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Indigenous radicalism today THE ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS ASSEMBLED FOR THIS SPECIAL These aspects of empire impede our freedom, sabotage our edition on the struggles of indigenous peoples in North health and destroy the well-being of our communities. America demonstrate the myriad and multifaceted ways in Today’s indigenous warriors understand and practice resist- which the original people of this continent are fighting ance as a means of transcending these forces. In this sense, against contemporary colonialism in all of its forms. The “resistance” is no longer a sufficient term to describe what is indigenous peoples of North America, in their cultural, polit- happening among our people; personalities are being recon- ical and intellectual struggles, are redefining what it means to structed, lives re-made and communities re-formed in a be radical. process more akin to “regeneration.” The catalyst for this publication was the 2006 Indigenous Our aim is twofold: to illustrate the elements and dynam- Leadership Forum that took place on June 5-16 at the ics of this movement among indigenous peoples; and to University of Victoria. During that gathering, 31 participants enliven the struggle of all peoples who are confronting capi- committed to building Wasáse, a new radical indigenous talism and imperialism by showing the connections that exist movement. As we go to press, the Wasáse network has swelled between our movements. To this end we have also sought out to 79 people from 26 indigenous nations in North America. contributions from non-indigenous allies. Nineteen settlers within the Canadian state have registered Indigenous peoples are cognizant that we cannot defeat solidarity with the movement. All of the authors in this issue colonial aggression alone. A winning strategy requires that we are either formal supporters or fellow travelers of the move- actively promote solidarity and cooperative action with those ment. who share similar ethical and political commitments. But We have joined forces with New Socialist in collecting solidarity is hard work. It requires a great deal of critical self- these voices of the Wasáse movement because we share in reflection and commitment to action on the part of the settler common the belief that an essential challenge of indigenous population. Coming to grips with colonial privilege by self-determination is the question of how to stop, roll back acknowledging the role that settlers play in the maintenance and dismantle capitalism. Being land-based societies, indige- of empire must be seen as a necessary aspect of the struggle to nous peoples have always been the prime targets of capitalist decolonize. expansion and imperialist objectives. Today they remain at Indigenous peoples today are articulating a new vision of a the forefront of contemporary radicalism and the struggle to human existence for the 21st century. We are critically live with dignity and in harmony with others and the natural rethinking and refashioning the basis of our social and polit- environment. ical lives toward the realization of our freedom as the original Indigenous peoples are also redefining what it means to peoples of this land. We invite readers of this magazine to resist empire. Contemporary colonialism rarely maintains help build the movement. # itself solely through the blunt forces of capitalist exploitation Guest Editors: Taiaiake Alfred (Kanien’kehaka) and and dispossession. Indeed, in order to achieve so much polit- Glen Coulthard (Dene); www.wasáse.org; contact@wasáse.org ical control and physical destruction, colonialism has had to solidify its gains by normalizing the injustices it has perpe- THE ONGOING CONFRONTATION AND OVERT RACISM AT SIX trated against indigenous people. Nations is an ugly reminder that the theft of indigenous lands and oppression of indigenous peoples is a cornerstone of the This means that resistance must confront not only the ille- Canadian state and economy. Solidarity with indigenous gitimate exercise of state and corporate power, but also the movements for self-determination is a critical aspect of social- colonial ideas, values and beliefs that have seeped into our ist organising in Canada. This collaboration with members cultures and psyches. Our freedom is not only constrained by and supporters of Wasáse sheds light on what solidarity and the overtly structural relations of power that we face on a self-determination mean in theory and practice. Many thanks daily basis – such as capitalism, white supremacy, hetero- to Taiaiake Alfred, Glen Coulthard, and our other contribu- patriarchy, state domination and environmental destruction; tors for initiating this important dialogue. # it is also subverted by the reproduction of these forms of power by and within our communities. Deborah Simmons (Settler), Guest Editor new 2 SOCIALIST Box 167, 253 College St. new Toronto, ON M5T 1R5 (416) 955-1581 [email protected] SOCIALIST www.newsocialist.org Issue #58: September-October 2006 NEW SOCIALIST offers radical # THEORY AND PRACTICE # analysis of politics, social movements and culture in the Canadian state and What are warrior societies? . .Taiaiake Alfred and Lana Lowe 4 internationally. Our magazine is a forum for people who want to Final communique of the West Coast Warrior Society . 8 strengthen today’s activism and for Indigenous peoples and the politics of recognition . .Glen Coulthard 9 those who wish to replace global capitalism with a genuinely democratic Socialism from below and Indigenous peoples . .Deborah Simmons 13 socialism. We believe that the Indigenous feminism without apology . .Andrea Smith 16 liberation of the working class and oppressed peoples can be won only Canadian capitalism and dispossession of Indigenous peoples Todd Gordon 18 through their own struggles. For more information about the publisher of this # # magazine, the New Socialist Group, THE WASÁSE MOVEMENT: RETHINKING STRUGGLE please see the inside back cover. Wasase statement of principles . 20 GUEST EDITORS Voices From the Indigenous leadership forum . 21 Taiaiake Alfred Glen Coulthard Deborah Simmons # HOMEFRONT # EDITORIAL ASSOCIATES A young warrior’s perspective on the conflict at Six Nations .Taiaiake Alfred 23 Shannon Badcock Richard Banner Anarchist-Indigenous solidarity at Six Nations .Richard Day & Sean Haberle 26 Neil Braganza Labour-Indigenous solidarity at Six Nations . .Rolf Gerstenberger 28 Jackie Esmonde Susan Ferguson Nuu-chah-nulth struggles Todd Gordon against sexual violence. Interview with Na’cha’uaht & Chiinuuks 29 Denise Hammond Clarice Kuhling Indigenous labour organizing in Saskatchewan . .Brock Pitawanakwat 32 Sebastian Lamb Harold Lavender Nunavut: the party’s over . .Jackie Price 34 Alex Levant Morgan MacLeod David McNally # INTERNATIONAL # Keith O’Regan Sandra Sarner To be ungovernable . .Jeff Corntassel 35 Hamid Sodeifi Why are Indigenous soldiers serving in Iraq? . .Michael Yellow Bird 38 Nathaniel Thomas Tony Tracy Barred From the “socialist” paradise . .Teiowí:sonte Thomas Deer 39 Jeff Webber DESIGN & COVERS # CULTURE AND REVIEWS # Teiowí:sonte Thomas Deer (front cover images) Gord Hill (back cover images) Howard Adam’s OTAPAWY . .Deborah Simmons 40 Greg Sharzer (front cover layout) Sandra Sarner (design/layout). Alan Cairn’s First Nations and Signed articles do not necessarily the Canadian state. .. .Adam Barker & Taiaiake Alfred 41 represent the views of the Editors or members of the New Socialist Group. Basics of Wasase Essentials List. 42 New Socialist is a member of the CMPA. Printed at JT Printing, a union shop # TIME TO ORGANIZE . 43 new SOCIALIST 3 What are warrior societies? BY TAIAIAKE ALFRED AND LANA LOWE The history of indigenous peoples in the modern era is, fundamentally, a story of struggle to overcome the effects of colonization. And it is a story of the Canadian government’s manipulation of vulnerabilities that have been created through the process of dispossession. The indigenous strug- gle has expressed itself in efforts to gain intellectual and cultural self-determination, economic self-sufficiency, spiri- tual freedom, health and healing, and recognition of political autonomy and rights to use and occupy un-surrendered lands. The re-emergence of warrior societies in the modern era is one element of a larger struggle of indigenous peoples to survive. Contemporary warrior societies emerged in the late 1960s, with the rise of the Mohawk Warrior Society at Akwesasne and Kahnawake. The Mohawk Warrior Society was estab- lished by a group of young people committed to reviving traditional Kanien’kehaka teachings, language and structures in Kanien’kehaka territories. Accordingly, the strategy and tactics employed by the Mohawk Warrior Society are commu- nity and/or land based. The overall strategy was to repossess and protect Kanien’kehaka territories according to the Kaienerekoawa, the Great Law of Peace. The tactics employed by the Mohawk Warrior Society included barricades and BYDRAWING GORD HILL, KWA KWAKA WAKW roadblocks (to prevent Canadian and U.S. authorities from advocate for what at the time were called “Indian rights.” entering Kanien’kehaka territories), evictions (of unwanted This political awareness was grounded in the philosophy and people living in Kanien’kehaka reserve lands) and occupations tactics of the American civil rights movement: sit-ins, rallies (repossession of lands within Kanien’kehaka territory). and marches to pressure the US and Canadian governments 1970S: RED POWER ALLIANCES to treat indigenous people fairly