Last Month I posted an article about a gathering to discuss the terms of a Treaty to form a United League of Indigenous Nations.

Well the gathering occurred as planned. In total, around 200 people representing 40+ Tribes (mostly from around the US) were in attendance. The gathering however, went a little different from what was being expected. Early on, everyone decided not to go over the terms of the Treaty, and instead decided to revamp and finalize it for immediate ratification.

According to the article on Indian Country, this course was prompted when Oren Lyons, Traditional Faithkeeper of the Onondaga, told everyone “The ice at the polar caps is melting as we are standing here talking.”

At the end of the conference, delegates from 11 Nations signed the final version: ” Lummi, Sucker Creek Cree First Nation 150 A, Te Runanga O Ngati Awa (New Zealand), Ngarrinderi Nation, Douglas Village of the Tlinget Nation, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Akiak Native Community, We Wai Kai Nation, Makah Tribe, Songhees Nation and Hoh Indian Tribe. ”

There will be a formal signing and ratification meeting sometime later this year.

Questions and Concerns

I realize I’m not position to say whether or not this is a good thing, if only because I know little to nothing about the above-mentioned Nations, but even so I find there are alot of unanswered questions here.

Initially I was deeply concerned about the involvement of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) — because while many assume the AFN is a representative body for Indigenous People ‘in Canada,’ it is in fact a liaison for the Federal Government: in a matter of speaking, a bridge that allows Canada to freely enter the backyards of Indigenous People to do whatever they want.

Those behind this gathering might just as well have invited The Government of Canada itself to sit at the table.

Beyond this, the questions and concerns I see are with regard to intent of this League. According to the article on Indian Country, the intent is to create an international Indigenous economy and to work together to ‘fight global warming’.

I’m not going to touch the issue of global warming today, but I have a number of questions regarding this economy —which I can’t imagine were addressed or even acknowledged since this treaty was rushed forward so abruptly

The biggest concern is who is this economy for? It is for Leadership or is it for the People? Is it for profit and power, or is to meet needs, end poverty, and help with self-empowerment?

With the example I see Leadership setting on this land, I can’t imagine this economy is something which will exist independent of mainstream business—for the purposes of needs fullfillment.

Is it really for ’self-defense’? If so, who exactly is going to be defended?

Who’s going to be controlling all the trade and commerce? Who’s going to be making all the decisions?

Is a council going to be formed? Are it’s members going to be selected by the Chiefs and business Councils, or by the People?

What standards will this economy ascribe to? The American Economy? How will value be defined? According the Euro?

Is the aim of this economy to make Indigenous Nations and businesses international contenders? To get high on the NASDAQ?

Are the heads involved in this League going to be accountable to the People —- the way Band and Tribal Councils are right now—completely un-accountable?

Well, these are questions that can only be truly answered through actions (not words)—so we’ll just have to wait and see.

Whatever the truth turns out to be, one thing is certain: the importance of such an economy is certainly recognized, especially since Nation States like Canada and America have long since used our economy as means to keep us in a perpetual state of dependence.

With that said, our economy is one that must exists outside of the mainstream economy, altogether outside of colonial Society.

That doesn’t just mean making money on our terms, and moving around or selling the products we make, and being able to invest in massive projects to save the world because of other people’s stupidity.

First and foremost, our economy is one that must ensure that all the People’s needs are met.

If it can’t do that, or for that matter poverty and the dependence (or rather strangle-hold) States have on Nations, then what’s the point?

With respect, I have zero confidence in leadership because I have yet to see any true leaders on this continent. There are some who are close, but they are driven by profit and opinion. They do what they want, not what needs to be done.

I would very much like to this this particular effort will go beyond that, but from the example I see being put forward by groups like the AFN and numerous Band and Tribal Councils who are all too happy to sell out a nation for money, and to make all sorts of bargains and compromises at the expense of the land, I cannot see this economy becoming anything more than just another corporate project.

As I mentioned above, in time we will what this is all truley about. My only hope is that, if it turns out to dis-serve the people, it will give the people the inspiration we need to move forward on our own terms, for starters, to increase the call for the return of traditional governments, and to increase our rejection of all things colonial.

Living is after all, more important than surviving.