Power Plays

Writing at Wrong Kind of Green, Zig Zag examines the power plays at work within the indigenous uprising in Canada. As Indian Act Chiefs try to leverage the grassroots rebellion into benefits both holistic and opportunistic, the initial organizers — operating outside established power structures — argue for allowing the movement to flourish independently of mainstream protocols. As Zig Zag notes, the dependency of the Indian Act Chiefs on Ottawa limits their strategies precisely at a time when organizational capacities need to grow. While the dramatic acts and supportive words of some of the Chiefs has played a beneficial role, the Chiefs need to reassess their roles as managers of policy set by Ottawa, including allowing new leadership to emerge out of the social movement itself. As the source of vitality and inspiration critical to the uprising’s success, limiting their imagination to fine-tuning colonialism just doesn’t cut it.