by Kai Kai Kons, Dec 10, 2012

(Formerly known as Johnny Hawke, Oshkimaadzig Unity Camp / Oshkimaadzig.org)

Sitting around our fire at the Oshkimaadziig Unity Camp – tending the upkeep of our repossession of our people’s Sacred Gathering Place known as Council Rock – I am inspired, confused and frustrated in this time, day and hour as I try to filter through the many words that are being said and “direct actions” in response to an Omnibus Bill C-45 directed to extinguish yet again our way of life and treaty rights. This rant is not an attack at any specific group or person but just a constructive and critical reflection that asks these question:  What happens after the photo-op marches, protests and meetings are over? What are the real solutions?

Chiefs waiting on the People, People waiting on the Chiefs

I recently attended a rally held at Queens Park in Toronto where an estimated 300 of our Anishinabek peoples and supporters gathered for speeches, followed by a march onto a Union of Ontario Indians (U.O.I.) meeting in opposition to the Omnibus Bill C-45 that is supposed to extinguish our rights.  I went to hand out leaflets on our camp and about ACTION (Anishinabek Confederacy to Invoke our Nationhood) and network with other like-minded relatives.

I love seeing our people gather together and the spirit and energy. I was inspired and enthused to see other people from my community attend, speak and help organize this event. We marched right into the Chiefs of Ontario meeting to tell them to listen to their people and stand up to the Government. Our grassroots people were making statements at the march and talking to the Chiefs is that “We are waiting on the Chiefs to stand up against the government” and whereas the Chiefs responded in a direct action of their own on Parliament Hill and in letters to the Prime Minister, “It’s the People that will stand up”

In a Letter to the Prime Minister, Union of Ontario Indians Grand Council Chief Patrick Madahbee stated that, “I cannot, nor would I ever attempt to, control or stop First Nation citizens if they ever decide to have their voices heard in a free and democratic society.”

On December 5, Indian Act Chiefs stormed Parliament Hill to voice their concerns on this Omnibus Bill. U.O.I. Grand Council Chief carried in the 1764 Niagara Covenant Chain belt to show our Nation-to-Nation Relationship that is based on Peace, Coexistence and Non-interference. At this “action” Mahdahbee stated to RCMP when being removed from Parliament Hill: “Let’s see how you like it when you come into our territories,”  giving the impression that we are going to deny access to police forces entering our territories as they have denied access to the Chiefs.

I am curious why the Chiefs are acting now.  They knew about this Omnibus Bill earlier this year. In September the Government announced funding cuts to First Nations Political Organizations.  Are they just now capitalizing on the energy of the grassroots people and using our threats as leverage?  I am not going to jail or willing to die to secure Chiefs salaries.

During the HST rallies and one-day side of the highway marches we seemed to be pretty scary to the Canadian economy, but what would actually happen if the Chiefs talked tough and our people actually shut down the highways and railways for a week, a month? Would we see the Chiefs out on the frontline? What after we win this or that limited struggle?  Return to an elected system that is not our own, return to ways that already mimic a municipality? Would we re-emerge our clan system?

I have assisted Elders and seen many hunters and fishers who provide for our communities being charged by Provincial Ministry of Resources Officers for offenses that breach our Nation-to-Nation contracts. I have family and friends in Grassy Narrows who set up cabins on their traditional territory being charged for doing so and who kick out industry which destroys their forests, where they are criminalized.

I see our relatives being called into court by the Crown for illegal taxation of our people and being charged. I see these people who are going to jail and standing up for our way of life, being denied help and support by from these Chiefs’ organizations. Our people ask these Chiefs for help and support for lawyers to help fight in the courts, only to be denied. “We only represent in house” their offices say, while we the people who are the Nation they claim to represent, we resist colonialism, protect our ways of life, and are criminalized for it.

These Chiefs accept Land Claim Settlements and policies that only further extinguish our rights. Chiefs from the Chippewa Tri-Council, which my community is a part, accepted the Coldwater Narrows land claim settlement, which is in breach of our Nation-to-Nation contracts. I saw in the media the Chief from my community marching up to Parliament. Beausoleil First Nation Chief Roland Monague tried to remove us from our traditional territories, the land claim area and had our tipi removed as earlier this year three of us opted out of this process.  We were and are walking the sovereignty talk. This is why I question these Indian Act governement-funded Chiefs.

What Happens after the Marches?

It ain’t no Omnibus Bill thats going to extinguish our rights.  There are communities who are resisting Indian Act elections, reestablishing their confederacy or clan systems as governance models. There are individuals and communities denying selling our lands and resisting policies such as Specific Land Claims Policy. There is a movement developing to reestablish our Nation-to-Nation Agreements, Intertribal Agreements and Alliances and reclaiming our Warrior Spirit to repossess our lands.

What happens when the marches and protests are over? We want no Indian Act, but when the Govenrment is ready to do away with it what are our own solutions? How far are people ready to go to not surrender?  I am not picking on any specific person or group, but do not let the revolution become a Facebook-fad or a chance for a photo-op.  Let’s reclaim marching, but let’s walk our talk.

IDLE NO MORE, NO SURRENDER

http://oshkimaadziig.org/2012/12/10/idle-some-more/

Video: Oshkimaadzig Unity Camp – Uniting the New People:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RCeVBRxTfQ&feature=youtu.be

 

 

 

Canada, Indigenous