decolonizingsolidarity

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Supporting Indigenous struggles humbly, usefully, powerfully

When should non-Indigenous people listen, when should they speak? When is it important to be humble and step back; and when is it important to be courageous and speak up? Liking this guidance from Tim Howard, Pakeha community development worker and former priest, Aotearoa/NZ: “A huge part of being an ally is being in a relationship of respect with Māori, with tangata whenua, and actually acting that out. The other part is that there is a challenge to us not to go into the relationship as passive, unthinking servants but to go in with some strength, with some spine. We’re more use to Māori if we’re coming in with all our skills, all our strength, and particularly all our integrity”  (from Jen Margaret’s book Working as Allies; Supporters of Indigenous Justice Reflect)

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Twenty-five Indigenous projects (Decolonizing)

1 Claiming 2 Testimonies 3 Story-telling 4 Celebrating survival 5 Remembering 6 Indigenizing 7 Intervening 8 Revitalizing 9 Connecting 10 Reading 11 Writing 12 Representing 13 Gendering 14 Envisioning 15 Reframing 16 Restoring 17 Returning 18 Democratizing 19 Networking 20 Naming 21 Protecting 22 Creating 23 Negotiating 24 Discovering 25 Sharing

These projects - these strategic research agendas - are from the book Decolonizing Methodologies by Linda Tuhiwai Smith. A very, very good book.  [Smith, Linda Tuhiwai.  (2012).  Decolonizing methodologies : research and indigenous peoples.  London :  Zed Books]

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These are common dynamics in 'Australia' too ... as described here http://www.kooriweb.org/foley/essays/essay_9.html ... which inspired Decolonizing Solidarity (the book) ... hopefully of use in other struggles.

(random pic of dude at Burning Man)

The Unbearable Whiteness of Being at Standing Rock

Most of us are watching history being made through our Facebook feed.  The internet is a place where true sacredness can get lost in translation and dialogue is predisposed to being polarized and “issue” oriented. A friend said in September, “ You can’t explain the feeling of the camp up there.  You have to just go.  It’s a lot less complicated and much more peaceful once you’re just there by the water with everyone.

That’s why when I started to see posts on my feed from indigenous people crying out that the behavior of white people at camp was getting out of hand, I knew it was serious. There’s always bad behavior and the fact people were speaking up loudly all of a sudden meant the situation was getting critical.

I read a report of two “Burning Man/circuit festival type” white women who led a circle at the Oceti Sakowin Spirit Fire. They spoke of the goddess and the patriarchy. They told the native men traditionally tending the fire they needed to be quiet.  They policed how the native women spoke, told them to not speak out of turn and to hold their comments for later. They weren’t wearing skirts or dresses by the sacred fire as they were asked.  The indigenous women who witnessed this were very upset about it and didn’t know what to do.

An anonymous repost: “Just received this message from friend and outstanding journalist at standing rock. OMG girl so many white ppl here at standing rock you need to check Hard. Worst ugliest attitudes. The vibe is so off this time. And those “encountered are just presumptuous prickly rude and Very entitled.” And they have made a healing chakra zone and are right now rubbing on eachother.”

And: “A camp came in the other day set up a dome played bass music at night with light poi spinners…!! Aah. I was on the other side of the river. Menfolk started hollering…”We’re in PRAYER over here! “It took almost 30 minutes for them to shut down. Huge fire when we have to conserve wood to keep warm and for lodges.”

One doesn’t have to have the skills of Margaret Mead to figure out who these people are on the cultural landscape. They are the urban bourgoise for whom which climate change has become the newest charismatic religion.  Daniel Pinchbeck is one of the priests, ayahuasca is its communion, yoga its prayer and Burning Man it’s annual tent revival where Gitterponies are still permitted to wear bikinis and “indian” headdresses and arrive on the tarmac via helicopter. I have seen it with my own eyes - people who actually believe humanity has already achieved a state of being “all one” despite the fact indigenous people are being maced, dragged out of sweat lodges, branded with numbers, separated from eachother and being held in dog kennels by militarized police. Checking white privilege isn’t about them, and Black Lives Matter is a buzz kill. Every decade I’ve seen has had it’s own version of this and the fact the insanity is only getting worse is a testament to white people’s inability to learn.

“White allies, collect your people,” – Lakota, read one transmission.

It has come to this - again.

This cry can’t be ignored.  

I think this is a very literal request for white people who know other white people who behave like this to do everything in their power to get them to stop and at the very least to make sure they don’t go up to Standing Rock and create all kinds of complicated toxic nastiness. At the same time there is still an increasing call for people of all nations who have something to offer to go up there and offer bodily help.

There are already many resources out there to help non-indigenous people who are planning on going to Standing Rock as well as information on how to help at home. (Google - Standing Rock Primer.) I’ve compiled a small list of suggestions after consulting with some elders and peers who have been deep in it from the beginning. It is not my intention to discourage anyone from going to Standing Rock nor to shame anyone for making mistakes or being incorrect.  First off, let’s stop this pipeline by centering indigenous leaders in this turning point in history.

+ Educate yourself around the indigenous leaders/organizations are who are putting themselves out publicly in this movement. Dallas Goldtooth/Indigenous Environmental Network, Lyla Juna Johnson, LaDonna Tamakawastewin Allard, Winona LaDuke/Honor the Earth, Two Spirit Camp, Red Warrior Camp, Sacred Stone Camp,West Coast Women Warriors and Myron Dewey are just some that come to mind.  You can contact these people and organizations directly to ask as how you can best help on the ground up in Standing Rock but don’t expect everyone to have the time to answer all your questions. As of now they are still asking help from all nations but pay attention as things can change from day to day.  Starting your own resource group in your town can take the load off some of these leaders but make sure your local group is aware of and in relationship with other indigenous led organizations.

+ Notice who the elders are in any circle.  Do they have a chair? Do they need a cup of coffee, wood for the fire pit at their tent?  In academia they call it “de-centering yourself” At Standing Rock it’s called pay attention to your elders and if you have any questions try to hold off and see if those questions can’t just be answered by observing others and just being quiet. We are taught as white people that when we don’t know something we are supposed to ask a lot of questions.  This is not how things roll up in Standing Rock.  Asking an indigenous person a ton of questions is basically forcing them into unpaid labor because of your lack of knowledge and wisdom. When in doubt, help an elder, be quiet as much as possible and observe.

+ Sacred fires are burning at Standing Rock and that means everyone there is in ceremony.  There is appropriate clothing one should wear by the sacred fire. Do not use swear words.  If you are not indigenous, hold your sacred objects privately in your vehicle or tent unless directed otherwise.  Center indigenous people in ceremony and if you have a meditation/yoga/chanting/ritual practice, do it on your own discreetly.  If you are in the helping profession be aware that others may have traditional ways of dealing with trauma and sickness.  Help them get what they need in their own tradition if that’s what they are calling for before suggesting your own techniques. When we were up there we didn’t hear a single secular non-indigenous song sung at camp save for when a native man played a Willie Nelson song to the river on his cell phone at dawn and we opened the flap of our tent and saw a blue heron on the water and wept.  In terms of being white, not forcing your own music on others is always a good idea. White people are often asked to do the work of discovering our own indigeneity, but that doesn’t mean wiccan pagan or new age practices are welcome unless asked. Such displays usually come off as white people needing to center themselves in indigenous space yet again.

+ No one cares if you’re one eighth Cherokee.  I am one eighth Cherokee and you’ll just have to trust me on this.

+ You are not a hero.  Going up to Standing Rock isn’t a sacrifice, it’s a privilege. You are a guest of the Standing Rock Sioux reservation.  You are making history and also bearing witness to a prophecy coming true. You are the future. Be humble.

+ Don’t just bring hummus and chips to the feast.  Or your bags of random used clothes. You are white.  It’s likely you know some people with means.  Hit your community up for as much money as you can and show up with army tents, winter gear, wood stoves, semi trucks full of hay, wind turbines and organic grass fed beef.  Native American people deserve this after genocide and government cheese. Bring donations for the kitchen or enough food and supplies with you to be self-sustaining as you never know if supplies will be running low at camp.  

+ Be self-reflective when it comes to your romantic ideas about indigenous people. Myron Dewey, Lyla June Johnson and Kanahus Manuel and Candi Brings Plenty may be some of the most incredible humans we have seen thus far on the planet, but be aware that even the New York Times is cropping the screaming white hippies on the front lines with the dread locks out of the picture so even you watching the images on your computer screen can feel like you’re the only white person who cares.

+ Don’t go to Standing Rock to data mine or Instagram your #authenticlife.

+ Do not go to Standing Rock for your art project, photo shoot or blog.  Indigenous people are already doing this and it’s time for them to be at the forefront of this movement and get the recognition and funding they deserve.

+ Work hard. “We had a lot of hippies over at Sacred Stone for a while. We finally asked them to work and they left for Iowa. It was that easy.”

+ Unless directly asked to attend, do not seek out sweat lodges and other traditional ceremonies. Be present to the fact that being at Standing Rock IS being in ceremony already.

+ One of the most colonized behaviors one can perpetrate is that of policing others. Amazing things are happening in Standing Rock and white people are a part of it, from the Rabbis and Christian clergy at the front lines confronting the police state down to the gutterpunks with puppies on ropes at camp who know what being on the right side of history means. When Myron Dewey greets us on his live feed with, hello relatives, yes, I believe he is talking to all of us. Policing the behavior of other white people to draw attention to how correct we are is a way of not dealing with our own whiteness, and whiteness is ALWAYS a problem.  The incidents I mentioned above are critical.  People behaving in this manner are not welcome at camp and probably need to be asked to leave.  Indigenous people should not be put in the position to do this. White allies need to step up and deal with our own and get to the root of why incidents like this continue to happen. However, we need to do this without making our own grossness and micro-aggressions the center of this story. If you’re reposting this article and not doing anything concrete to stop the pipeline you are part of the problem.

Standing Rock is bigger than this. Standing Rock is where your feet are.  Everyone drinks water.  All land is sacred. - written by Bett Williams.

A great resource link http://www.standingrocksolidaritynetwork.org/resource-packet.html?link_id=5&can_id=e78a16df3dcd5d0dc4769bbb132058af&source=email-answering-the-call-to-action-for-standing-rock-solidarity&email_referrer=answering-the-call-to-action-for-standing-rock-solidarity&email_subject=answering-the-call-to-action-for-standing-rock-solidarity

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Recognise and Treaty – interesting background

This is a neat little clip which provides important insight into the politics of the late 1980s and by extension, those of today. It touches on the politics of the deaths in custody royal commission, reconciliation, treaty and land rights. It begins and ends with comments from Gary Foley (see more on the goori2 YouTube Channel).

GARY FOLEY: “It’d be pretty scandalous if after [the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, RCIADIC], this idea of ‘reconciliation’ as a significant part of the conclusions... would be an absolute and utter bizarre and disgusting joke”.

But that is exactly what happened – the notion of reconciliation was only one out of nearly 400 recommendations, yet it was chosen by government as a significant element to pursue. There have been several follow up reports about RCIADIC showing that many of the other recommendations were not implemented; indeed over-incarceration and the deaths in custody associated with that are unchanged.

Interestingly, following the decade on reconciliation, which again came up with a wide-ranging set of social justice policies (the Roadmap for Reconciliation) as well as options for a formal reckoning (treaty or changing the constitution), the idea of constitutional recognition was selected by government in preference to treaty, and in the context of massive cutbacks to Aboriginal community-controlled organisations.

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2bu9B3W8Ws)

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Gary Foley’s speech at the launch of Decolonizing Solidarity (edited)

Activist, academic and actor Gary Foley, Readings, Carlton, 3 September 2015                                             

Robbie stole one of my best lines already tonight. And that was that I was going to say that one of the really admirable things about Clare is that she somehow or other managed to work with two of the most difficult blackfellas in Australia, me and Robbie. To have survived that is in itself a pretty remarkable achievement.

[…]

This book that I’m here launching tonight is a really significant and important thing. This is a really important book because when I was writing my PhD the original title that I had for my PhD was going to be ‘when your best friends are your worst enemies’. And by that I meant at the time, I was specifically thinking of the Australian Labour Party because the Australian Labour Party likes to present itself as the great friends of the Aborigines, and they like to portray the Conservatives as the natural enemies of the Aboriginal people. But I would contend that the Australian Labour Party in power has done more damage to Aboriginal people and their interests than anything the Conservatives have ever done in my entire lifetime.

So there is a significant problem out there in the community with those who like to think that they support us.

And this book is such an important corrective tome in terms of educating people as to how they need to be as human beings, and as political activists, if they think that they support our struggle.

And as Clare suggested, this is going to save me and Robbie and people like us a hell of a lot of time that we’ve wasted in the past trying to explain to people.

[…]

And so I’d strongly urge not only buy the book, and get it signed by Clare and have it valued-added by me and Robbie signing it also, it’s not a question of just that, it’s a question of you actually taking it home and reading it folks. That’s the important part of all of it, because I believe that this book is going to make a significant contribution to the broader understanding that is so necessary in a society where at the moment all of the mainstream media, all of the major political parties and everyone who thinks they are a supporter of Aboriginal people is out there strongly supporting the notion of this nonsensical proposition of Recognise then that illustrates the need for a book like this. There needs to be a more in-depth understanding of what the issues are so that people aren’t conned - well-intentioned good well-meaning people are not conned - into supporting ridiculous propositions such as the Recognise campaign.

And just in case you don’t know why it’s nonsensical, folks, I’ll very quickly in ten seconds tell you why. Because if you know anything about history, as Clare and I do, then you would know that the chances today of a referendum question involving anything to do with Aborigines, the chance of such a referendum question being passed by the Australian people is Buckley’s and none. We are living in the post-Pauline Hanson era, we are living in the post-Keith Windshuttle era, we are living in the post-John Howard era. In such times as these there is no chance that any proposition that goes to a referendum is going to be passed by the Australian people in the current political context. So it’s laughable that so much energy is being spent and wasted debating and arguing over what the nature of the question is going to be and all that. It doesn’t matter what the question is, it’s not going to be passed. So let’s not give any more credence to the New Right of Black Australia […] who are pushing this Recognise campaign.

The Recognise campaign is a deliberate diversion to take your attention away from the real issues that are confronting Black Australia. How about the Incarceration rates in this country folks? How about the health statistics in this country? How about the continuing impoverishment of Aboriginal people?

[…]

I’d like to say to you all: buy the book, I’m not trying to discourage you from value-adding by getting me and Robbie to sign it as well, because when me and Robbie are dead that book is going to be worth a hell of a lot more money to you. But folks, you will have read it in the meantime and that’s the important thing.

And so therefore, because it’s such an important book in the context of Australia as it is now and the need for Australians to have a far greater level of awareness than they currently have, then this book is really important and that’s why I’m really, really pleased to be here tonight and declare that this book is now launched.

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Robbie Thorpe’s speech at the launch of Decolonizing Solidarity

Activist, local identity, community leader Robbie Thorpe speaking at Readings, Carlton, 3 September 2015  

Firstly I want to recognise the true sovereigns, custodians, caretakers of this land, part of the Kulin nation: Wurundjeri, Bunerong people. I want to pay my respects and acknowledge Clare, because I know how difficult it was for her to create this book. Not only was she doing her studies, she was bringing up a couple of kids at the same time. Me and Clare – I think it was around 2005 that we first met – maybe a little bit earlier. At that time we were campaigning around the Commonwealth Games, Stolenwealth Games as we called it. And we set up a group called the Black GST which Clare was very much a part of, a very instrumental part of. And Gary and a couple of others, a small group of people. And from that time we also ran a radio program together called Fire First. And throughout that time we’ve had a bit of a discussion around issues. I don’t like the word reconciliation, it’s another word that this country’s dirtied, like recognition, they’ve become dirty words to me. But our show was based around the idea of reconciliation. I think we did prove that we can work together and come up with some good results and some good programming. We’re still going today.

I’d like to thank Clare for all of that. And whilst we were doing that she was collating this book. It’s a lot to do with her experiences with Dr Gary Foley and his teachings at Melbourne Uni. And a lot to do with my life, around my family and my community type of politics.

I predict that this book’s going to do really well. There’s a niche here for this type of book to be written. I asked Clare yesterday whether in her research did she find much else written in a similar vein. Not really, she said.

This is what’s needed. And I’m sure Gary will agree that a lot of our time has been educating people one on one and it’s taken up a lot of our time and energy and resources. Hopefully this book can fill that void.

I don’t think it’s just going to be important for our people in this country. I think it’s going to be a global sort of a guide in terms of how you can recognise the original people of this planet, who are spiritually linked to the land and why it’s so important that you do need to understand this information and how you can contribute in a real way rather than having your heads in the sand and being in that deep state of denial. I say denial is a psychological problem. It’s a mental health problem. It’s a people who can’t deal with reality. We aren’t the problem, as my beautiful aunt Rosalie Kunoth-Monks says, we’re not the problem. That’s the problem: people being able to deal with the reality. This is our land. We never ceded it. We never treatied. We never gave consent to anybody to occupy our land without duress or undue influence. Every law that was ever created in this country has a genocidal character about it. Nothing good. No one can tell me any law that was ever good that was made for our people in this country. Apart from the fact that there’s no jurisdiction. Anyway, I don’t want to go on.

I want to say thank you Clare for your hard work. I know it would have been tough putting up with Foley all them years! But I’m sure that it was just as hard putting up with me, and I want to say sorry for all that. But I really appreciate all your hard work Clare and your commitment and your vision and hopefully this book reaches the target it was meant for. I hope it’s a best seller.

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A book review by Jane de Belleville on the site Anarchy & the EYLF Pirates

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A review of the book Decolonizing Solidarity by Genevieve Grieves and Maddee Clark in Overland Journal

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There has been an accusation of racism and a response. See how the script typically plays out.

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“White Peoples Roles & Responsibilities:

*We are called to commit to the struggle for liberation NOW*

Show up

Stay off the megaphone

Direct media to Black leadership

Follow direction of Black leadership

Protest from our position (we are not Mike Brown, carry signs challenging white supremacy)

Call-in/collect white folks who are causing harm and/or breaking guidelines set by Black leadership

Meet level of escalation with police, do not exceed it

We have a strategic commitment to militant nonviolent resistance – honor that

Recognize group responsibility before, during, and after action. Ensure everyone is bailed out of jail and strive to do court support

When planning white specific solidarity actions, target spaces of white power, and don’t speak for Black people but about white culpability” (x)

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sorry, i meant to ask before i reblogged, is it ok If I reblog/share some resources from this site? I found this site, looking for a copy of 'Decolonizing Solidarity: Dilemmas and Directions for Supporters of Indigenous Struggles' by Clare Land.

Yep that’s fine - go for it! Thanks for asking. Have you found a way to get the book yet?

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Code of Ethics for Antiracist White Allies

This is a 10-part code for those interested in working as an ally in ethical ways. Put together by JLove Calderon and Tim Wise. Considers privilege, accountability, giving credit, sharing resources, sharing proceeds from paid ally work, supporting struggles led by people of colour, getting white people involved in anti-racism. http://jlovecalderon.com/code-of-ethics-for-antiracist-white-allies/

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This is a brilliant ‘provocation,,, intended to intervene in some of the current tensions around solidarity/support work….’ 

Includes a 10 paragraph discussion of current tensions, followed by recommendations and guidance.

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Genocide = ecocide

Robbie Thorpe delves into the colonial ideas embedded in language, and into how the values of colonialism clash with the world views of the original people of this land (Australia).

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Advice for white Indigenous activists in Australia (Robbie Thorpe)

Robbie Thorpe is a member of the Gunai and Maar nations. I think this video is really important because it challenges supporters of Aboriginal people to ask themselves if they are really supporting Aboriginal agendas, or imposing their own ideas, picking and choosing what to support. Robbie is a broadcaster on 3CR, you can listen live or listen to past programs for up to a week via the 3CR website, www.3cr.org.au

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Advice for white Indigenous activists in Australia (Gary Foley)

Gary Foley, community and academic historian, activist, actor and member of the Gumbainggir nation talks about why impulsive actions to support Aboriginal people can be a problem. It is important to reflect on who you are, why you want to support Aboriginal struggles, and how to do this, and know about local struggles, not just faraway ones.