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reasonsforhope · 11 months

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For years, the people of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation watched over their waters and waited. They had spent nearly two decades working with Canada’s federal government to negotiate protections for Kitasu Bay, an area off the coast of British Columbia that was vulnerable to overfishing.

But the discussions never seemed to go anywhere. First, they broke down over pushback from the fishing industry, then over a planned oil tanker route directly through Kitasoo/Xai’xais waters.

“We were getting really frustrated with the federal government. They kept jumping onboard and then pulling out,” says Douglas Neasloss, the chief councillor and resource stewardship director of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation. “Meanwhile, we’d been involved in marine planning for 20 years – and we still had no protected areas.”

Instead, the nation watched as commercial overfishing decimated the fish populations its people had relied on for thousands of years.

Nestled on the west coast of Swindle Island, approximately 500km north of Vancouver, Kitasu Bay is home to a rich array of marine life: urchins and abalone populate the intertidal pools, salmon swim in the streams and halibut take shelter in the deep waters. In March, herring return to spawn in the eelgrass meadows and kelp forests, nourishing humpback whales, eagles, wolves and bears.

“Kitasu Bay is the most important area for the community – that’s where we get all of our food,” Neasloss says. “It’s one of the last areas where you still get a decent spawn of herring.”

So in December 2021, when the Department of Fisheries and Oceans withdrew from discussions once again, the nation decided to act. “My community basically said, ‘We’re tired of waiting. Let’s take it upon ourselves to do something about it,’” Neasloss says.

What they did was unilaterally declare the creation of a new marine protected area (MPA). In June 2022, the nation set aside 33.5 sq km near Laredo Sound as the new Gitdisdzu Lugyeks (Kitasu Bay) MPA – closing the waters of the bay to commercial and sport fishing.

It is a largely unprecedented move. While other marine protected areas in Canada fall under the protection of the federal government through the Oceans Act, Kitasu Bay is the first to be declared under Indigenous law, under the jurisdiction and authority of the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation.

Pictured: "In some ways, I hope someone challenges us" … the Kitasoo/Xai’xais stewardship authority.

Although they did not wait for government approval, the Kitasoo did consult extensively: the declaration was accompanied by a draft management plan, finalised in October after three months of consultation with industry and community stakeholders. But the government did not provide feedback during that period, according to Neasloss, beyond an acknowledgment that it had received the plan...

Approximately 95% of British Columbia is unceded: most First Nations in the province of British Columbia never signed treaties giving up ownership of their lands and waters to the crown. This puts them in a unique position to assert their rights and title, according to Neasloss, who hopes other First Nations will be inspired to take a similarly proactive approach to conservation...

Collaboration remains the goal, and Neasloss points to a landmark agreement between the Haida nation and the government in 1988 to partner in conserving the Gwaii Haanas archipelago, despite both parties asserting their sovereignty over it. A similar deal was made in 2010 for the region’s 3,400 sq km Gwaii Haanas national marine conservation area.

“They found a way to work together, which is pretty exciting,” says Neasloss. “And I think there may be more Indigenous protected areas that are overlaid with something else.”

-via The Guardian, 5/3/23

#indigenous #indigenous issues #indigenous sovereignty #canada #british columbia #land back #first nations #tribal sovereignty #pacific northwest #marine protected area #conservation #sustainability #overfishing #marine science #canadian government #kitasoo-xai'xais #direct action #good news #hope

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decolonize-the-left · 4 months

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Have you heard of the American Indian Movement? Did you know natives had a movement/group in the 70's-80's dedicated to native liberation?

No? It's a part of history they don't teach you in school, but come close and look so I can show you.

Watch this, it's not long I promise. This is Russel Means, a prominent native activists and one of the leaders of AIM. AIM sought to help natives with things like tribal sovereignty, housing, healthcare, and food security.

Here he is testifying to the US government.

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The transcript ^

A little excerpt of the end:

"The American Indian people’s right to self-determination is recognized and will be implemented through the following policies:

The American Indian individual shall have the right to choose his or her citizenship and the American Indian nations have the right to choose their level of citizenship and autonomy up to absolute independence;

The American Indian will have their just property rights restored which include rights of easement, access, hunting, fishing, prayer, and water;

The BIA will be abolished with the American Indian tribal members deciding the extent and nature of their governments, if any;

Negotiations will be undertaken to exchange otherwise unclaimed and un-owned federal property for any and all government obligations to the American Indian nations, and to fully -- and to hold fully liable those responsible for any and all damages which have resulted from the resource development on or near our reservation lands including the -- including damages done by careless and inexcusable disposal of uranium mill tailings and other mineral and toxic wastes.

I want to thank you, gentlemen, for inviting me here. It's been a high honor, especially since I'm the only one invited here today to testify that doesn't receive money from the federal government. Also, I want to make -- I was introduced as a former founder and leader of American Indian movement to the tribal chairwoman that you have here, a former associates for the American Indian Movement back in the days when we were gross militants and so I just wanted to let you in on that, that the American Indian Movement is a very proud continuing part of American Indian Society.

Thank you."

"The American Indian Movement remains based in Minneapolis with several branches nationwide. The organization prides itself on fighting for the rights of Native peoples outlined in treaties and helping to preserve indigenous traditions and spiritual practices. The organization also has fought for the interests of aboriginal peoples in Canada, Latin America and worldwide. “At the heart of AIM is deep spirituality and a belief in the connectedness of all Indian people,” the group states on its website."

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rage-city · 5 months

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i want to share with you all an exciting development at the intersection of renewable energy, ecological restoration, and Indigenous sovereignty.

Tyonek is a remote Dena'ina Athabascan village located 40 miles from Alaska's largest city, Anchorage. for time immemorial, the Dena'ina have stewarded and honored the land. but the legacy of settler-colonialism and extractive capitalism has impoverished the people of Tyonek.

Indigenous people have been disproportionately affected by climate change and pollution. i encourage you all to be a part of the renewable energy transition and support the Tribal community of Tyonek as they advance the engineering, procurement, and construction of a decentralized solar microgrid.

https://bit.ly/Tebughna-Solar-Program

#solarpunk #alaska #ecology #indigenous #tribal #tribal sovereignty #alaska native #solar #renewable energy #sustainable energy

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shu-of-the-wind · 9 months

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not to add to the oppenheimer discourse but i haven’t seen people talking about this in my part of tumblr (i’m sure people ARE, but i haven’t seen it).

a reminder that uranium mining in navajo nation to build nuclear weapons has caused environmental damage and health hazards that have still not been cleaned up to this day. this started in 1944 and lasted until the 80s. cancer rates DOUBLED in the navajo nation from the 1970s to the 1990s.

there are more than 500 abandoned uranium mines on diné land and the government has not done shit to clean anything up.

and to add insult to injury, the supreme court just ruled that the federal government does not have the obligation to ensure that diné people, which the federal government has plenary power over as a tribal nation in the united states, have running water.

the more you scratch at oppenheimer the worse it gets tbqh

#oppenheimer #oppenheimer discourse #i am not native but i work in tribal law and i work in icwa matters #as well as tribal sovereignty issues and tribal government #navajo nation #indigenous rights #tribal sovereignty #diné

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sanguinarysanguinity · 10 months

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Oh thank fuck, the Supreme Court upheld the Indian Child Welfare Act:

In a concurring opinion by Justice Neil Gorsuch, joined by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Gorsuch praised the majority opinion upholding the law, and wrote that when enacting it more than 30 years ago, Congress exercised its lawful authority to "secure the right of Indian parents to raise their families as they please; the right of Indian children to grow in their culture; and the right of Indian communities to resist fading into the twilight of history."

"In affirming the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), the Court safeguards the ability of tribal members to raise their children free from interference by state authorities and other outside parties," he wrote. "In the process, the Court also goes a long way toward restoring the original balance between federal, state, and tribal powers the Constitution envisioned."

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-indian-child-welfare-act-haaland-v-brackeen/

#tribal sovereignty #icwa

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thoughtportal · 1 year

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The Christian Groups Fighting Against the Indian Child Welfare Act https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2023/02/the-christian-groups-fighting-against-the-indian-child-welfare-act/

https://lakotalaw.org/news/2021-09-17/icwa-sovereignty

https://abovethelaw.com/2022/11/supreme-court-indian-child-welfare-act-gibson-dunn/

https://www.gibsondunn.com/former-exxonmobil-counsel-david-woodcock-joins-gibson-dunn-in-dallas/

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vaguely-problematic · 1 year

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hey y'all- i just wanted to remind everyone Friday Nov 25th is Native American Heritage Day in the united states, and that

**there is a case in the u.s. supreme court (brackeen-v-haaland) which directly affects the rights of native americans and their tribal sovereignty. **

The Indian Child Welfare Act pushes for Native children to be adopted by Native families. .... When it was passed in 1978, ICWA was landmark legislation, setting unprecedented protections to address the assimilationist policies that led to state child welfare and private adoption agencies systematically removing almost a third of all American Indian and Alaska Native children from their homes. (Yes, almost a third; you read that correctly.) Eighty-five percent of those children were placed in non-Indian homes. ICWA’s constitutionality is now being challenged in a lawsuit [Brackeen v. Haaland] brought by Texas, Indiana, Louisiana and various individual plaintiffs. It is the first time a state has sued the federal government over ICWA’s constitutionality. X

for more information and to learn what action you can take: https://linktr.ee/ProtectICWA

updates on the case: https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/brackeen-v-haaland/

november 2022

#icwa #indian child welfare act #brackeen v. haaland #brackeen v haaland #living in the u.s.a.#u.s. politics #this dystopian nightmare of a country #listen to indigenous people #tribal sovereignty #native american heritage day #november 2022 #u.s. supreme court

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theivorybilledwoodpecker · 2 years

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#indian child welfare act #Tribal Sovereignty #native american #SCOTUS #fuck the scotus #Native Americans #indigenous peoples #Signal boost #Boost the signal #Lakota People's Law Project #brackeen v. haaland

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3-feet-high-and-rising · 10 months

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#protect icwa #save icwa #indian child welfare act #indigenous sovereignty #tribal sovereignty #u

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reasonsforhope · 3 months

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"Cody Two Bears, a member of the Sioux tribe in North Dakota, founded Indigenized Energy, a native-led energy company with a unique mission — installing solar farms for tribal nations in the United States.

This initiative arises from the historical reliance of Native Americans on the U.S. government for power, a paradigm that is gradually shifting.

The spark for Two Bears' vision ignited during the Standing Rock protests in 2016, where he witnessed the arrest of a fellow protester during efforts to prevent the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline on sacred tribal land.

Disturbed by the status quo, Two Bears decided to channel his activism into action and create tangible change.

His company, Indigenized Energy, addresses a critical issue faced by many reservations: poverty and lack of access to basic power.

Reservations are among the poorest communities in the country, and in some, like the Navajo Nation, many homes lack electricity.

Even in regions where the land has been exploited for coal and uranium, residents face obstacles to accessing power.

Renewable energy, specifically solar power, is a beacon of hope for tribes seeking to overcome these challenges.

Not only does it present an environmentally sustainable option, but it has become the most cost-effective form of energy globally, thanks in part to incentives like the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

Tribal nations can receive tax subsidies of up to 30% for solar and wind farms, along with grants for electrification, climate resiliency, and energy generation.

And Indigenized Energy is not focused solely on installing solar farms — it also emphasizes community empowerment through education and skill development.

In collaboration with organizations like Red Cloud Renewable, efforts are underway to train Indigenous tribal members for jobs in the renewable energy sector.

The program provides free training to individuals, with a focus on solar installation skills.

Graduates, ranging from late teens to late 50s, receive pre-apprenticeship certification, and the organization is planning to launch additional programs to support graduates with career services such as resume building and interview coaching...

The adoption of solar power by Native communities signifies progress toward sustainable development, cultural preservation, and economic self-determination, contributing to a more equitable and environmentally conscious future.

These initiatives are part of a broader movement toward "energy sovereignty," wherein tribes strive to have control over their own power sources.

This movement represents not only an economic opportunity and a source of jobs for these communities but also a means of reclaiming control over their land and resources, signifying a departure from historical exploitation and an embrace of sustainable practices deeply rooted in Indigenous cultures."

-via Good Good Good, December 10, 2023

#indigenous #native americans #first nations #indigenous rights #tribal sovereignty #solar energy #solar power #solar panels #renewable energy #green energy #sioux #sioux nation #sustainability #climate hope #electrification #united states #hope #good news

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decolonize-the-left · 2 years

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Sticker from nativelovenotes

#ndn #indigenous #icwa #indian Child welfare act #brackeen v haaland #tribal sovereignty #native sovereignty #anishinaabe #native shop #support native #native creator #native businesses #native American

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deannagrimstead · 13 days

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#indianschool #indigenous rights #tribal sovereignty #sovereignty #data #dataprotection

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mermazeablaze · 1 year

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Beware of anyone advocating that blood quantum is a good thing. Because they are 100% using it to rationalize overturning the ICWA. That children who are "lesser" deserve to be bought & sold. BQ is also a part of eugenicist philosophy, as exampled. As well as anyone who uses the word 'pretendian' - they are not to be trusted. They are purposely stirring up divisiveness to seem righteous & placing Native youth in danger in the process.

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shamandrummer · 1 year

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Court Case Threatens Native Sovereignty

A serious threat to Native American tribes across the United states looms large. A decision on the Supreme Court case Brackeen v. Haaland -- a direct assault on the constitutionality of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), and by extension, the very right of tribes to be classified as sovereign nations -- is expected later this year.

Enacted in 1978, ICWA was part of the federal government's efforts to rectify the incomprehensible harm it caused to Native families through the forcible removal of Native children from their communities into boarding schools or non-Native foster and adoptive homes. Between 1819 and 1969, hundreds of thousands of children were taken from their families and homes.

ICWA establishes minimum standards for a Native child to be removed from their home and empowers tribes to be more involved in adoption and custody procedures for kids enrolled or eligible to enroll in tribal nations. The law gives tribal courts exclusive jurisdiction over members who live on tribal land, in the hopes of keeping families together, and creates a process whereby they're noticed and involved in cases outside of these boundaries.

For years, people and organizations hostile to ICWA have tried to erode the legislation through the court system. Should ICWA fall, it's not only adoption and foster cases that will be gravely impacted; the basic foundations of tribal sovereignty could be unwound. Observers in Indian Country have long believed that attacks on the legislation have broader aims in mind than the well-being of children, and many anti-ICWA proponents are also perceived as gunning for access to natural resources, mineral rights and more.

Calling into question the authority of Congress to deal with tribal nations as distinct sovereigns would have major reverberations throughout the field of Indian law. These attacks on sovereignty can be traced back to the Trail of Tears, the deadly westward displacement of five tribes between 1830 and 1850 initiated by then-President Andrew Jackson. The argument made at the time was that the tribes were being overwhelmed by European settlers, and they would be annihilated if the government didn't take them into custody and move them. In truth, those tribes controlled the waterways, and Andrew Jackson said, "We want it, and we are going to take it."

Tribal sovereignty predates the coming of the colonial powers. From 1778 to 1871, the United States federal government signed 370 treaties with tribal nations. Many were used as tools to forcibly remove Indigenous people from their native lands and relocate them to reservations. In exchange for the land they had lived on for generations, tribes were offered many now-broken promises from the government: of peace, the provision of health and education, hunting and fishing rights and protection against enemies.

According to the Constitution, treaties can only be enacted between two sovereign nations. That status and the right of tribes to self-govern was affirmed in the 1832 Worcester v. Georgia Supreme Court case. It's also grounded in the Constitution through not one, but two clauses, and was reiterated yet again in the 1990s by a Department of Justice memorandum that tribal nations have the unique status of "domestic dependent nations." You can help protect tribal sovereignty by supporting the Native American Rights Fund.

#tribal sovereignty #save icwa #native american rights fund #indigenous rights #indian child welfare act

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omg-whathaveidone · 7 months

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Please join me in standing with Standing Rock and send your public feedback on DAPL’s deeply flawed draft Environmental Impact Statement to the Army Corps of Engineers today.

https://action.lakotalaw.org/action/dapl-eis-2023

#activism #indigenous lives matter #standing rock #dapl #dakota access pipeline #take action #share share share #please share #indigenous activism #protect water #water is life #tribal sovereignty

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ifitistobeitisuptous · 1 year

Link

#fucking republicans #usa politics #indigenous rights #tribal sovereignty #montana

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