Indigenous Women and 2Spirit people are central to the creation and maintenance of front line resistance against the encroachment of extractive industries on their territories. Voices: Indigenous Women on the Front Lines Speak is a project that shares the stories of these Indigenous leaders protecting their lands, waters, and medicines.
For 7 months we traveled the paths the salmon take, the routes proposed by pipeline companies, to support the work of Water Protectors and Land Defenders from the Western edge of Nuu-chal-nuth to Tl’abānotīn in the North. We joined women patrolling the coastal waters of the Tsimshian, land defenders blockading a mine on Secwepemc territory, and in solidarity with the Ahousaht four joined the demos that shut down the DFO office. We processed wild foods with elders, minded children, washed a lot of dishes, and taught at the first Indigenous Youth Art Camp on the Unist’ot’en Yintah. This series grew out of years of solidarity work and was planned and created on the front lines of Indigenous resistance.
The struggle of Indigenous peoples against colonialism is more than 500 years old. Resistance has existed as long as white settlers have claimed Indigenous land. Whether the colonial state recognizes their ‘status’ or not, Indigenous peoples still exist and their homelands are still their homelands. While we conducted interviews where we have relationships, resistance to the many facets of the colonial project is everywhere and these struggles are interconnected.
The Women and 2Spirit Land Defenders whose stories are woven through this series span the breadth of their experiences and wisdom on effective tactics for resistance, personal journeys of healing, the impacts of ongoing colonization and the complicated balances needed in the work of protecting land and sovereignty. By downloading the zines and purchasing the limited edition prints you will contribute directly to the work of the Women in this series.
