Thoughts and musings from a writer, editor, photographer, activist, and musician in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. I believe that faith and social action are intertwined in efforts to positively motivate change in the society around us. We need to be actively involved in our communities to try to effect this change locally and globally. I also love the local Arts scene. Warning: alternative perspectives and strong opinions ahead. Intimidated yet? Good - read on.
The Idle No More movement has been making waves in the media since its first day of action on December 10, 2012. Since then, flash mobs, round dances, marches, rallies, and other forms of protests have been springing up all over the country - and beyond. Support for this grassroots, Indigenous movement is coming from our neighbour to the south as well as overseas.
Whether one agrees or disagrees with the motivation behind Idle No More, or the tactics being employed, the movement has become an unqualified success. I have attended a number of INM events as an ally and citizen media reporter and witnessed first hand how well-organized and well-attended they are.
As a community organizer in the peace movement, I would dare to say that those of us who are activists have a lot to learn from INM in very practical ways. Here is a list of reasons why INM is working so well - and what we can learn from it.
Organization: The events are well-organized. Speakers are contacted well ahead of time. Events start at the advertised time and end within a reasonable amount of time. Things don't drag on. This is especially important with winter outdoor events.
Social Media Revolution: INM a social media revolution. Facebook and Twitter are being used to their maximum potential to promote events. The crowds are rife with people taking pictures and videos, posting them online afterwards on YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, and Twitter. If you are online at all, INM cannot be ignored.
Media Connections: There has been lots of media at INM events. This can be attributed to the fact that news of these events get around quickly (see above) and also it is important to have an up to date media list with press releases sent out in a timely fashion. I can't say for sure that this is what has been happening, but the results speak volumes. At first it was like pulling teeth getting media out to INM events- it was almost like there was a media blackout. Now they come out in droves. Yes, a lot of the reporting is a smear campaign, but some of it is balanced, and some even in favour. As well, never discount the importance of citizen media.
Attitude is Everything: The atmosphere at many INM events is welcoming, warm, and inclusive. Organizers take the time to speak with people attending, especially "settlers" and allies from other organizations. A major statement of the INM movement is that Bill c-45 is not just about Aboriginal issues - it affects all Canadians, regardless of race. Hey - clean water is important to me and I am a first generation Canadian.
Momentum: A priority of INM seems to be keeping its issues in the public eye and up for discussion. Organizers are tirelessly planning the next event, event after the drums and cants from the previous ones are still echoing.
Variety: INM events include rallies, speeches, round dances, flash mobs, drumming, singing, chanting, and speakers - sometimes all within the same event. This keeps things from getting dry and losing audience attention.
Leadership: One of the reasons why Occupy fell apart in some places, was the lack of clear leadership. Too many people were going off in different directions or trying to co-opt the movement for their own purposes. While the leadership in INM is not strictly formal, there appears to be groups of organizers regarded as leaders through whom decisions are made concerning event planning. Again, this appears to be a very inclusive process, with people being able to bring concerns and ideas forward.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T: While many ethnic and social groups are fragmented by politics, the people involved with INM appear to respect each other - even when they disagree. Case in point: an elder disagreed with the location of a major INM event and expressed why. Although the event took place as planned, it led to dialogue and an understanding of that person's perspective.
Focus: When I attend an INM event, I come away with a clearer idea of what the issues are. Many have dealt with Bill C-45. Some are specifically to support Theresa Spence. These are not rallies for the sake of having rallies. The shorter events, like the flash mob round dances, are more for raising awareness and getting attention.
Unless you have been living under a rock, you have likely heard of Idle No More. Or, at the very least, heard or seen those words in some context. If you have to ask the question, Idle No More is a movement originating with Canada's Indigenous peoples. It began as a reaction to the passing of Bill C-45 (also known as the "Omnibus Bill") which unilaterally affects Treaty agreements concerning protected water without the Harper government having had any consultations with First Nations.
However, in the rallies and flash mobs that have been springing up all over the country and beyond, Idle No More has gained momentum that is relevant for all Canadians. This isn't just about Aboriginal rights, and it isn't just about Bill C-45 in and of itself. It is about the government being allowed to have a sweeping hand and changing laws without consultation, in effect taking away our democratic rights as a society. In that regard, what affects one group affects us all. One of the central issues to Idle No More is protected water - water is sacred to First Nations, but it is important to all of us. Without water, we cannot survive. As well, Idle No More is relevant to non-Aboriginals because all of us who were born here or are immigrants owe the existence of our country to those who settled the land long before we were here.
When the first Idle No More march and rally took place in Edmonton on December 10, around 2000 people showed up at Churchill Square. The energy was incredible. Unfortunately, an apparent media blackout did not show the rest of the city (and country) just how intense the burgeoning movement was. There was little to no media coverage at all. However, Idle No More in many ways is a social media revolution - people's photos, tweets, Facebook updates, videos on YouTube, and other efforts has made Idle No More go viral and international.
The video above, which I shot at West Edmonton Mall on December 18, was of one of the first round dance flash mobs held in shopping malls across Canada. Within days it already had tens of thousands of viewers and the views continue to grow. People are commenting on it from all over the world. This is something that traditional media simply cannot accomplish.
You may be wondering why I am writing this on Christmas Day. Well, as many of us enjoy a big dinner and sweet treats, Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence is in her fifteenth day of a hunger strike. She wants to meet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper to discuss treaty issues and to negotiate better living conditions for many of the nation's Indigenous population. Senator Patrick Brazeau attempted to meet with her yesterday - showing up unannounced on Christmas Eve after slagging her on national television last week, saying she was not "setting a good example" for Aboriginal youth. If being willing to die for your beliefs is not being a good example, I want to know what is.
Solidarity is now coming in from the United States and around the world. Idle No More is a movement whose time has come. Seeing all of these beautiful Aboriginal people standing up for the land that is rightfully theirs is awesome and inspirational. More and more "migrants" and "settlers" are joining in - after all, this is really about human rights and the environment at its core.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and may the new year bring revolution.
