Activity 1.3 | Allyship with Indigenous Peoples

This course began by acknowledging the traditional Territories where Royal Roads University is situated. This action is one of the first that Settlers (persons whose ancestors arrived on North American lands after the first explorers) can take to demonstrate their willingness to become allies of Indigenous peoples.

As you move through this course, pause and think about where you live, work and play. Perhaps this is your lifelong home, or perhaps you have arrived recently. 

• Who are the original peoples who lived here before the settlers who were granted lands to farm or live on? 

Acknowledging the traditional land is a step in recognizing the communities who lived, worked and celebrated there before being displaced to smaller areas, often reserves, by government legislation.

Many have written about allyship and how to respectfully recognize that many of us are uninvited visitors. 

Some of the main actions we can take are:

• Learn who are the Indigenous people on the territory that you live or work upon. You may be able to find out how to say a greeting in their language.
• Always seek consent and permission for activities within Indigenous spaces.
• Listen to Indigenous voices. You might find podcasts, documentaries, television shows, musicians or read Indigenous novels and poetry.
• Self-identify. If you are not originally from the land where you live currently, where did you and your ancestors come from? This may be difficult for people who are not familiar with talking about their ethnicity, however, it is an accepted practice in Indigenous communities. Indigenous people often ask each other who their parents and grandparents are/were.
• Don’t support the erasure of Indigenous history and realities. Government policies forcibly moved people away from their homelands, changed geographical names, enacted laws that favoured persons who harmed Indigenous people, and withheld services that keep people healthy.
• Respect the protocols of the space you occupy. An example is not building on sacred burial sites. The community should benefit by your participation; do no harm.
• Know when to step back. Be respectful of others’ time and commitments when requesting support (e.g., Elders' participation in ceremonies).
• When meeting with Elders or requesting services bring traditional gifts such as tobacco or whatever is acceptable as thanks. Pay Elders fairly for their work.
• Support Indigenous artists, writers and musicians as you would support others. Some medicines such as wild sage are not meant to be purchased, they were often traded.
• Do some independent study of Indigenous lives or lands. Attend respectful protests or marches. 
• Take workshops that teach about Indigenous topics in your community.

Reference

BOLD Realities, Canadian Roots Exchange, & TakingITGlobal. (n.d.). Whose Land. https://www.whose.land/en/