By Johnny Hawke
Finding Solutions to free ourselves is not that hard as all we need to do is to remind
ourselves of the word Resistance which simply means Non-Cooperation. Although identifying Non-Cooperation as a key aspect to our liberation may be simple it is living a life of Resistance that is harder in which many may not be ready to give up the life that we’ve been made to be so co-dependent on and programmed into. Taking the Red Pill and escaping the Matrix is not for everybody but would be a lot more easier if every slave collectively started to jump the sinking slave ship and swim back to land.
The Myth of Creating Change within the System
Living a lifestyle of not cooperating starts with the birth certificate and not registering our children and not living life as the artificial legal person. This means not accepting the Birth Certificate and it’s contracts which includes not living in SIN as in the Social Insurance Number. Not receiving any benefits and privileges of citizenship; No licences, permits, financing, land claim settlements, self governance agreements, Indian status cards, acting as an officer, operator of any position created by Statutes. Not using their monetary system which obligates us to their maritime law, statutory laws and courts. How many are ready to actually to be free? After every Ceremony, Powwow and Blockade we return to a way of life we say we’re against. How many are actually ready to live a life of Non-Cooperation? The COVID Pandemic has clearly demonstrated that the masses are not and will believe anything this Roman Cult propagates and enforces on to them. There is only a few of us left and this is who I am speaking and directing my energy to working with.
Our collective ongoing Indigenous Resistance to Colonialism in these times has been greatly hi-jacked and coopted. The movement of Decolonization needs to Decolonize. Many influencers within our communities propagate that we must “change the system from within” however “the system” that has been put in place has evolved over millennia so that it can’t be changed. The “system” is structured by a mechanism of initiations, oath’s, rituals, hierarchical degree’s, orders, royal families and elite bloodlines to keep such a system in place. When an individual attempts to work from within to make change as a sort of trojan horse it is the individual that “changes” and compromises and ends up becoming a puppet of the system. Even if it appears those within the system are doing great work and creating change they’re still being used in ways that benefit “the system.”
What is happening today is not Decolonization but only Indigenizing of Colonial Spaces and Institutions; Those within the system are merely employing gestures of tokenism that is placing superficial imagery of “traditionalism”, a Pan-Indian melting pot of culture over colonial systems that continue to oppress and assimilate us. This is what is termed as “inclusion” and “representation.” The colonized are championing those being represented in mainstream culture in which their goal marker for success is marked by those participating and cooperating in industries that shape mainstream culture. This Mainstream “Windigo” Culture however as “Uncle” John Trudell used to say is “Where Spirits get's eaten” and we become consumers and consumed by this Patriarchal Male Dominated Eurocentric Pop Culture of exploitation and excess. This Culture of Babylon has been around for Millenia and is not going to change just because we are “represented” and “included” in the bottom of their bellies.
What has also happened in our Communities and Movement is that we believed that the next generation of Youth will create change as they are fresh and free of colonization. We also believed all that all we need is also Women in such positions of authority and that they will create the necessary revolutionary change needed. Well guess what? All that has come to fruition and the only thing that has changed in our conditions is the demographic of who is administrating the institutions and policies of colonialism for the colonizer. Jody Wilson Raybould, Mary Simon are Indigenous Women who earned their positions to sit at the helm of Canada as the Attorney General and Governor General. While sitting at the top and on their watch they’ve allowed the Supreme Court of Canada in various cases to make case law decisions that favour Industry over Indigenous Title and Rights, that violate Human Rights and Treaty Rights. At the Assembly of First Nations, Indigenous Political Organizations Youth Councils, the majority of Youth that are supported and championed are those being groomed to be the next generation of NeoColonial Indian Act Politicians.
Idolize Some More
The explosiveness of the short lived Idle No More Movement helped to inspire many to become involved. Idle No More helped give a platform for those who may not have been a seasoned activist and given everyone the ability to participate and become engaged. Idle No More also brought together grassroots to stand side by side with Indian Act Chiefs at many direct actions however such Chiefs began to use the movement’s actions for their own political leverage which ended up hijacking and killing the movement.
Social Media Tools created a new generation of Resistance which has affected the way we now organize. Idle No More a Hashtag Movement that started over social media quickly became popular during a time where social media tools was injected upon the global community where everyone and anyone could now become well known instantaneously and given their own soapbox and “followers.” This now gave birth to the “celebrity activist” and inflated ego’s seeking attention and clout chasing where individual’s success int their organizing now is determined on their popularity and social currency on Social Media. Social Media and Idle No More has turned our Grassroots Organizing now into “slacktivism”, an effort where now organizing is based on creating a group over “Fedbook”, making posts complete with a Go Fund Me style of “self sufficiency.” Social Media has also created dopamine addicted junkies posting every minute of the day of where they’re at, who they’re with what they’re thinking where we are being studied and algorithms help predict and program us.
Reconciliation is the Sacrament of Penance
This Era of Truth and Reconciliation we are in is also playing a huge role in coopting our grassroots circles and resistance movement. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada has 94 Calls to Action which are policy recommendations for all levels of Government to take action to help sooth the injustices created by the Residential School System. As a result a Tsunami of Funding is being injected into Indigenous Organizations where many opportunities are being created for Indigenous Peoples which is more to sooth that “White Guilt” then to create actual systemic change. This Era of Truth and Reconciliation is creating an Industry of Tokenism where Careers and Opportunists are profiting off of our Misery in which the Grassroots People at the community level do not see any actual benefits to their life as they are mere clients of those who hold the purse strings restricted by organizational policies. The Spirit of Resistance is becoming heavily pacified and coopted due this era of Truth and Reconciliation where a majority of our people are needing to act accordingly to policies in order to get those opportunities of Truth and Reconciliation, creating the “Good Little Indian” which ironically is a continuation of the Spirit of the Residential Schools. Remember Reconciliation is the Sacrament of Penance, where Sin is monetized. The Oppressor is buying their way out of their Sin’s but the people are agreeing to “come back under God”, the rule of the Roman Catholic Church by accepting such Truth’s and Reconciliation Sacraments. Indian Act Leaders, Chief and Council, Indigenous Government Funded Organizations are wearing Ribbon Shirts and Skirts and promoting culture giving the illusion that the institutions they propagate and employ are ours.
The Revolution will be Incorporated
Indigenous Nations engaged in warfare amongst each other but this was not to colonize each other or was to the extent of acts of genocide as waged by European colonists. Since the arrival of Europeans our Peoples have been combating colonialism where each generation since 1492 has had their own experience where this on-going Resistance Movement has taken on many forms reflective of the times.
The epitome that is the generation of “Millennials” and “Gen Z” reflects “celebrity culture” that it is obsessed with heavily influenced by the entertainment industry and where Social Media has only added to the narcissism and deception where almost everything and everyone is fabricated to deceive. It is no surprise that our Resistance today is an embodiment of this mainstream culture which has also created the “Celebrity Activist.” Our Resistance now includes fan clubs of followers on social media, a cause is marketed and becomes a brand and receives sponsorship from government or non-government organizations and endless campaigns of Go Fund Me dependency. Our Resistance has now created successful activist careers for those who’ve become the face of a cause where such individuals get more support and attention than others because of this engineered popularity generated by social media. The Resistance has now become Big Business and Incorporated.
A prominent Indigenous Youth Activist’s Career that helps define this generation of activism is Autumn Peltier. Autumn is defined as a world-renowned water-rights advocate and a leading global youth environmental activist by the Canadian Encyclopedia and celebrated and honoured by many Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Communities and Organizations. Autumn is from the Anishinabek community of Wikwemikong First Nation on Manitloulin Island in so called Ontario. She was nurtured by Anishinabek Spiritual Teachings by her Grandfather, Mother and Great Aunt Josephine Mandamin who was in her own right a well known Water Advocate that led a movement to walk in ceremony around all the Great Lakes. Autumn is a young lady with genuine convictions for what she stands for whereas this should not be seen as an attack on her but am only discussing to critique her handlers who have created her persona as a “Brand” in this generation of Consumer Activism where the Resistance has become Incorporated.
Autumn first entered the Public Arena as an advocate for Water in 2016 at the Age of 12 at a Special Chiefs Meeting of the Assembly of First Nations in Gatineau Quebec. Conference organizers invited her to deliver her message of water protection and the disappointment of oil pipelines and to combat climate change in a short speech she prepared for Prime Minister Trudeau and Chiefs in attendance. She was brought up by the National Chief and an Elder to give a gift to Trudeau and broke down in Tears when she told the Prime Minister she was disappointed in him. This exchange came the week after Trudeau made a series of controversial decisions to reject one west coast pipeline — Enbridge's Northern Gateway project — but to approve two others — Kinder Morgan's Trans Mountain expansion from Alberta to the west coast of B.C., and Enbridge's Line 3 replacement from Alberta to Wisconsin in the U.S. midwest.
Autumn was not permitted to share her speech due to time. She had a speech that she was invited to share in the first place but it seemed they only had time on the schedule for her to present a gift and for a photo-opt. This child at this event was used by this Chiefs Organization as a Political Prop. At Assembly of First Nations Special Chiefs Meetings they are held in such a way that is not accessible for grassroots people such as activists. You need to be invited or a Chief or a Proxy. The entrance into the Public Arena for Autumn was not organic but fabricated by an Indian Act Chiefs Organization. Such Chiefs are collaborators with Government and are not representatives of true Resistance. After this Event Autumn’s Career as an Activist exploded in which she spoke at the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, Universities, Hollywood, receiving countless awards, and an honorary PHD and walked red carpets and has been featured in many National and International magazines. Her work is tied to a charitable foundation in which she has a Manager for her Activism.
In 2019 Autumn was named Chief Water Commissioner for the Union of Ontario Indians. In 2022 a group of youth reached out to Autumn through her Manager to inquire if she would attend an event as part of her role as Water Commissioner as as a young Role Model for s First Nation within the Union of Ontario Indians. The youth were organizing a direct action to protect a water source in their Territory. A $10,000 fee for her appearance was informed by her manager.
“No Humility this is pandering to Celebrity cultism. These causes are drastic and need drastic measures, and not sure how WEF and elitism is running the show. An award everyday for photo ops and saying, save the water. The youth need to tell their real situation, Wiikwemikong has had its own water treatment plant we need updates from the youth in the Indigenous communities most negatively effected like Asttawapiskat, updates, reports, common experience, progress, health impact, all of this need to be convey by the youth. Not necessarily only one person too busy collecting awards. Its like that with Ontario Regional Chief and Union of Ontario Indians, all show and no real progress report. And I know they come back and say, its hard work being a waterwaker activist, NO it isn’t , its hard work hauling water and having to drink polluted water. And getting sick all the time that is difficult.” - Rhodes App, Community Member.
Again this is not to call-out Autumn herself but to question our Resistance Movement in these times as there are many Indigenous Celebrity type activists out there and are backed by such Organizations in which the collective and other struggles are not getting the same attention and support. Also the Non-Profit Industrial Complex is cashing in on such People and Activism. Our Oppressor sees Resistance as profitable and has infiltrated heavily where Resistance is now Cooperating with the System. Our Culture in our communities is being delivered to us by Indigenous Corporations and First Nations, Tribal Governments, Social Services funded by our Oppressor which pacifies our Resistance.
Windigokaan Strategies
The Contraries, the Windigokaan in Anishinaabek Society would disguise themselves up as the Windigo so that such real Windigo’s stalking a village may see one within the village and pass by because it seen one already there. Nowadays it seems the Windigo now disguises itself up as us in which our people are fooled and we are being consumed by this Dark Spirit. The Windigo is making our Hero’s using them and giving us our Culture. Some of our People have also turned Windigo themselves and are helping to march our people in the bellies for our spirits to be eaten.
We can never free ourselves by using weapons and being armed as this Roman Cult has even more Weapons that are bigger, more dangerous and more armies and militaries where we are outnumbered. What we can do is outsmart them using our intelligence and that starts with knowing their law and returning to the law of the land. Non Cooperation and rebuilding our own institutions.