Scott  Knowles  October  1,2014  

INDIGENOUS  SOLIDARITY    FOR  VEGANS      If   you  are  vegan  and  you  want  participate   in   indigenous   solidarity  work,   first   things   first,   take  your  agenda  and  throw  it  in  the  fire.  Second,  shut  up  and  start  listening  to  indigenous  voices.      I  live  in  what  is  now  known  as  Canada,  on  the  unceded  Coast  Salish  Territories  of  the  Tsleil-­‐Waututh  and   Skwxwu7mesh  Nations   (North   Vancouver).   In   Canada   and   across   Turtle   Island,   there   is   a   long  history  of  colonial  repression,  genocide  and  assimilation.  It  is  a  history  that  vegans  need  to  ensure  we  do  not  repeat.    From  small  pox,  the  criminalization  of  culture,  residential  schools,  the  60’s  scoop  and  countless  other  attempts  of  genocide  and  assimilation,  to  now,  we  have  seen  little  change  in  the  colonial  attitude  that  governs   this   state.   These   systematic   efforts   to   suppress   culture   have   affected   indigenous   peoples  access  to  self-­‐determination,  creating  a  dependency  on  capitalism  and  the  Canadian  government,  and  impoverishing  entire  communities.  The  effects  and  continuation  of  this  oppression  can  be  seen  to  this  day.   From   the   threat   of   industrial   projects   aiming   to   further   colonize   unceded   lands,   to   the   racist  stereotypes   that   permeate   “Canadian  culture”.  From  the  overrepresentation  of  native  people  in  the  prison  system,  to   the   conservative   governments  refusal   to   do   an   inquiry   into   the  hundreds   of   cases   of   missing   and  murdered  indigenous  women.      However,   since   contact,   these  systematic   attempts   of   genocide   and  assimilation   have   not   succeeded.  Indigenous   resistance   has   been   too  strong   to   defeat,   a   resistance   that  continues   to   this   day   and   is   rapidly  building  in  so  called  British  Columbia.    As  this  resistance  builds  we  are  seeing  nations   defeat   government   and   industry   in   courts   that   have   historically   been   used   as   tools   of  repression.  We  are  seeing   indigenous  camps  being  set  up  to  blockade  pipeline  and  mining  projects,  and   to   enact   their   land   and   title   rights.   As   this  movement   grows   there   is   increasing   support   from  settlers  who  want  to  see  justice  for  the  land,  air,  water  and  animals.  However,  as  settlers  we  need  to  ensure  that  we  do  not  co-­‐opt  this  movement,   invisibilize  the  past  or  stand  in  solidarity  only  when  it  suites  our  own  agenda.  We  need  to  ensure  we  do  not  over  simplify   issues,  we  need  to  break  down  

 

 Photo  by  Eliza  Muirhead  

 

our   privilege   and  we   need   to   listen   and   learn   how   to   decolonize   our  work.   This   is   something   that  seems  to  be  particularly  difficult  for  us  vegans.  

 However,   as   counterintuitive   as   vegans  working  towards  indigenous  solidarity  might  seem,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  in  building  a  true   environmental   justice   movement   –   a  movement   that   is   the   only   real   hope   for  saving   animals   and   humans   alike.   It   is   time  that   animal   rights   activists   start   breaking  down  our  analysis,   finding   intersections  and  working   to   build   a   broad  based  movement.  This   is   something   that   is   currently   being  achieved   up   in   Tahltan   territory,   commonly  known  as  the  Sacred  Headwaters.    

The   town   of   Iskut   is   home   to   just   over   two   hundred   people,  most   of   whom   are   Tahltan.   It   is   the  closest  town  to  the  Sacred  Headwaters,  an  area  of  land  about  the  size  of  Oregon,  one  of  the  last  truly  wild   places   remaining   on   Turtle   Island.   The   town   of   Iskut   is   also   home   to   a   group   known   as   the  Klabona  Keepers.  The  Klabona  Keepers  describe  themselves  as,  “an  organization  of  Tahltan  elders  and  families  who   occupy   and   use   traditional   lands   near   Iskut,   British   Columbia   known   as   Tl’abāne,   the  Sacred  Headwaters  of  the  Stikine,  Nass  and  Skeena  Rivers.”      Over   the   past   ten   years,   the   Klabona   Keepers   have   stood   strong   in   their   resistance   of   industrial  development.  They  have  kicked  Shell  off  of  their  territory,  they  have  kicked  Fortune  Minerals  off  of  their  territory,  they  have  blockaded  the  over  hunting  of  their  territory,  this  September  they  were  met  by   RCMP   snipers   after   taking   over   a   mining   drill   pad   and   on   September   29   they   lit   a   sacred   fire,  blockading  Imperial  Metals  Red  Chris  mine.    Currently,   the   Klabona   Keepers   have   a   hunting   blockade   set   up   on   the   only   road   that   leads   into  Tl’abāne   (the   Sacred   Headwaters).   In   setting   up   this   blockade,   they   asked   for   support   from   the  Wildlife   Defence   League,   an   anti   trophy-­‐hunting   group.   Since   September   15,   the  Wildlife   Defence  League   has   been   supporting   the   Klabona   Keepers   in   blockading   all   non-­‐indigenous   hunters   from  entering  the  area.  They  have  turned  away  grizzly  hunters,   caribou   hunters,   moose   hunters   and  wolf  hunters.      Every  member  of   the  Wildlife  Defence  League   is  vegan.   On   the   fire   at   the   blockade   vegan  meals  for   the   Wildlife   Defence   League   cook   next   to  traditional   foods   for   the  Klabona  Keepers.  There  is   a  mutual   understanding   and   respect   between  the  two  groups  as  they  work  together  to  stop  the  over  hunting  of  the  Tahltan’s  sacred  lands.      

Photo  by  Eliza  Muirhead  

 Photo  by  Eliza  Muirhead  

 

Why,  you  might  ask,  would  a  group  of  vegans  aiming  to  defend  wildlife  be  part  of  a  blockade  that  is  allowing  indigenous  hunters  to  continue  killing  animals?  It  is  because  this  group  of  vegans  recognizes  that  not  doing   so  would  be   to  act   in  a   colonial,   self-­‐righteous  and   fundamentalist  way,   repeating  a  history   of   oppression.   To   stop   indigenous   people   in   the   area   from   hunting   would   be   to   further  colonize  them,  creating  an  increased  dependence  on  capitalism,  the  colonial  government  and  industry  that  aims  to  destroy  their  lands.  Lands  that  are  home  to  the  very  animals  they  are  trying  to  protect.  They   recognize   that   the  nearest   grocery   store   is   six   hours   away.   They   recognize   that   it   is   not   their  right  to  tell  indigenous  people  who  have  welcomed  them  onto  their  territory  how  to  live.  They  realize  that  the  Klabona  Keepers  have  saved  more  wildlife  in  their  resistance  of  industrial  projects  than  any  person   could   by   changing   their   diet.   They   realize   that   this   resistance   needs   to   be   supported,   as  industry  will   continue   in   its  attempts   to  destroy   these   lands.  They   realize   that  without   the  Klabona  Keepers,  there  would  be  no  Sacred  Headwaters  left  to  protect.    This  article  is  not  meant  to  bring  vegan  voices  down,  but  to  lift  them  up.  It  is  written  with  the  hopes  that  vegans  can  begin  to  decolonize  our  work  and  fight  for  the  liberation  of  all,  whether  it  be  from  the  confines  of  a  slaughterhouse  or  the  confines  of  a  colonial  state.    

 Photo  by  Eliza  Muirhead