[Indigsol] Peoples Social Forum Invite for Indigenous Participation, plus...

Sun Jul 6 03:50:43 PDT 2014

The following invitation to the Peoples Social Forum (Aug 21-24 in Ottawa)
is tailored specifically for Indigenous peoples and communities, but most
of it applies more broadly too. Please consider participating, as well as
helping to spread the word!

But first, two multi-media items:

The film we screened on June 19th, *RESIST; The Unist'oten's Call to the
Land* (2014, 29min), is now available in full online, either at the film's
website http://www.resistfilm.com/ or directly on vimeo
http://vimeo.com/99698038 (it can also be downloaded at vimeo for use in
screenings etc)
- and a reminder that there is an upcoming meeting to plan local solidarity
with the Unist'ot'en camp: Thursday, July 10, 6:00pm, at CUPW (377 Bank at
Gilmour)

And - the *Red Man Laughing* show that premiered on CBC radio June 20 is
now available online: http://www.cbc.ca/news/red-man-laughing-1.2689124 "a
special hour of indigenous comedy, music and interviews hosted by stand up
comic Ryan McMahon. Guests include champion hand-drum singer Fawn Wood,
singer/songwriter Nick Sherman, author and film-maker Richard Van Camp, and
Canada Reads winning author, Joseph Boyden."

Now, here is the invite and details for the Peoples Social Forum
(including a notice near the bottom about the Indigenous Solidarity
Assembly that IPSMO is helping to organize):

*The Peoples’ Social Forum in Ottawa – an invitation for Indigenous
participation *
http://ipsmo.wordpress.com/2014/06/18/peoples-social-forum-indigenous-participation/

*~ please spread widely ~*

After over two years of cross-Canada planning, the Peoples’ Social Forum
will be taking place August 21-24 in Ottawa, based at and around University
of Ottawa facilities. Organizers are expecting thousands from across the
country to attend this gathering that is aimed at fostering activist
involvement of individuals and civil society organizations that want to
transform Canada as it exists today. The Forum is intended as a space for
social movements to meet and converge, for the free expression of
alternative ideas and grassroots exchanges and for artistic manifestations
reflecting a diversity of demands and aspirations.

The gathering will open on August 20 with a traditional Algonquin ceremony
at sunrise. August 21 and 22 will see hundreds of participant-led workshops
happen simultaneously at the University of Ottawa, and a celebratory
peoples’ march in the afternoon.  Saturday, August 23 will be a day of
movement assemblies.  The last day there will be a final all-movements
assembly and closing ceremony.   The Peoples’ Social Forum is also a joyous
gathering with special exhibitions, work and peoples history tours, film
screenings, critical mass rally, a pow-wow, street performances, concerts,
games, and building new relationships. The Peoples’ Social Forum is a means
of  stimulating debate, discussion and furthering our sense of community
and collective action.

The Peoples’ Social Forum is intended to bring a diversity of peoples
together and is especially focused on bridging the English / French –
Quebec / rest of Canada divide, as well as centering the participation and
leadership of the Original Peoples of this land.

As such, we’ve prepared this short invite and welcome tailored to local
Indigenous people and communities, on how to be involved in the lead-up
process to the Forum, and during the Forum itself.

Video wampum invite: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAZyy7SaRUk

* In advance / preparation:*

Can you see yourself doing any of the following for the forum:

Giving a workshop? Performing music or dance? Creating art to display
and/or sell? Serving as a healer in the healing space? Helping with
programming for the children and youth? Participation in the different
assemblies? Helping outreach to other local people and groups? Talk about
how you want to change the world? Screening a film? Reading from and/or
selling your book(s)? Drumming at the big opening event, or at the pow wow?
Organizing the pow wow? Giving a guided walk? Offering traditional
teachings? Guiding people in beading or making ash baskets,  birchbark
containers, or other art / cultural artifacts? Discussing Indigenous
comics? Childraising? Hosting a hand games competition?

There are specific ways to propose your activity, listed below.
- If you don’t see your desired form of involvement, please use the contact
info below to discuss how to sign up for what you’d like to do.

   - Register yourself and your family to come and participate:
   http://www.peoplessocialforum.org/register
   - Host a Workshop / Activity*:
   http://www.peoplessocialforum.org/host-a-workshop
   * Deadline ASAP, no later than mid-July: contact Ana Collins directly
   (details below).
   See the list of what’s already been proposed:
   https://peoplessocialforum.wufoo.com/reports/zi77mlu0elqlmk/
   - Participate as an artist:
   http://www.peoplessocialforum.org/arts-and-culture/
   - Vendors and tabling:
   http://www.peoplessocialforum.org/vendors-and-tabling
   - Volunteer (includes list of roles)
   http://www.peoplessocialforum.org/support
   - Participate in the planning of a Movement Assembly, a large-scale
   participatory discussion and strategy session on a particular topic.
   http://www.peoplessocialforum.org/media-1/
   - Get involved in some other way, or have a question or a suggestion?
   Contact Ana Collins, PSF Indigenous coordinator at anapsf2014 at gmail.com
   or 613-868-6983, or the general PSF email address info-psf-fsp at m2014.net
   - There is a desire to hold a designated space for Elders during the
   Forum – for inquiries or recommendations, please also contact Ana.

*During August 21-24:*

Bring yourself, bring your family, bring your friends – there will be a lot
going on for everyone. Activities will be centred at the University of
Ottawa, but there will be other venues as well, including Victoria Island
and Sparks Street.

Stay tuned for a complete schedule, but please take a moment to register in
advance: http://www.peoplessocialforum.org/register

* Note: A Solidarity Fund is set up to help support the participation of
Indigenous, People of Colour, youth, elders, remote and low-income.

*Overall*

This guide is not an exhaustive description of everything the Peoples
Social Forum has to offer. For more, please explore the website
www.PeoplesSocialForum.org including the ‘FAQ’ (Frequently Asked Questions).

Contact information – for the local ‘expansion committees’ representing
different locations across Canada, for the different Caucuses, and for the
PSF coordinators as listed below – is all accessible at
http://www.peoplessocialforum.org/contact

   - Roger Rashi: Finance and Program, Labour and Quebec,
   rogrash at videotron.ca or 613-236-7230 #7971
   - Darius Mirshahi: Culture and Mobilization, People of Colour and Queer,
   darius_mirshahi at hotmail.com or 613-236-7230 #7977
   - Ana Collins: Logistics and Mobilization, Original Peoples, Youth and
   Women, anapsf2014 at gmail.com or 613-868-6983
   - Sakura Saunders: Communications, (dis)Ability,
   sakura.saunders at gmail.com

----

*Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement Ottawa (IPSMO)*

IPSMO has put together this guide, and is committed to supporting this
process of the PSF, especially involving Indigenous people and solidarity
participation. To that end, we are doing some fundraising in order to
support that participation – if you require financial support, please
contact us (although we may have limited funds).

IPSMO will be facilitating some workshops during the Forum, as well as
leading the coordination of an Indigenous Solidarity Movement Assembly. If
you are interested in being part of that planning process, or know others
who might be good, please do get in touch – you can see the initial
description at
http://ipsmo.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/indigenoussolidarity__thepsf.pdf

We can be contacted at ipsmo at riseup.net or http://www.ipsmo.org – or by
phone, via OPIRG/GRIPO-Ottawa, at 613-230-3076.

—-

*Native Caucus Invitation (August 18-20)* – For Indigenous folks from all
nations!

The Social Forum is scheduled for August 21-24 (Thurs-Sun) in Ottawa. The
potential for good to come from this is tremendous, but the need for all of
our Original Peoples’Caucus to meet ahead of time is more important.

This is an invitation to start our strategizing for positive solutions by
meeting together before the Social Forum.

Our invitation is to meet August 18-20 (Mon-Wed) near Poltimore, Quebec,
which is 30 minutes from Ottawa. Neecha Dupuis’s parents have offered
their land located on 200 acres with a private lake. Bring your camping
gear and tents. Remember to bring your personal items (soap, towel, etc.).
Cooking can be taken care of by friends who helped with Theresa Spence’s
kitchen staff. Because this is potluck, we request food donation and/or
money donations.

Any further information or suggestions can be emailed to either of our
contacts listed below.

This separate time will give all of us the opportunity to strategize
together. Good minds coming together in our own way.

Hope to see you there.

Nya:weh,

Wes Elliot, wes.at.6 at gmail.com
Neecha Dupuis, neecha at hotmail.com

—-

~ ~ ~ ~
Indigenous Peoples Solidarity Movement Ottawa
http://ipsmo.org
https://facebook.com/ipsmo
http://youtube.com/ipsmo
http://bit.ly/indigsol (newsletter)
~ ~ ~ ~
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