the safety of our waters is non-negotiable.
In early 2020, Hereditary Chiefs from all five clans of our nation stood together and issued an eviction to CGL. That eviction remains in force today.
We are calling for supporters to join us on the ground, or take action where you stand.
Take Action:
🔥 Host a solidarity rally or action in your area.
🔥 Issue a solidarity statement from your organization or group. Email to: yintahaccess@gmail.com
🔥 Pressure the government, banks, and investors. http://yintahaccess.com/take-action-1
🔥 Donate. http://go.rallyup.com/wetsuwetenstrong
🔥 Come to Camp. yintahaccess.com/
🔥 Spread the word.
#ShutDownCanada
#AllOutForWedzinKwa
#WetsuwetenStrong
#ExpectUs
More information and developing stories:
Website: Yintahaccess.com
IG: @yintah_access
Twitter: @Gidimten
Facebook: @wetsuwetenstrong
Youtube: Gidimten Access Point
TikTok: GidimtenCheckpoint

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Today, Sept 30, 2021, is the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in the country known as Canada. There is a lot of publicity now related to the institutions of forced assimilation. The remains of thousands of children being located by ground penetrating radar on the grounds of those institutions. Articles about the history of the residential schools, stories of those who attended, those who never returned. The suffering of those living today who are survivors of those schools. Those suffering today from the intergenerational trauma that has passed from generation to generation.

And the suffering continuing today as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police side with Coastal GasLink pipeline employees as they forced construction through Wet’suwet’en territory (video below)

These stories and events should be told by those who have been affected. People can re-traumatized. You can hear some of those stories in the following.

The National Residential School Crisis Line 1-866-925-4419

Included below are:

  • the reports from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its calls to action
  • the video from CBC/Radio, We Know the Truth: Stories to inspire reconciliation
  • and a video of the Royal Canadian Mounted police painfully removing a land defender locked under a bus on the Wet’suwet’en territory. There cannot be reconciliation when the government continues to enforce construction of pipelines through Indigenous lands.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

September 30, 2021 marks the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The day honours the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.

The creation of this federal statutory holiday was through legislative amendments made by Parliament. On June 3, 2021, Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Bills of Exchange Act, the Interpretation Act and the Canada Labour Code (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation) received Royal Assent.

Commemorating National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Illuminating Parliament Hill

To commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and to honour the Survivors, their families and communities, buildings across Canada will be illuminated in orange September 29 and/or September 30, from 7:00 pm to sunrise the next morning. This will include federal buildings such as the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill.

Truth and Reconciliation Week

This 5-day, bilingual educational event will include programming designed for students in grades 5 through 12 along with their teachers and feature Indigenous Elders, youth and Survivors. The event will be pre-recorded and webcasted, allowing for schools and classrooms participation from across the country and the involvement of Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Broadcast

A 1-hour bilingual primetime show in partnership with, and broadcast on, CBC/Radio-Canada and APTN will be devoted to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Programming will include presentations on the importance of this day as well as cultural and artistic performances in support of healing and giving voices to Indigenous peoples.

APTN Sunrise Ceremony

APTN will present pre-taped Sunrise ceremony featuring drummers, singers, Elders and various Indigenous traditions.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission and its calls to action

There were 140 federally run Indian Residential Schools which operated in Canada between 1831 and 1998. The last school closed only 23 years ago. Survivors advocated for recognition and reparations and demanded accountability for the lasting legacy of harms caused. These efforts culminated in:

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission ran from 2008 to 2015 and provided those directly or indirectly affected by the legacy of the Indian Residential Schools policy with an opportunity to share their stories and experiences. The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has become the permanent archive for the statements, documents and other materials the Commission gathered, and its library and collections are the foundation for ongoing learning and research.

The Commission released its final report detailing 94 calls to action. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a direct response to Call to Action 80, which called for a federal statutory day of commemoration.

On the inaugural National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, we’re introducing Canadians to Indigenous people who are flipping the conversation on reconciliation.

We Know the Truth: Stories to inspire reconciliation.

CBC/Radio is a Canadian public broadcast service.

There were also residential schools in the land called the United States. Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, has initiated an investigation of these institutions of forced assimilation and the remains of the children.

Today only, Jason Eaglespeaker is making his graphic novels (there are three versions) “UNeducation, Vol 1: A Residential School Graphic Novel” available free of charge.

UNeducate Yourself!

There cannot be reconciliation when the government continues to enforce construction of pipelines through Indigenous lands

How incredible is it that the Royal Canadian Mounted police continue to attack land defenders resisting the construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline through the Wet’suwet’en lands in British Columbia?


Gidimt’en Access Point

On September 27th, a land defender blocking a fracked gas pipeline was tortured by police.

This is the second arrest at the drill pad site access road, where Coastal Gaslink (CGL) plans to drill under Wedzin Kwa (Morice River), the sacred headwaters on Wet’suwet’en yintah. The arrest was brutal.

The RCMP officers used “pain compliance” for an hour on the person locked under the bus in a hard lock, insisting the person just let go, which very clearly they were not able to do.

The RCMP then had CGL contractors, instead of an extraction team, come in to extract the person. The injunction very clearly states that RCMP are the only ones to enforce the injunction. This is in violation of that.

This comes on the heels of the RCMP being at fault for the injunction renewal denial for the Fairy Creek defence based on their tactics against peaceful people.

Tomorrow is the “National Day of Truth and Reconciliation” in Canada, and here we clearly see that violence and forced removal from Indigenous lands are on full display.

This is about our yintah (land). It always has been. They have been trying to steal our lands and resources since contact and they will bulldoze and torture their way through to get it, because all they care about is money. We will never give up. Join us. Yintahaccess.com

CW: VIOLENT ARREST OF LAND DEFENDER
https://youtu.be/h4gK5scLMhk

Orange Shirt Day

I’m saddened by the disconnect between Canada’s years of work on truth and reconciliation related to institutions of forced assimilation of Indigenous children and the ongoing militarized response by the government against the Wet’suwet’en peoples (see the tweets at the end for updates).

The investigation related to the remains of Indigenous children on the grounds of residential schools in the US is beginning. And yet, as in Canada, multiple fossil fuel projects continue to be approved. There is increasing resistance to the construction of these pipelines. And a new class of pipelines related to carbon capture are proposed.

Orange Shirt Day will also be observed tomorrow in Canada.

The Orange Shirt Story began in May 2013 during the Truth and Reconciliation Hearings in Williams Lake BC. At that time Kukpi7 Fred Robbins of the Esketemc enlisted the support of the local School District, Regional Government and the Municipalities of the Cariboo, to both honour the survivors of Residential Schools and raise awareness of the Residential School system among the people of the Cariboo. This is the story of Kukpi7 Fred Robbins time at Residential School, the Commemoration events that were organized, and the hopes for the future that Kukpi7 Fred Robbins envisioned. – WARNING Sensitive Content

https://www.orangeshirtday.org/
https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/national-day-truth-reconciliation.html
Leading up to September 30, the “National Day of Truth and Reconciliation” we need to send the message that things have to change and they have to change NOW.

#WetsuwetenStrong #NoTrespass #WedzinKwa #CGLofftheYintah #Sovereignty #Solidarity #DefendTheYintah #WeAreAllOne #IndigenousSovereignty #TraditionalGovernance

How to watch and listen to National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on CBC

Tune into a day of special programming across all CBC platforms to honor the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30

CBC is marking the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with a full day of programming and content showcasing First Nations, Métis and Inuit perspectives and experiences across CBC TV, CBC News Network, CBC.ca, CBC Kids, CBC Radio One and CBC Music including a commercial-free, primetime broadcast special, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

How to watch and listen

All Day:

An Indigenous-led team of journalists will deliver timely news features and special reports throughout the day from the CBC News investigating Residential Schools on THE NATIONAL, CBC NEWS NETWORK, WORLD REPORT, THE WORLD AT SIX and CBC.ca/Indigenous

Thursday, September 30 at 8 p.m. local time (9 p.m. AT, 9:30 p.m. NT)

NATIONAL DAY FOR TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION – In recognition of the new federal statutory holiday, also known as Orange Shirt Day, this unique one-hour, commercial-free primetime special — hosted by JUNO Award-winning artist Elisapie — honours the stories and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples affected by the tragedies of the residential school system in Canada, with musical tributes and ceremonies in Indigenous communities across the land. The broadcast special is conceived and created by The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) hosted by the University of Manitoba and produced by NCTR in collaboration with Insight Productions, in association with CBC/Radio-Canada and APTN. The one-hour national special will broadcast on CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One and CBC Listen.

WATCH: Thursday, September 30 at 9 p.m. on CBC and CBC Gem

WE KNOW THE TRUTH: STORIES TO INSPIRE RECONCILIATION – A CBC Manitoba documentary that recasts Canada’s history and future through the empowerment of Indigenous Peoples. Meet the people who are challenging the history of Canada and residential schools, and creating change on their own terms. Reflect with residential school survivors and be inspired by those who are working hard to keep their culture and languages alive.

LISTEN: Saturday, September 25 at 4 p.m. and Tuesday, September 28 at 1 p.m. on CBC Radio One

UNRESERVED – Join Rosanna Deerchild on Unreserved for a revealing, poignant and emotional conversation with the Honorable Justice Murray Sinclair, former Senator and Lead Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. In this intimate, hour-long interview they discuss reconciliation⁠ — how far we’ve come, how far we have left to go and who is responsible for taking the journey.

LISTEN: Thursday, September 30 at 10 a.m. on CBC Radio One

Q – Tom Power speaks with Alanis Obomsawin, one of the most accomplished documentary filmmakers in Canada, and one of the most acclaimed Indigenous filmmakers in the world. She is the winner of the Glenn Gould Prize, the prestigious award given for a unique lifetime contribution that has enriched the human condition through the arts. She was also honoured at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival with a career retrospective of her work called ‘Celebrating Alanis Obomsawin’. The video interview with Alanis Obomsawin will be available on cbc.ca/q.

LISTEN: Thursday, September 30 at 12 p.m. noon on CBC Radio One

ANSWERING THE CALL: Stories of resistance, reclamation and resilience on Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – Host Rosanna Deerchild explores how Canada is doing on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action and how First Nations across Canada are demolishing, redeveloping, and reclaiming former residential school sites. JUNO Award-winning musician William Prince will discuss the role artists play and share how his family is marking the day. Finally, retired senator Murray Sinclair, who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, offers his thoughts on the future of reconciliation in Canada.

WATCH and LISTEN: MASHKAWI-MANIDOO BIMAADIZIWIN SPIRIT TO SOAR – Available to stream in Anishinaabemowin on CBC Gem, and premiering in English on CBC TV and CBC Gem on The Passionate Eye, 9 p.m. (9:30 NT) Friday, September 24, with an encore broadcast on September 30 (2:30 p.m./ 6:30 p.m. NT)

Directed by Tanya Talaga and Michelle Derosier, MASHKAWI-MANIDOO BIMAADIZIWIN SPIRIT TO SOAR examines the hard truths around the deaths of First Nations students in Thunder Bay, truths Canada continues to ignore: racism kills, especially when it presents as indifference. It’s a look at how families and communities struggle to carry on while pursuing justice for their loved ones and equity for their people, and it follows Tanya Talaga’s personal journey as she explores her own Indigenous identity.

Also now streaming on the CBC Listen app is a companion podcast to this documentary, SPIRIT TO SOAR: WHERE WE COME FROM, a four-part podcast about four disruptions to Indigenous life, and ways to move forward together. The story is told first in Anishinaabemowin by Elder Sam Achneepineskum and then in English by Jolene Banning.

CBC Gem

THE TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COLLECTION will be available starting Sept 24 on the free CBC Gem streaming service with more than 20 documentaries and films honouring the history, heritage and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, including THE SECRET PATH, Gord Downie’s animated film that tells the true story of Chanie Wenjack and INENDI, Sarain Fox’s journey to preserve her cultural legacy by collecting stories from her family’s Matriarch.

CBC Music

Throughout the day on September 30, CBC Music will feature Indigenous artists and composers from 6 a.m. to midnight. CBCMusic.ca will offer stories in the lead up to September 30 include a feature on where Indigenous musicians have experienced moments of truth and reconciliation, an exploration of the art within protests and a collection of songs and lyrics about reconciliation.

CBC Books

Visit CBC.ca/thisplace for the CBC Books podcast, THIS PLACE. The original series, adapted from the award-winning graphic novel, explores 150 years of Indigenous resistance and resilience. Learn more with additional CBC Books content covering the 20 authors and illustrators who made the graphic novel, a cast roundup of the Indigenous actors who voiced the dramatizations and a list of some of the Indigenous heroes we meet in the series.

CBC Kids and CBC Kids News

CBC Kids News will feature an “Ask an Indigenous person anything” segment where four Indigenous people (First Nation, Inuit and Métis) under 30 meet and chat with kid contributor Isabel DeRoy-Olson to discuss reconciliation and take questions from kids across Canada. Additionally, CBC Kids News will feature two segments for a tween audience outlining what reconciliation is and why it is needed, and how to be a better ally.

CBC Kids is recognizing Sept. 30th with an hour-long special from the award-winning animated series MOLLY OF DENALI plus original content from Studio K all about Indigenous Heritage and Culture.

CBC Arts

For National Truth and Reconciliation Day, CBC Arts will be doing a special edition of the “Poetic License” video series featuring four poets including Kahsenniyo Williams from the Mohawk Nation Wolf Clan, who will be doing a piece called Decolonial Love. Also available that day, CBC Arts has a written feature that asks Indigenous curators, cultural programmers and artists to highlight a piece of art that speaks to the ideas behind Truth and Reconciliation, including contributions from writer Alicia Elliott and visual artist Adrian Stimson.

CBC Sports

CBC Sports will feature interviews and opinion pieces by and with Indigenous athletes including Hunter Lang, Michael Linklater and Kali Reis.

Click here for the link


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Prairie Awakening/Prairie Awoke 2021

This year’s Prairie Awakening/Prairie Awoke ceremony will be held Saturday, 9/11/2021 at the Kuehn Conservation Area (map below) from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm.

Last year’s ceremony was not held in person because of the COVID pandemic. The following was written about the 2020 virtual event.

Prairie Awakening/Prairie Awoke 2020

Yesterday my Quaker Meeting, Bear Creek Friends of Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative), discussed the meeting’s long history of connection with Prairie Awakening/Prairie Awoke. This ceremony is held annually at the Kuehn Conservation Area, just a few miles from the meetinghouse in rural Iowa.

This year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prairie Awakening ceremony occurred virtually, with a series of videos. The following table has links to those and other videos related to Prairie Awakening/Prairie Awoke, most done by my friend Rodger Routh with Chris Adkins, Dallas County Conservation’s environmental education coordinator and longtime organizer of the event, narrating.

YearTitleVideo linkDuration
2008Hope dance taught to children Dallas County Prairie Awakening5:15
2008Celebrating the land Prairie Awakening Celebrating the Land5:27
2009Owl release Prairie Awakening Owl Release Sept 20091:25
2010Hoop Dance Prairie Awakening Dallas Chief Eagle and Jasmine Pickner9:21
2015Monarch releasehttps://youtu.be/0ge66dpvhFU8:18
2015Bonfire Prairie Awakening Bonfire Sept. 12, 20150:48
2017BonfirePrairie Awakening 
2017Prairie Wakening/Prairie Awoke  Slideshow Jeff Kislinghttps://youtu.be/acTTNvrxxJw11:42
2018Remembering our land. Honoring Elders Prairie Awakening, Prairie Awoke: Kuehn Conservation Area6:02
2020Prairie Wakening/Prairie Awoke Prairie Awakening/Prairie Awoke 20208:33
2020Irma Wilson White Prayer Ties DemonstrationIrma Wilson White Prayer Ties Demonstration8:09
2020Chris Adkins  Monarch taggingMonarch Tagging4:46

Having lived my adult life in Indianapolis, September 2017 was the first opportunity to attend. I had just retired to Iowa and was hoping to build up enough stamina to continue to live without a car, as I had done for about 40 years in Indianapolis.

I used the opportunity of traveling to the Prairie Awakening ceremony as a test. It is forty miles from home in Indianola to Bear Creek meeting. It is also about forty miles from the Iowa state Capitol building to Bear Creek Meeting. My bicycle and I were dropped off at the Capitol building in Des Moines, where I participated in a climate action on September 9, 2017.

Then I began the journey of bicycling from the Capitol to Bear Creek meeting. I hadn’t ridden that far, nor had I traveled that bike path before, so this was a test of my vision.

I did finally arrive at the Bear Creek meetinghouse that evening, around 5 pm, pretty much exhausted. There was one gigantic hill to climb near the end that practically had me crying. Well OK, I did cry. I was so grateful that Jackie Leckband had left water and food at the cottage next to the meetinghouse where I spent the night. https://kislingjeff.wordpress.com/2017/09/09/september-journey-day-1/

The next evening a few Bear Creek friends gathered to talk about native affairs. I showed some videos of Nahko Bear speaking and performing. https://kislingjeff.wordpress.com/2017/09/11/september-journey-day-2/

The following day, after meeting for worship, I attended my first Prairie Awakening ceremony and it was wonderful. https://kislingjeff.wordpress.com/2017/09/12/september-journey-day-3-prairie-awakening/

This blog post is a reflection on that journey. https://kislingjeff.wordpress.com/2017/09/14/reflections-on-september-journey/

Unfortunately last year when we were gathered at Kuehn, just as the ceremony was about to begin, a big thunderstorm rained us out.

This year because of the pandemic, several videos were produced for a virtual ceremony. One of the things we did at yesterday morning’s pre meeting via Zoom was to watch and comment about those videos.

I’ve written a lot about why I have been led to make connections with native people, many of whom are now friends. The most recent post about this is Stranger in a Strange Land. https://kislingjeff.wordpress.com/2020/09/26/stranger-in-a-strange-land/

The years of Bear Creek Friend’s work with Prairie Awakening provides us with an excellent foundation to continue to build relationships with Native Peoples. Other ways we’ve built connections have been Paula Palmer’s workshops, “Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples”, Iowa Yearly Meeting (Conservative) panel discussion “Building Bridges with Native Peoples”, some Friends participating on the First Nation-Farmer Climate Unity March, support of the Wet’suwet’en Peoples efforts to stop construction of the Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline in British Columbia, and with Decolonizing Quakers.

Other blog posts I’ve written about this in the past can be found here: https://kislingjeff.wordpress.com/?s=prairie+awakening

This is a slideshow of photos I took at the 2017 Prairie Awakening.