The Year for Indigenous Liberation

From Imperial No More

From the home fires to the front lines, from our hearts and our minds, we enter the so called new year with this war cry! What we have seen this year, we have never seen before, colonialism and it’s ugly face is laid bare before us again and again, in the murder of our comrades, rest in power Berta Cáceres, in the destruction of our lands and territories, in the poisoning of our water and in the abuse of our Land and Water defenders. This is the time we look back to ask ourselves what we have done to fight our oppressors, to protect our families and to stand in war, love and solidarity with one another. This is the time we look forward, our weapons and tools in hand, our hearts big and open, our moccasins on the ground and our fists to the sky. We are united and we are powerful, we are Indigenous, we are African, we are the oppressed and we say no more.

The battle grounds at Standing Rock was just the first taste of what’s coming. We look forward to this year that will be the year of Indigenous Liberation. For years, for decades, for centuries, we have fought, we have built our skills, we have prepared, and we have outlasted, outnumbered and outmanoeuvred the government, the police and the systems that have brought destruction to our door step and violence to our bodies. We have built movements and we have made alliances and we have had practice. And though there are many challenges ahead of us, there are many warriors with us, and it is time all of us, with our families and our comrades, begin gearing up for what will be a long, difficult year of struggle and a long, beautiful year of resistance.

This is the year Canada is celebrating 150 years of Nationhood. This year will be the year Canada learns what Nationhood looks like, what our Nationhood look like, in all our power and all of our strength. There will be no middle ground to stand on, we must choose, take the side of the oppressor by standing with them, or by doing nothing, or choose the side of life, of humanity. So take some time today to take stock. What are your skills? What are the areas in which you have privilege? What resources do you have access to? What communities do you have access to? Take the answers to these questions and apply them, how are you contributing to the struggle for Indigenous Liberation?

Across so-called Canada, across Turtle Island, fires are burning. Light your home fire. Gather your people. For the salmon, the water, the mountains, for your sons and your daughters and all of your future generations, STOP Kinder Morgan, STOP Enbridge, STOP taking our women and our children, STOP Imperial Metals, STOP the Genocide, STOP DAPL, STOP KKKANADA, it’s time we choose dignity, it’s time we choose LIFE.

This is a call out, shout out, special prayer for all of our Warriors and our Warrior Ancestors who have been with us since the beginning. We invoke the strength of their spirits and we carry them into the New Year. Long live Wolverine. Long live the Resistance. Long live our Liberation.

Statement issued/published by: Ts’Peten Defence Committee/Imperial No More/Yuct Ne Senxiymetkwe/Secwepemc Women Warriors Society