[IPSM] Fwd: Callout for Organizers: Indigenous Sovereignty Week

[Dru Oja Jay]

Please forward!


 *General Callout for Organizing Committees for the first annual Indigenous
Sovereignty Week*

Defenders of the Land, a cross-Canada network of First Nations in land
struggle, fighting for Indigenous rights, is issuing a call to like-minded
Indigenous people and groups in communities and cities, as well as
non-Native supporters, to cooperate in organizing a cross-Canada week of
educational events on Indigenous Rights and Indigenous struggles, from
October 25-31, 2009.

We have in mind that this work will reach different audiences: Indigenous
people living in communities, urban Indigenous people, and non-Indigenous
people living in cities and towns.  Events may take place on campuses, in
community centres, in schools, or other locations.

We hope that the process of organizing this week will help build local
relationships between groups and individuals, disseminate ideas of
Indigenism, and generally, contribute to building a cross-Canada movement
for Indigenous rights, self-determination, and justice that is led by
Indigenous communities but with a broad base of informed support.

There will be a range of events, including speaking events, cultural or arts
events, and ceremony where appropriate. Speakers will include activists and
leaders of struggles, elders, Indigenous intellectuals, and supporters.

Based on the direction of the first gathering of Defenders of the Land in
Winnipeg last year, the following have been highlighted as questions to
bring forward:

*Struggles for Indigenous Rights and Self-Determination*

   - Overview of the history of Indigenous organizing
   - Sharing histories and examples of struggle, successes, and challenges.
   - Hearing from local struggles
   - Current legal frameworks - UNDRIP, Section 35, court rulings; the
   concept of aboriginal title
    - Who bears Indigenous rights? Who determines who is Indigenous?
    - What does/would Indigenous sovereignty look like, practically? What
   would be the relationship to the Canadian state? What are viable models of
   cohabitation?
    - What is solidarity? How to do solidarity work in a good way, learning
   from past successes and mistakes. Hearing from specific experiences.


*Indigenous Knowledge, Culture, and Identity*

   - The importance of the relationship to the land, living on the land.
    - Residential schools and other policies of genocide and their impacts
   - Oral stories and histories
   - The status of Indigenous languages
   - The role of ceremony
   - Documenting and maintaining traditional knowledge


*Indigenous Peoples and the Environment
*

   - Environmental racism and environmental justice
   - Impacts of developments on Indigenous peoples and cultures - specific
   examples and campaigns
    - Biodiversity and cultural diversity
   - Traditional understandings of stewardship


*History of Indigenous-Canadian Relations
*

   - The period from contact to the historic treaties
   - The history of the treaties and treaty-making
   - History and impact of the Indian Act
   - What's wrong with the poverty and service-dollars approach to
   Indigenous issues - the horizontal framework of cradle-to-grave dependency
   - The government's current agenda: extinguishment of title, replacement
   of collective rights with individual rights, cash payouts, and assimilation.
   How to name this and resist it.


*Other elements to include, where possible and appropriate
*

   - Ceremony
    - Drum + song
    - Community feast with traditional foods
   - Indigenous language programming
   - Arts programming
   - Youth-focused programming

What does "appropriate" mean in this context? Appropriate means if it is
done under the leadership of Indigenous people, for Indigenous people,
involving the participation of mostly Indigenous people.

*If you are interested in organizing an Indigenous Sovereignty Week in your
area*
If you are interested in organizing educational events in your community
during this week, please contact us by email at defendersoftheland at gmail.com.
We will establish a list to cooperate on developing and organizing this
event. You can find out more about Defenders of the Land at our website. Our
basis of unity is also attached.
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