Research guides: Indigenous Book Club & Discover Indigenous Authors: Action/Activism Links and Discussion

Activism Opportunites

Image by Peg Hunter - Divest Wells Fargo - Native People Not For Sale - CC BY-NC 2.0

As part of the solidarity we hope to show through the Indigenous Book Club, this year we are arranging a letter writing campaign in support of Indigenous sovereignty movements, specifically #1492LandBackLane. If you would like to get involved, please feel free to make changes to the letter listed below and send it to your sitting Member of Parliament. A list of MPs can be found on the House of Commons website.

To [Name of Member of Parliament];

I am writing today in support of Haudenosaunee Land Defenders and #1492LandBackLane, who are defending their treaty territories for the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation. The Haudenosaunee have responsibilities as stewards of these Lands to defend these spaces from environmental harm and extractive ways of life. In doing so, they are risking themselves to live up to their obligations to the Land.

As my Member of Parliament, I ask that you support an immediate cessation of the police presence and surveillance of Haudenosaunee Land Defenders and an immediate addressing of the sovereign treaty rights of the Six Nations of the Grand River. As a government, I ask that you address the issues that the Land Defenders are asking and seeking to address, namely the stopping of all pipeline development on sovereign Indigenous Lands where consent is not granted and supports for encampment residing and homeless individuals.

I am distressed that the Government of Canada and its provincial counterparts continue to use tactics of violence and intimidation against Indigenous Land Defenders everywhere and call on the Government to cease these police orders. I ask that as a Member of Parliament, that you support the end of injunctions, arrests and other physically and institutionally violent acts against Indigenous peoples. I ask that you support good faith negotiations with Indigenous peoples across Canada to be able to exercise their treaty and sovereign rights on these Lands that are now known as Canada.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Find Members of Parliament - Members of Parliament - House of Commons of Canada

1492 Land Back
Six Nations Land Defenders have mobilized to stop the the Mackenzie Meadows housing development project bordering the town of Caledonia. Mackenzie Meadows is one of several housing developments within the area that are directly violating the sovereignty of the Haudenosaunee. Collectively they remain firm in their stance that action must be taken to stop the ongoing development of indigenous lands. See the various links below.
Tiny House Warriors
The Tiny House Warriors: Our Land is Home is a part of a mission to stop the Trans Mountain pipeline from crossing unceded Secwepemc Territory.
Ten tiny houses will be built and placed strategically along the 518 km Trans Mountain pipeline route to assert Secwepemc Law and jurisdiction and block access to this pipeline.

NO to the Transmountain Pipeline
We, the Secwepemc, are standing for clean water, healthy salmon and for the livlihood of our people. Living in Secwepemc Territory, we are in ceremony and prayer. We, like all life depend on clean water and the Secwepemcetkwe (Thompson River) as well as all waterways along the proposed TMX pipeline route are at grave risk of being poisoned. Our actions to stop the TMX pipeline are led by the Secwepemc people and supported by Secwepemc Elders and Hereditary leadership. The Secwepemc people have full jurisdiction and authority over Secwepemc Territory and we say No TMX pipeline. Explore and share FB posts from the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/wethesecwepemc/.
150 Acts of Reconciliation
Activehistory.ca published a list of 150 acts that Canadians can undertake to think about Indigenous-settler relationships in new ways. Many of these are small, everyday acts that average Canadians can undertake, but others
are more provocative that encourage people to think about Indigenous-settler relationships in
new ways. We encourage you to use #150Acts to share your engagement with each item on the
list.
Graphic History Collective
The Graphic History Collective (GHC) is a group of activists, artists, writers, and researchers passionate about comics, history and social change. In 2017, the Graphic History Collective launched Remember | Resist | Redraw: A Radical History Poster Project, a collaborative project featuring works by artists and writers committed to promoting art, activism, and alternative history in what is today known as Canada. Remember | Resist | Redraw posters offer alternative perspectives on well-known historical events, and highlights histories of Indigenous peoples, women, workers, and the oppressed that are often overlooked or marginalized in mainstream historical accounts.
Right to Play
Right To Play partners with more than 70 Indigenous communities to improve access to community-led, culturally relevant play-based programs that empower First Nations, Inuit, and Métis youth to build life skills. The journey started in 2010 when we were invited by the Chiefs of Moose Cree and Sandy Lake First Nations, alongside the Chiefs of Ontario, to support programs in their communities.
Over more than a decade, we have developed a program model that grounds our commitment to walk in partnership with Indigenous communities and puts reconciliation into action.
Solidarity Art Space
A group of settlers maintaining this online store and living on Lenape territory, Sinixt territory and Snuneymuxw territory. Solidarity Art Space is an online store focused on providing a space for designs sanctioned by Indigenous leadership to be sold with all funds going directly to the Wet’suwet’en. The purpose of this project is to reach a wide audience of supporters to maximize the funds raised for Indigenous Land Defense, and to maintain this space as an ongoing fundraiser. We have followed the fundraiser protocols on the Unist’ot’en and Gidimt’en (Yintah Access) website and have permission to hold this fundraiser for the Wet’suwet’en, though we would like to acknowledge that we in no way speak for or on behalf of Gidimt’en and Unist’ot’en.
Wet'suwet'en - "Heal the People, Heal the Land"
UNIST’OT’EN – PEOPLE OF THE HEADWATERS
The Unist’ot’en (C’ihlts’ehkhyu / Big Frog Clan) are the original Wet’suwet’en Yintah Wewat Zenli distinct to the lands of the Wet’suwet’en. Over time in Wet’suwet’en History, the other clans developed and were included throughout Wet’suwet’en Territories. The Unist’ot’en are known as the toughest of the Wet’suwet’en as their territories were not only abundant, but the terrain was known to be very treacherous. The Unist’ot’en recent history includes taking action to protect their lands from Lions Gate Metals at their Tacetsohlhen Bin Yintah, and building a cabin and resistance camp at Talbits Kwah at Gosnell Creek and Wedzin Kwah (Morice River which is a tributary to the Skeena and Bulkley River) from seven proposed pipelines from Tar Sands Gigaproject and LNG from the Horn River Basin Fracturing Projects in the Peace River Region. Link is to various sources of information and initiatives with which you can help. Also, follow @wetsuweten_checkpoint.
Settle In Settlers
Queer commentary on Canadian politics, history and its’ lies. All land is Indigenous. All space is public. BLM. Radical politics is the way forward. Frequent posts with call for action that you can participate in.
Defund.ca
List of resources and various calls to action including those related to Indigenous rights. Follow on IG: @defund.ca
Kids Help Phone - 12 Steps to Reconciliation
“What can I do” page with suggestions appropriate for people who are feeling overwhelmed but want to do something about Reconciliation.
Indian Residential School Survivors Society
The Indian Residential School Survivor Society (IRSSS) is a provincial organization with a twenty-year history of providing services to Indian Residential School Survivors (from website). Go to their page to see how you can donate and support survivors.

Educational Resources:

Further events this week from Student Life as part of Indigenous Education Week. (Register for events here)

Dr. Marguerite (Peggy) Hill Memorial Lecture on Indigenous Health
TODAY Wednesday, November 3, 2021
5:30pm - 7:00pm
via Zoom

Join faculty, learners, alumni and community members at this annual lecture that raises awareness about Indigenous health and highlights the outstanding work underway.
This year's keynote panel includes Nadia McLaren, Sara Roque and Andrew BalfourJoin faculty, learners, alumni and community members at this annual lecture that raises awareness about Indigenous health and highlights the outstanding work underway. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Indigenous Health, Temerty Faculty of Medicine via: indigenoushealth.support@utoronto.ca.

Registration: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7DMXFYP

FRIDAY
The Gift of Reclaiming Your Family Medicine: A Storytelling Workshop with Richard Van Camp
Friday, November 5, 6:30pm-7:30pm EDT
Virtual - Zoom

Description: Richard Van Camp, a writer of the Dene nation from Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, will share personal stories that have "saved his bacon" and inspire participants to reflect on and appreciate the medicine of laughter Indigenous communities share. Some personal stories recall his time as a bus driver. Other stories from his nation are shared with permission by Elders and Knowledge Keepers. The presentation will share:

Miracle stories and stories of hope from Elders stories from across Canada.
Reclaimed Moon and Star Knowledge from the South Slave Region of the NWT
Reclaimed Community Calendar document from the South Slave Region of the NWT

Registration: https://forms.office.com/r/sjg79CjqLW

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