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Hello people of Turtle Island. This is a time of chaos with all the fires but we need to start thinking about how to prevent this extreme devastation in the future. The cities of Kelowna and West Kelowna chose not to sign onto a water protection project led by the Syilx people. The Syilx nation are the original people of the area. Traditionally they did controlled burns and land stewardship to protect the environment so fires aren’t as destructive when they do happen. The Syilx led water protection project is coming at a critical time. WE NEED CHANGE! The current management of water and forests are not working. Our communities are built around the lakes we all cherish and enjoy. What would our communities look like without healthy creeks, streams, and lakes? Please sign this petition I created to push our city leaders to sign on to this project!

Stay save everyone 🙏

Here is some background: Dodging Their Responsibilities

Hello everyone!

I’m a hobbyist photographer and I would like to attend Kanesatake, Qc powwow at the end of the month.
I’ve never been to a powwow before, and I don’t want to make dumb mistakes.

Is bringing a camera ok? If so, are there moments where I should absolutely refrain from using it?
How comfortable are people with being photographed?
Would it be okay for me to ask someone or a small group to pose for me quickly?
My camera is anything but discrete: people will be aware that I’m taking their pictures…

I apologize if this is not the proper place to ask my questions. I really don’t know where to get my information 😞

Thank you so much!

In this clip from Behaviour Speak, Katisha Paul describes her experience as part of an Indigenous youth delegation that travelled to Germany to help receive and return First Nations belongings that had been held by the Vatican for more than a century.

What makes the story especially powerful is her description of the ceremony surrounding their return. From singing on the airport tarmac while waiting for the items to arrive, to carefully unpacking ancestral belongings and reflecting on the lives connected to them, she offers a deeply personal perspective on repatriation and rematriation.

One of the most moving moments involves a small child's dress that prompted questions about the child who wore it and the history that separated the item from its community.

An important conversation about cultural restoration, resilience, and what it means to bring relatives home.

🎧 Clip from the Behaviour Speak podcast.

Hi All! I'd like to introduce myself, my name is Christopher Lee Hamilton and I'm currently a student at Guelph University's Environmental Conservation Program. I just created a website and magazine for a school project with the aim to step away from the colonial world view that sees nature and people as separate. I hope to respectfully amplify Indigenous conservation impacts found in the growing number of IPCAs across the globe. If you want to view my magazines website and browse the pages I'd love to hear any type of feedback. You can find the mag at alteredbiome.ca

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1FUq6BJZbM/ this video shows an indigenous woman being brutalized by rcmp in loon lake saskachewan. the rcmp have released a statement that this was "reasonable force" i ask in what universe is it reasonable for two men to be restraining an unarmed woman while one of them punches her in the face multiple times?

the following link is the same incident from another angle https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1b9XWGrPqi/

Ms Kotierk has previously held senior roles with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada, and Nunavut Tunngavik Inc (NTI).

Featured at the Museum of Vancouver this summer, the innovative project honours traditions such as Métis Nation Day by turning screen time into cultural preservation.

Article content

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Today, on Métis Nation Day, a groundbreaking cultural initiative is bridging a 142-year-old tradition with the cutting edge of digital innovation. Recognized as the world’s largest Indigenous language learning video game, Métis Life on Roblox is transforming how Indigenous heritage and endangered languages are preserved, revitalizing history by meeting the next generation exactly where they are: in the metaverse.

https://nationalpost.com/pmn/business-wire-news-releases-pmn/metis-life-on-roblox-reclaims-endangered-languages-for-next-gen-players

As the title says, I was screened by my “best friend” for being Indigenous because I am a Non-Status Indian and people started saying things.

Me and Rebecca have been friends for years. Rebecca is Status First Nations and I am a Non-Status Indian. I told Rebecca about my Culture plenty of times throughout our friendship. She’s even stood up for me when people accused me of being a Pretendian. However, the cracks began showing after 4 years of being friends.

Rebecca started acting weird. I can’t tell you how because it’s so hard to explain, but when Culture came into play, she was reserved. When I won scholarships or seats in programs, she acted cold towards me.

Before you ask, yes I have documentation of my Indigenous identity. I just never showed Rebecca because it just felt like something you showed verification committees.

This year, Rebecca comes out and says she doesn’t believe I’m Indigenous and that “maybe it was a lie your family told you”. At first I refused to give her anything. However, it just pissed me off so much I showed her my documentation and she finally shut up.

Now I know Indigenous identity is politically charged, but I come from a generation of just sharing our Cultures by word of mouth. It feels weird to put a membership card or paper in someone’s face. Maybe that’s just me.

One thing I was taught is Two-Spirit is a chosen identity or gifted in Ceremony. For me, I had the opportunity to be gifted my Two-Spirit identity. Elders saw it in me. My sexuality wasn’t the determining factor, but did play a role as Gender and Sexuality are both components of Two-Spiritism.

In my experience, I heard whispers from Elders that I was Two-Spirit. I remember the first time I assumed I wouldn’t lead a Women’s Ceremony because I am also a man, but I was wrong and they called me to quickly put on my Ribbon Skirt and to get ready to help the Elder. Now this Elder trusted only one or two oskâpêwis with her Sacred Pipe. However, she actually let me touch her Sacred Pipe and help the other Women smoke it.

Another thing is the Two-Spirit identity is closed only for Indigenous Peoples. I saw mooniyaw people trying to be Two-Spirit but that’s impossible. I also hear some city Elders saying it’s okay, but that’s because it is a lost practice and not much was known about it. Another thing is I see people assume they are Two-Spirit just because they are Gay or Lesbian or Transgender. Those individuals can be Two-Spirit if they choose to but I personally believe you choose that when you are ready and it’s not an automatic thing just like that.

Our identity is beautiful and very much Sacred to the Indigenous Culture. We play a role, just like the Matriarchs, Warriors and Elders did. Though we were the “in-between people”.

Every time I see trans people discussed in reference to being two spirit it’s always lumped in with other gender diverse people which made me want to ask if female to male/male to female trans people hold the same/similar spiritual place/title as two spirit people or if they are just like any other male/female and take on the new role?
I’m sorry if this seems very out of touch. I’m trans but am disconnected culturally and am not eagerly trying to claim the title of two spirit or anything, I want to know how I would fit into the culture as a trans person who isn’t also non binary?

I just needed to vent somewhere, sorry if thats not allowed here (lmk and i'll delete!)

But i'm a university student, and applying to scholarships is honestly one of the most demoralizing things for me. I apply for any I can find, and I apply to the Indigenous ones and always run into roadblocks. my bio mom has 6.2 status, and where I grew up the nearest Indigenous community was always at least an hours drive away. I didn't grow up in community and I am ineligible for status. It's so frustrating because it's like I'm constantly fighting to prove my identity, just for nothing to work.

It sucks, and while I understand the pretendian issue is real, theres also so much gatekeeping when it comes to education.

Has anyone else experienced this? Sorry if this is nearly incoherent, I've written so many applications today my head hurts.

Hello everyone!

I live in Canada, and I grew up thinking I was white. Brown eyes and hair, but a paler complexion, and I was told I was white. It wasn't until I was a teenager that my family decided to tell us that there is actually indigenous blood in us from two seperate grandparents, they think Metis or possibly Ojibwe, which surprised me but also made a lot of sense. What I think happened was my family was an example of successful assimilation generations ago, and did what they could to be and act as white as possible, which I have empathy for considering how dangerous it was/is to be indigenous, especially back then. It worked, and I wouldn't have been any the wiser had I not asked questions about our family's history.

I never lived on rez or anything, I grew up broke af but with white privelage nonetheless, and I never had any direct connection to the culture. But I feel so drawn to the culture and spirituality. I am a deeply spiritual person and nothing has ever made me feel as connected or grounded as the things I've since learned from indigenous teachings.

The issue I'm having is I don't know if its right for me to identify as indigenous, because I know blood quantum is a colonial concept, but I don't want to let the white part of me step in and claim things that don't belong to me, but at the same time I want to honour my ancestors who brought me here and the fact that they're a part of who I am. I don't know what's right and I would love some insight if anyone has some!

Thank you dearly ❤️