Third day - United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

Today the key lesson I learned was the diversity of frameworks used by various Indigenous peoples around the world, as well as the similarity of some of these frameworks with the ones adopted by the Mocreebec Council of the Crees - the community I am most familiar with.

In particular, there were calls to recognize those Indigenous groups who self-define and do not rely on the labels and status bestowed upon them by colonial governments. This is precisely what Mocreebec has asserted for years. Mocreebec has asserted that only they have the rights to determine their own governance structure through clan councils, and that they can establish their own community sustainability without needing the approval or co-dependence of nation-state governments.

Another key item was the emphasis on controlling and managing resources, education and health for and by Indigenous community members.This theme was expanded upon by a panel that discussed the concept of environmental violence which is the negative and violent impacts on the environment and Indigenous peoples resulting from extractive industries. In this area, Mocreebec has been a leader in terms of working to develop resources in a method that lives out Cree values and supports environmental sustainability. For example, the Ecolodge and other businesses in the James Bay area were developed as a way of creating sustainability while manifesting Cree traditional values. I know it was not an easy thing to do given political and other pressure to link with external governance structures, but governance and self-determination need to be rooted first before reaching out is possible.

Ecuadorian and other Mesoamerican presenters spoke about reaching out to other nations in the areas of education and health while being solidly situated within a strong self-determining and self-identifying framework. From a position of health and strength, this is possible. However while going through the process of establishing a strong Indigenous governance structure - without the foundation of decision-making - sharing and reaching out is likely a significant challenge.

Unfortunately, not every community can come to the UN and see how many commonalities and allies they have around the world, but everyone should. I hope that Mocreebec and others come to share where they are at, and their vision and learning with others here in this powerful Indigenous forum. There is lots to share, and it is always a wonderful thing to see that one is not alone. There are allies and there is a broader movement out there. We are all swimming in the same stream....