Thelandbelongs tothepeoplewho workit
Dani Cervantes SJ 101 VOL.1
LandDefending
Land defender: "A land defender, land protector, or environmental defender is an activist who works to protect ecosystems and the human right to a safe, healthy environment" (The Guardian, 2017)
Although they comprise less than 5% of the world population, Indigenous peoples protect 80% of the Earth's biodiversity in the environments in which they have lived for thousands of years (Land Coalition)
Globally, Indigenous people are paying a high price for decades of unsustainable development. The rush for economic growth has led to increased demand for land and natural resources, with Indigenous Peoples’ land being primary targets (IWGIA)
Land dispossession will lead to the loss of Indigenous Peoples’ traditional livelihood practices and the inter-generational transfer of Indigenous knowledge
Indigenous land defenders run extreme dangers as in 2021, they made up 18% of victims of human rights attacks (BRCC, 2022)
Latin America is the deadliest region in the world for environmental and land defenders, and as the world continues to see the increasingly alarming impacts of the climate crisis (Amnesty International, 2022)
INDIGENOUS ACTIVISM OVER TIME
As the civil rights movement began in the 1960's, Native American grassroots movements in the United States began to gain prominence. The most influential movement was the American Indian Movement (AIM). AIM focuses their work to address issues of poverty, discrimination, and police brutality against Native Americans. AIM remains active today and have allied with indigenous interests outside the United States.
AIM then widened its focus from urban issues to many Indigenous Tribal issues that Native American groups have faced due to settler colonialism in the Americas. These issues included treaty rights, high rates of unemployment, Native American education, cultural continuity, and the preservation of Indigenous cultures. The most prominent demonstrations AIM participated in were the occupation of Alcatraz island and Wounded Knee
Indigenous activism remains notable and grassroots movements continue to fight against anti Indigeneity in media, lack of support an resources on reservations, violence against Indigenous women (MMIW), and the exploitation of Indigenous land (Zinn project, 2015)
The internet's power in Indigenous activism
Indigenous activism has evolved in the last few decades thanks to the internet and the numerous social media platforms that have allowed the amplification of Indigenous activists and movements. Sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have been integral to the evolution of Indigenous activism.
Indigenous activists despite of geological location the ability to voice their concerns and issues Expose governments and corporations that are harming Indigenous communities and lands to hold them accountable Indigenous activists can mobilize online and communicate with one another and create worldwide solidarity
MNHS.ORG
Duarte , 2017
Case Study #1: #NODAPL movement
In early 2016, Indigenous activists on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota began protesting construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL), a 1,172-mile-long oil pipeline that, when completed, would carry oil through four states and beneath two major rivers (CCRJustice, 2018)
The grassroots protests targeted the pipeline, the company behind it (Energy Transfer Partners ETP), and those funding the project. By mid 2016, the protests had evolved into full-time encampments on and off the reservation, supported by vibrant, effective, and headline-grabbing actions across the country and around the world due to internet broadcast These actions included marches, divestment campaigns, bank shutdowns, banner drops, blockades are the country and the sabotage of ETP property and pipeline construction equipment on the reservation.
Because of these efforts that were broadcasted on the internet by #NODAPL activists, the movement caught the attention of many celebrities and they made their support of the demonstration public. The movement gained support from celebrities . Celebrities tweeted/posted their pictures on instagram vocalizing their support or were seen at protests.
#ReZpectOurWater",#StandWithStandingRock, and #WaterisLife gained prominence as well #NoDAPL saw success because of the hard work of Indigenous activists but the support of celebrities helped amplify the movement.
Case Study #2: #protectMaunaKea
The #ProtectMaunaKea movement is a land defense movement based in Hawaii. The issue began due to The international consortium of scientists planned to build a 30 meter telescope on the Mauna Kea volcano. This construction would allow the scientists to study space from the best place on Northern Hemisphere. (Vox, 2022)
Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii and the tallest mountain in the world. In Hawaiian traditions of creation, the mountain is an ancestor of Native Hawaiians, or Kanaka Maoli. It is one of the most sacred sites if not the most sacred in Hawaiian culture (Vox, 2022).
For nearly nine months, Kanaka Maoli landprotectors, established the Pu‘uhonua o Pu‘uhuluhulu camp, protectors kept watch for construction crews for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) — planned to be the largest telescope in the Northern Hemisphere enduring harsh weather conditions. The land defenders at Mauna Kea did amazing work to amplify their movement and it got the attention of celebrities.
Indigenous Polynesian celebrities like Dwayne "the rock" Johnson and Jason Momoa traveled to the camp to show their support
Musicians with connections to Hawaii such as Bruno Mars and Jhene Aiko vocalized their support for #ProtectMaunaKea on Instagram. The Mauna Kea movement was made possible by land protectors and their efforts were broadcast online and they were met with support from A-list celebrities and musicians
Case Study #3: Bolivian
Coup and Tesla
In late 2019, Bolivia experienced a political crisis following the declaration of Evo Morales, Indigenous Left-wing Aymara, as the democratically elected president of Bolivia (Telesur, 2020). Right-wing Bolivian citizens began rioting and civil unrest began in Bolivia and Indigenous people became targets. Evo suffered threats and unsafety and had to flee Bolivia for his livelihood and Jeanine Avez, a right-wing anti Indigenous politician, assumed the position of president.
Evo Morales being an Indigenous Bolivian from an humble agrarian background had a strong stance against the extraction of natural resources because of the harm and exploitation it would cause for marginalized communities Bolivia has the richest Lithium reserves in the world and is used in rechargeable batteries for mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras and electric vehicles
Evo Morales declared the actions taken against his presidency as a Coup-d-etat orchestrated due to his stance against lithium mining which Jeanine Avez was supportive of. CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk, showed interest in sourcing the Lithium in Tesla vehicles from Bolivian reserves due to the cost effectivity and was upset with Evo Morales because he opposed this partnership (NY Times, 2021)
Elon Musk began to be attacked for his stances on land extraction and in 2020 he publically vocalized his support for the coup in Bolivia. Following the incarceration of Jeanine Avez, an investigation found Elon Musk and Tesla complicit in the orchestration of the Bolivian coup (Telesur, 2020). This selfincirminating tweet exposed Elon Musk and his disregard for Indigenous people and lands and would've gone unoticed by many if not for this tweet.
Highlighting Indigenous Activists
Charitie Ropati (Yup'ik and Samoan)
Charitie Ropati is a 21 year old environmental activist and researcher who studies the intersections of plant ecology, permafrost, and cultural resilience in coastal Native communities at Columbia University and is an Indigenous woman in STEM. She has been been featured and nationally recognized for her advocacy by the Malala Fund
Twitter: @charitieropati
Xiuhtezcatl Martinez (Nahua-Mexica)
Xiuhtezcatl Martinez is an Indigenous environmental activist and hip hop artist. He has spoken about the effects of fossil fuels on indigenous communities. He has spoken at the United Nations several times, and he gained popularity after delivering a 2015 speech at the United Nations General Assembly in English, Spanish and his native language, Nahuatl.
Twitter: @Xiuhtezcatl
Naelyn Pike (Chiricahua Apache)
As a lifelong fighter, Naelyn continues to follow in her grandfather’s the Apache Stronghold's founder footsteps in protecting Apache's holy and sacred sites and Indigenous rights. Pike was one of the youngest people to testify before Congress when she spoke out against mining at Oak Flat, an Apache sacred site. She continues to fight for environmental sustainability and Indigenous rights at the local, state, and national levels.
Instagram: @naelynpike
Jasilyn Charger (Cheyenne River Sioux)
Jasilyn Charger is a Land Defender and community organizer youth advocate for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. She has been on the frontlines for six years battling pipelines, protecting and advocating for Native American and LGBTQ rights Currently she is supporting a local movement for MMIW with the Women Warriors Society opposing the construction of the KXL pipeline.
Instagram: @jasilyncharger
bThelandelongsto thosewho workit -Emiliano Zapata
In conclusion, The internet has been an incredible tool to mobilize, organize, and amplify the on going struggles of Indigenous people in the US and beyond. This zine was created out of appreciation and love for Indigenous people and their efforts to make the world a better place.
References
Land Defense and Defenders.” IWGIA, https://iwgia.org/en/land-defencedefenders.html.
“Defending Land and Environmental Defenders Coalition.” ILC, https://www.landcoalition.org/en/explore/our-work/human-rights/defenddefenders-coalition/.
“Earth Defenders under Attack in Latin America.” Amnesty International Canada, 9 Sept. 2021, https://www.amnesty.ca/what-we-do/earth-defenders/.
“Libguides: American Indian Movement (AIM): Overview.” OverviewAmerican Indian Movement (AIM) - LibGuides at Minnesota Historical Society Library, https://libguides.mnhs.org/aim.
Duarte, Marisa. (2017). Connected Activism: Indigenous Uses of Social Media for Shaping Political Change. Australasian Journal of Information Systems. 21. 10.3127/ajis.v21i0.1525.
“The #NoDAPL Movement Was Powerful, Factual, and Indigenous-Led. Lawsuit Lies Can't Change That.” Center for Constitutional Rights, 21 Feb. 2018, https://ccrjustice.org/home/blog/2018/02/21/nodapl-movement-waspowerful-factual-and-indigenous-led-lawsuit-lies-can-t.
Nguyen, Frances. “The Pandemic Hasn't Stopped Native Hawaiians' Fight to Protect Mauna Kea.” Vox, Vox, 7 Aug. 2020, https://www.vox.com/2020/8/7/21354619/mauna-kea-tmt-telescope-nativehawaiians.
teleSUR. “Elon Musk Confesses to Lithium Coup in Bolivia.” News | TeleSUR English, TeleSUR, 25 July 2020, https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/elon-muskconfesses-to-lithium-coup-in-bolivia-20200725-0010.html.
Krauss, Clifford, and Meridith Kohut. “Green-Energy Race Draws an American Underdog to Bolivia's Lithium.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 16 Dec. 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/16/business/energyenvironment/bolivia-lithium-electric-cars.html.