Teachings from Indigenous Women Political Leaders in Saskatchewan
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IDENTITY AND SOLIDARITY IN HYBRID SPACES: NARRATIVES OF INDIGENOUS WOMEN POLITICAL LEADERS IN SASKATCHEWAN AND GUATEMALA. A Thesis Submitted to the College of Graduate Studies and Research in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon By Ruth Michelle Beveridge © Copyright Ruth Michelle Beveridge, June 2012. All rights reserved. 'I hereby grant to University of Saskatchewan and/or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or for the duration of my copyright ownership. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also reserve the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter that is included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee.' i ABSTRACT The lives of ten Indigenous women political leaders are bound together with narratives of violence and healing, identity and citizenship, power and solidarity. Although they live in separate countries - the province of Saskatchewan in Canada, and the country of Guatemala in Central America – they share a similar collective history of colonial violence, assimilation and oppression. They are also connected through their work to assert themselves into political spaces that re-humanize and reclaim Indigenous land, rights and dignity. This thesis explores the lives and ideas of these ten Indigenous women political leaders through their stories told in long interviews. Their ethnic identity is their political identity. They are grounded by their Indigenous worldview into which they re-insert notions of equality and women’s rights, reinvesting power and voice into the modern identity of an Indigenous woman. They lead by example, role-modeling to their families and communities a balance of “private” healing of self with the “public” challenges for self-determination to the state and dominant culture. They work in multiple and hybrid spaces, connecting local issues with international rights frameworks. The women’s stories also include non-Indigenous peoples, challenging us to understand the role we play in both the historical meta- narratives as well as the emerging narratives of solidarity. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis is a collective endeavor that was only made possible through the support and patience of many people: My advisor, Dr. Jim Handy, Dept. of History, who introduced me to Guatemala 12 years ago, and went beyond expectations to help me build a program that would reflect my interests. He gave me the space to work in my own way, while responding to my occasional flurry of phone calls with thoughtful questions that would set me onto a new path. Because of his guidance, this was an exceptional, and smooth, learning experience. My committee: Dr. Bonita Beatty, Dept. of Native Studies; Dr. Kalowatie Deonandan, Dept. of Political Studies; and Dr. Pamela Downe, Dept. of Archeology and Anthropology, who supported me to follow the stories wherever they would lead me; and my external, Dr. Priscilla Settee, who offered me important advice and context before I even started writing my thesis. She, as well as Dr. Bonita Beatty, are also Indigenous woman leaders in our community, role models for Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. The Indigenous women in this thesis kept the fire in my belly and the purpose for this thesis alive at every moment. When I wrote, I was always thinking, “Is this what they meant? What would they think of this? Did I get it right?” I was also privileged to become friends with many of the women during this process and that is the greatest gift of all. To Sandra Moran, who made the Guatemala piece possible. Although she is mestiza, not Indigenous, it was her own story of strength and leadership that sparked my thesis topic, and it was her trust in me that opened the doors to meeting such powerful women in Guatemala. And to my family, who all accompanied me to Guatemala: my parents, for bringing me cooked food on the bus and reviewing my chapters; my parents-in-law, Randy and Judy Warick, who looked after my children so I could go to class or study; my amazing children, Angelina and Taras, who gave up many hours these past years to Mommy working on her computer, and who turned “getting my Masters” into a game they would play. And to my husband, Jason Warick, this would not have been possible without him. He not only spent many weekends on his own - looking after the kids and managing the household while I was studying – but his belief in me and the potential of this thesis in contributing to a healthy relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, was the rock that kept me solid. Te amo. iii For my parents, Dan and Angelina Beveridge, who gave me a 250-page book, “The Slaves. An Illustrated History of the Monstrous Evil.” Inside they inscribed, “Dear Michelle, To our loved daughter who is very interested in the issue of Justice, may this book be interesting and thought provoking. Our love and best wishes on your 10th birthday.” Thank you for teaching me to challenge the narratives around me, and to channel my outrage into education and political action. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Prologue ....................................................................................................................... viii A Note About Names and Words ................................................................................... x Chapter One– The Circle of Narratives.......................................................................... 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 Connecting Guatemala and Saskatchewan ................................................................... 14 Guatemala ................................................................................................................. 16 Saskatchewan ............................................................................................................ 19 Beginning the Narratives .............................................................................................. 22 Voicing the Narratives .................................................................................................. 24 Framing the Narratives ................................................................................................. 28 Ordering the Circles ...................................................................................................... 31 The Eagle and the Condor ............................................................................................. 33 Chapter Two – The Early Years.................................................................................... 34 Indigenous Worldviews ................................................................................................ 34 Guatemalan Resistance ................................................................................................. 35 Saskatchewan Isolation ................................................................................................. 44 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 54 Chapter Three– Building A Political Identity .............................................................. 56 Constructing Identities of Resistance and the role of tradition ..................................... 56 Indigeneity and Identity ................................................................................................ 59 Worldview................................................................................................................. 60 Spirituality and Ceremonies ...................................................................................... 62 Place: Land and Home Community .......................................................................... 64 Language ................................................................................................................... 67 Clothing..................................................................................................................... 68 v Identities of “Woman:” Feminism and Motherhood ................................................... 70 Identities of Difference ................................................................................................. 76 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 79 A side quote .............................................................................................................. 79 Chapter Four – The Politics of Violence and Solidarity ............................................. 80 Moving Within the Pores .............................................................................................. 80 Living and Understanding the Violence ......................................................................