VANCOUVER, BC, PRESS RELEASE--(Marketwire - Aug. 6, 2007) - Indigenous and community activists and will be taking over part of Kitsilano Beach today at 2:00 to identify B.C Day as Before Colonization Day. There will be an opening prayer, drumming and singing and speakers. The meeting place: Cornwall and Arbutus Streets. There will be a raising of a flag to simulate the claiming of the land as Indigenous soil.
"The root cause of indigenous peoples' spiritual, emotional, mental and prevailing poverty is colonization. The legacy of colonization lies in the enduring ramifications of the reservation and residential school system, systemic governmental, educational, judicial and societal racism.
Under colonial rule, our ancestors were persecuted, imprisoned, and hanged for not subjugating themselves or the rights to our lands. They were persecuted for being in the way of progress.
The legacy of colonization, lies in the prisons, skid rows, mental health wards, on the highway of tears, in addictions, alcoholism, those of our people living and working on the streets, and in our children being taken away from their homes, the legacy of colonization lies in the suicidal hearts of our youth.
The legacy of colonization lies in the destruction of our earth due to globalization, ensuing pollution and physical destruction, clearcutting, pollution of our waters killing our ecosystem and creatures.
It's time for us to recognize our rights as indigenous people. Our rights to our land and our rights to protect it's resources. Our very survival has been an uphill battle as we are still a marginalized race.
Yet the legacy of colonization has been unsuccessful because we are still here! Still marginalized but we are working hard to show the beauty and strength of a beautiful culture. Our reality is very different from what we learned as children in school but we are a testament to the strength of our great-great grandparents.
In terms of reconciliation and treaties, the government will only treaty when their best interests are in hand, not at heart. The government will only settle when it serves them for the future." (Kat Norris, Coast Salish, Indigenous Action Movement)
ONCE THE MONEY IS GONE, IT'S GONE. ONCE THE LAND IS GONE, IT'S GONE.
This land belongs to our people, the indigenous people, we will never ever forget that. And we are going to ensure that our children know what their rights are."
To all my relations..
IN: POLITICS
For more information, please contact
Kat Norris
Primary Phone: 604-682-3269 ext. 7718
E-mail: indigenousactionmovement@yahoo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment