Dear Friends,
We are inviting you to join us in a gathering on the theme
CHIAPAS TO KANEHSATAKE: -BASTA!, at which we will Honour the Corn
Planting Ceremony, Mother Earth and the Peoples. It will take
place in Toronto on Saturday, May 14th at the Glendon campus of
York University (near Lawrence Avenue, east of Yonge), and on
Sunday, May 15th at the Native Canadian Centre at 16 Spadina Rd.
The purpose of this gathering is to bring together First Nations
and non-Native Peoples, so that we can share teachings and learn
with each other about the history of the land we live on, the
experiences of the Peoples who have always lived here, and the
possibilities for working collectively to improve the future for
all of us and our children.
This Gathering is inspired by the most recent visible eruption of
the desperation and anger felt by First Nations Peoples on Turtle
Island: the Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas (the southernmost part
of what is now known as Mexico). The feeling of having no other
option but to take up weapons is not restricted to Chiapas and
the Maya. We can all remember the Mohawk struggle to save The
Pines in Kanehsatake/Oka in 1990. And it has only been twenty
years since the Lakota resistance manifested itself at Wounded
Knee. These are just some of the more memorable instances.
As we look across Turtle Island we also see, of course, the
unarmed determination of First Nations Peoples in many other
places and forms. The Innu of Nitassinan have ceaselessly
campaigned to liberate themselves from the low-level NATO
training flights over their unceded territory. The Saugeen
Ojibway are involved in an intense struggle for the right to
control the regulations for the fishery in their own territories.
The Cree Peoples who live on James Bay have spent decades in the
battle for protection of their way of life and well-being in the
face of massive plans for hydro-electric power development. The
Lubicon People are determined to achieve the settlement of their
Land Claim before Daishowa clearcuts the area. And these, again,
are only a few - out of many - examples of resistance for
survival!
We are all coming to realize that we have made many mistakes. In
particular, as non-Native people, we have much to learn about
living responsibly with the Earth, and treating all of the life
on Earth with respect. This Gathering will create those
opportunities for sharing ideas and knowledge, and for planning
how we can work together more productively in the coming weeks
and decades.
Working together with us (the Turtle Island Support Group) on
this project are a number of others, including: the Glendon
Women's Education and Referral Centre, O-PIRG at York University,
the First Nations and Aboriginal Students Association of York,
the Aboriginal Rights Coalition, and Mayworks Festival for
Working People and the Arts. We have confirmed that guests will
be attending the Gathering from Chiapas, Kanehsatake and other
locales. Won't you please join us?
Motivation for Gathering
As a support group for First Nations Peoples and Organizations,
TISG is inviting Elders, Teachers and activists and other
resource people to show the connections between the issues which
have led to the Zapatista rebellion and the problems and
struggles of the indigenous people in this region. We will also
demonstrate cultural and spiritual connections with particular
regard to Corn. This idea has met with support and enthusiasm
throughout our contact circle among the First Nations. The
following people have agreed to serve as advisors during the
planning of this Gathering: Chief Arnold General, Beaver Clan,
Onondaga Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy; Jake Thomas, an Oral
Historian and Teacher of The Great Law from Six Nations;
Pauline Shirt, Traditional Teacher with the Three Fires Society;
Simon Brascoup, Professor at Carleton University, APIKAN
Indigenous Network; Denise David, traditional longhouse at
Kanehsatake, Wolf Clan. We are approaching others from Moose
Factory and the Saugeen Territories.
OBJECTIVES
1. To encourage non-Native environmentalists to develop a fuller
understanding of First Nations perspectives, spirituality and
current issues, in order to promote dialogue on issues of common
concern.
2. To assist the indigenous people in Chiapas to get their
message out to the world and prepare Torontonians to respond in
appropriate ways as the struggles of the Zapatistas deepen and
intensify.
3. To take advantage of the high level of interest which the
Zapatista rebellion has generated among youth and students, to
bring information to them about First Nations issues and
concerns.
4. To continue building a dialogue with the Latin American
solidarity activist community around First Nations cultural,
social, political and economic struggles.
5. To appeal to the community at large, through education and
understanding, to become active in working for social and
economic justice for the First Nations peoples across Turtle
Island.
HOW THE GATHERING WILL LOOK:
The first day, Saturday, May 14, will be an educational day and
on Sunday, May 15 there will be social activities and networking
for action.
Saturday, May 14, 9 am - ?, Glendon Campus
(Lawrence, east of Yonge St.):
- Welcome from Gathering planning committee
- Traditional Opening Ceremony - Pauline Shirt,
Traditional Teacher, 3 Fires Society
- Learning Circle: Presentations from
Traditional Teachers and Community Leaders on
Recovering History
1. The Conquest (similarities and differences among the various
European invaders
2. How the conquest has continued: recent legislative changes in
Mexico, the Indian Act (focus on effects on women and on how
leaders are chosen), policies of assimilation, racism, cultural
domination and negation, how history is taught, profit-oriented,
blind greed of multinational corporations.
3. The conqueror within us (an opportunity for members of the
Circle to share their thoughts and feelings)
- Lunch: traditional foods from South and North for sale
- Teaching Circle: Mother Earth and All Our Relations
1. the story of Turtle Island and the Three Sisters
2. the story of the People of the Corn
3. other traditional stories, which teach respect for the Earth
and life on it (as appropriate, depending on guests)
- Discussion: human rights, social and economic justice,
environment
- Closing circle.
Sunday, May 15, 1-5 PM, Native Canadian Centre,
16 Spadina Rd.:
- Opening address from Gathering organizers/guests
- Traditional Potluck with Drumming and music
- Talking Circles: networking and introductions to existing and
new projects in which non-Native people can concretely support
First Nations. We will be planning for cooperation on a wide
variety of issues, including employment equity, racism, treatment
of prisoners, policing issues, religious and cultural freedom,
multinationals, environmental concerns, land claims, right to
resources in traditional territories, and how non-Native people
can appropriately support the First Nations on cultural and
political matters.
- Closing Ceremony
WE NEED PEOPLE TO HELP WITH OUTREACH, PLANNING and ORGANIZATION
of the theme areas mentioned above. Planning meetings will be
held Sunday, April 24 and Monday, May 9 at 7 PM at the Peace
Magazine/Voice of Women office, side door, 736 Bathurst St.
Please call 537-3520 for more information.