Living in Indigenous Sovereignty

by Elizabeth Carlson-Manathara, Gladys Rowe

In the last decade, the relationship between settler Canadians and Indigenous Peoples has been highlighted by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, the Idle No More movement, the Wet’suwet’en struggle against pipeline development and other Indigenous-led struggles for Indigenous sovereignty and decolonization. Increasing numbers of Canadians are beginning to recognize how settler colonialism continues to shape relationships on these lands. With this recognition comes the question many settler Canadians are now asking, what can I do?

Living in Indigenous Sovereignty lifts up the wisdom of Indigenous scholars, activists and knowledge keepers who speak pointedly to what they are asking of non-Indigenous people. It also shares the experiences of thirteen white settler Canadians who are deeply engaged in solidarity work with Indigenous Peoples. Together, these stories offer inspiration and guidance for settler Canadians who wish to live honourably in relationship with Indigenous Peoples, laws and lands. If Canadians truly want to achieve this goal, Carlson and Rowe argue, they will pursue a reorientation of their lives toward “living in Indigenous sovereignty” — living in an awareness that these are Indigenous lands, containing relationships, laws, protocols, stories, obligations and opportunities that have been understood and practised by Indigenous peoples since time immemorial.

Collectively, these stories will help settler Canadians understand what transformations we must undertake if we are to fundamentally shift our current relations and find a new way forward, together.

Genres: Indigenous, Nonfiction, Social Justice, Canada

264 pages, Paperback

First published May 10, 2021

Reviews

[Karen Kohoutek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on the position of white people vis-a-vis Indigenous sovereignty, which is something that I'm very interested in. This makes a good pairing with "What White People Can Do Next." There's an overriding editorial perspective, and then interviews with white Canadians who have been involved in Indigenous activism, discussing their history and their place within movements. A lot to think about!

[Katrina Sark · Rating 3 out of 5]

1 – Introduction – by Elizabeth Carlson-Manathara and Gladys Rowe

p.43 – Canadian journalist, author, and activist Naomi Klein began her sold-out talk to a Winnipeg audience in April 2016 by acknowledging they were gathered on Treaty 1 Territory and challenging the audience with the words, “It is not enough for us to simply say that this is Indigenous Land. We need to act like it is Indigenous Land.” This is what we mean by living in Indigenous sovereignty.

2 – Settler Colonialism and Resistance – Elizabeth Carlson-Manathara

p.104 – Settler Colonialism – Colonialism takes two major forms: On the one hand, there is colonialism aimed at economic exploitation and the extraction of resources and wealth for the benefit of the colonizer, and on the other is colonization framed around settlement, the creation of new living space for the colonizer at the expense of the ways of life of the colonized (Young 2001). The latter, knows as settler colonialism, defines the colonialism that has ravaged what are now called Canada and the united States.

Tuck and Yang (2012:5) argue that settler colonial nation-states require “total appropriation of Indigenous life and land, rather than the selective expropriation of profit-producing fragments … settlers come with the intention of making a new home on the land, a homemaking that insists on settler sovereignty over all things in their new domain.” As a result of this objective, settler colonialism is intent on the destruction and erasure of Indigenous Peoples, communities, and claims to land.

[Jeffrey Pedro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Living in Indigenous Sovereignty is a call to action. The interviews held within these pages examined non-Indigenous’, or settler occupiers’, perspectives and experiences that focused on dismantling long-held colonial beliefs and prejudices against Indigenous Peoples. Each person interviewed described the anti-colonial and decolonization process as a unique journey.

This book helped address many of the questions and concerns I had regarding my place and role as a white- settler occupier. I appreciated that it validated my feelings of guilt, shame, and disappointment for years of oppression, dispossession, genocide, and land theft inflicted by my ancestors. It also reminded me that I shouldn’t be paralyzed by these feelings and instead, aim to be a supportive ally to Indigenous Peoples within the community.

The book stressed the importance of avoiding appropriation or a white-savior complex. Ultimately, the focus should be using our privilege, skills, and strengths to help Indigenous Peoples, or any marginalized group, work toward their goals and initiatives. Returning land back is a common theme of the book. After reading these experiences and perspectives, I’m convinced that returning Turtle Island to Indigenous Peoples is a must to address centuries of wrongdoing.

Very informative and life changing materiel if you’re ready to dismantle years of thinking and living like a colonizer.

Note: The interviews in this book are based in Canada. Indigenous sovereignty is a global issue, so many of the perspectives and experiences are applicable to the US and other parts of the world.

[Boyd S · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the language is at times very academic and may not be accessible to all, I highly recommend this book to Settlers (Non-Indigenous Peoples) of Canada. It is a very compelling and eye-opening read about the ongoing relationship and continued work towards reconciliation between Indigenous Peoples and Settlers. Written from several perspectives, Living in Indigenous Sovereignty shows that the work of reconciliation is relational, ongoing, and an essential part of following through on the commitments of the various treaties that were formed here on Turtle Island.

[Carmen Petz Wishlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute must read for settlers here in so called Canada. Every non indigenous person should have this to read and to guide them to do their part to decolonize and be an ally. The stories here are so important and in order to be in relationship with Indigenous people we need to stand up and support them by letting them lead while we support them . I have highlighted numerous pages and room so much information to work on.

[Lori Zuppinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hugely important subject matter and some great insights, but found some of the essays a bit rambling.

[Clivemichael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful examples of political action/support and acknowledgement. A helpful deconstruction of the colonial apparatus.

[Digitally Lit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book certainly was something. Where to begin? This book exists to educate non-Indigenous people like myself, and it’s perfect for that. Living in Indigenous Sovereignty talks about many things, but that main idea is to teach and encourage those who are not Indigenous to learn how to live in Indigenous Sovereignty. (You’d never be able to guess that from the title, I know 😉 ) It talks about the racism that many Indigenous have faced throughout the years, and the struggles that they had, and still have to go through. One thing that I really got from this book was to not be a toxic person, and be open to learning and accepting the fact they lived in Canada first, and that this is their land. This book talks about respecting the Indigenous, listening to them, and allying with them. In a way, we’re supposed to help them, but not in a toxic “I’ll help you because I’m better than you” way, more like an ally—or a new term that I learned recently; accomplice. Even though there were some parts of the book that I might not’ve fully understood at first, it was all explained fairly clearly at the end. And in the end I was truly inspired and left with a lot to think about. I found that the stories of other people who were working with Indigenous to be very helpful. Some people were Indigenous, but a lot of them were not, and it was their story and journey of learning to live and accept Indigenous Sovereignty. It was a very informational read, but I will admit that I did struggle a little bit to process the information. It took me a while to finish it, as well.

Here are some other new words that I learned reading this book:
anti-colonialism ~ the struggle against imperial rule in colonized countries
heteropatriarchy ~ a hierarchical society or culture dominated by heterosexual males whose characteristic bias is unfavorable to females in general
settler colonialism ~ a type of colonialism in which foreign settlers immigrate and permanently reside on land already inhabited by Indigenous residents
anti-imperialism ~ opposition to imperialism
imperialism ~ the extension of a nation’s authority by territorial acquisition or by the establishment of economic and political dominance over other nations.

There were many quotes used in this book, but here are two that stuck out to me the most:

“I am convinced that most Settlers are in denial. They know that the foundations of their countries are corrupt, and they know that their countries are “colonial” in historical terms, but still they refuse to see and accept the fact that there can be no rhetorical transcendence and retelling of the past to make it right without making fundamental changes to their government, society, and the way they live.” ~ David C. Williams

“If you can allow yourself to feel what’s there, including the grief, it passes. It doesn’t mean it’s over, it doesn’t mean that, okay now everything is fine, but it’s a working through, it’s an acknowledgement of how bad it was. And in my experience, unless you come to that acknowledgement, it’s going to be pretty hard for you to work with Indigenous people and for Indigenous people to trust you…. Where your heart is, is really important, and I think that unless we do open our hearts and let our hearts grieve, and feel even a smidge of the pain of what’s happened, which Indigenous people had to live with, we can’t really connect honestly. We’re avoiding it.” ~ Victoria Freeman