Moving Forward: Land Back

Big Ideas

• Land back is a movement by Indigenous peoples all over Turtle Island (North America) to reclaim stolen lands and have their inherent jurisdiction recognized
• Most of Ontario is covered in “Crown land”
• There is more than enough land to be shared
• Indigenous Peoples including the Anishinabek have inherent roles and responsibilities to the land that has never been relinquished
• Land was never ceded or surrendered
• Language and culture is directly tied to the land
• Often times Indigenous Peoples are met with police violence when attempting to utilize their traditional lands or protecting their lands

Let’s Explore:

1. Watch the following video – Land Back:

Click here to download a fillable PDF
with these discussion questions.

Discuss the following:

What are your thoughts after hearing the speakers in this video?

How can education and awareness help to inform Canadian citizens about the rights of Indigenous Peoples to their lands? How can this prevent further incidents of police violence?

How can citizen action help to support these efforts of ‘land back’?

2. Explore: Understanding Indigenous Rights

Shared with permission by Jodie Williams

Consider the following:

Are Indigenous Peoples being supported ? If so, how?  If not, why not?

3. Make connections:

Click on the following to learn about the systemic racism in policing:

Police Brutality In Canada: A Symptom Of Structural Racism And Colonial Violence

The RCMP was created to control Indigenous people. Can that relationship be reset?

Watchdog’s report finds RCMP discriminated against Colten Boushie’s mother

THE RCMP SERVES AND PROTECTS FOSSIL FUEL CEOS

RCMP Has Spent Almost $20 Million Policing Wet’suwet’en Territory

‘Localized harassment’: RCMP patrol Wet’suwet’en territory despite UN calls for withdrawal

RCMP WEAR BANNED SYMBOL AS THEY ARREST INDIGENOUS LEADER AT FAIRY CREEK

‘The RCMP just stood there’: Attack on Mi’kmaq fishery sparks tense standoff, condemnation

While Canada cracks down on Indigenous and Black protesters, white supremacists get a free pass in Canada. Just look at the convoy

Reports on racism and a reckoning for Thunder Bay

Framework for change to address systemic racism in policing

Reflect:

Did anything surprise you? Why or why not?

How does this relate to the video Land Back?

How do these actions by various law enforcement violate the UNDRIP?

Click here to review the UNDRIP lesson.

4. Take action:

Have students develop a solidarity action plan that promotes education, awareness and action on a land back movement.  Have students share their action plans with each other. This could be done in as a class presentation or in small groups rotating until everyone has heard each plan.

The following slide deck is available for teachers to use:

Click here to download this slide deck.