I called 911; they hanged up on me—my girlfriend, her father called 911…
December 17, 2020 11:19 AM Subscribe
On September 17th, the twenty-first anniversary of the Marshall Decision, Sipekneꞌkatik First Nation on Nopa Sko'sia declared a “moderate livelihood” fishery (photos) as a community exercise of their rights as Indigenous people. In response, non-Indigenous have escalated campaigns of harassment against First Nations people, the Mi'kmaq fleet, and their supporters, cutting lobster traps, firing flares at fishing vessels, engaging in arson, plundering catches, scattering improvised caltrops on shore to burst the tires of cars and trucks, discriminating against Mi'kmaq fishermen in retail stores, and making violent threats on social media.
By most ancient right, even under settler conventions of law and tradition, the Mi'kmaq people of Nopa Sko'sia / Nova Scotia / Megâmaage / Mi’kma’ki and other East-Coast Indigenous have rights to fish and hunt. These rights exist without settler government licensing and outside of the “seasons” defined by Canadian fishery management laws; though they were recognized in treaties beginning in the eighteenth century as most recently affirmed by the Supreme Court of Canada at the end of the twentieth century in the “Marshall decision”. But of course, exercising these rights always ends up being a point of contention with non-Indigenous people.
A related event at the turn of the century was the Burnt Church Crisis of 1999–2002 in New Brunswick, depicted in Alanis Obomsawin's 2002 documentary Is the Crown at War with Us?—full film on YouTube.
Maw-lukutijik Saqmaq / Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaw Chiefs: Moderate Livelihood Fishery Update fact sheet, August 2020.
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Mi'kmaq districts of Nopa Sko'sia include Epegoitnag / Epekwitk / Epegwitg, Esgigeoag / Eskikewaꞌkik / Eskíkewaq / Esgeꞌgewaꞌgi, Gespopoitnag / Kespukwitk / Kespékewaq / Gespugwitg, Sigenigteoag / Siknikt / Sikniktewaq / Signigtewaꞌgi, Segepenegatig / Sipekniꞌkatik / Sipekneꞌkatik / Sipeknékatik / Sugapuneꞌgati / Shubencadie, and Onamag / Unamaꞌkik / Unamákik / Unamaꞌgi. Mi'kmaq communities of Nopa Sko'sia include Waqmɨtkuk / Wagmatcook, We'kopekwitk / Truro, Piktuk / Pictou, Potlotek / Port Toulouse, Kluskap / Glooscap, Sɨpekne'katik, and L’sɨtkuk.
From the beginning, the Miꞌkmaq people resisted the incursions of French, English, and British imperial forces. By the 1670s, long experience with European contact led them to take the part of the Wampanoag in Metacom's War, successfully holding the English and allied Indigenous military at bay in the Acadian theatre. However, as with other opponents of the settlers (and, in fact, some allies of the settlers), in chevauchée-style raids, “state banditry”, and quasi-military activities that would prefigure war crimes and crimes against humanity in coming centuries, combatant and non-combatant men, women, and children were kidnapped and sold into slavery, often transported to Caribbean destinations.
In the mid-eighteenth century British encroachment on Nopa Sko'sia increased. The Mi'kmaq were allied with the Kingdom of France, but in a pivotal disaster, the crew manning a French shipment of matériel spread multiple simultaneous epidemics. This would prove to be a cusp in Mi'kmaq ascendancy, marking the beginning of a decline in independence and military power.
By most ancient right, even under settler conventions of law and tradition, the Mi'kmaq people of Nopa Sko'sia / Nova Scotia / Megâmaage / Mi’kma’ki and other East-Coast Indigenous have rights to fish and hunt. These rights exist without settler government licensing and outside of the “seasons” defined by Canadian fishery management laws; though they were recognized in treaties beginning in the eighteenth century as most recently affirmed by the Supreme Court of Canada at the end of the twentieth century in the “Marshall decision”. But of course, exercising these rights always ends up being a point of contention with non-Indigenous people.
Elsewhere on Nopa Sko'sia, at St. Peters Bay, Potlotek First Nation has also declared a fishery. The Canadian government's Fisheries and Oceans Canada department (DFO) has been removing Indigenous traps from the water.
- The Globe and Mail: Mi'kmaq fisheries under attack: The story in Nova Scotia so far, and the treaty rights behind it: This fall, the Sipekne'katik First Nation has pressed ahead with off-season lobster fishing despite racist rhetoric and vigilantism that the RCMP has been criticized for failing to stop by Sean Kilpatrick (←same as first link above the fold)
THE SUSTAINABILITY QUESTIONSCritics of the Mi'kmaq argue that fishing for lobster in the off-season – which, in that part of Nova Scotia, runs from late May to late November – endangers a lobster population that needs that time to reproduce safely. But fisheries experts say the Sipekne'katik's operation is too small to make much difference. The whole Sipekne'katik fleet is about the equivalent of one of the thousand commercial boats that fish in the area in the regular season, Professor Megan Bailey at Dalhousie University's Marine Affairs program said in a September interview. When it comes to violating conservation policies, enforcement statistics suggest non-Indigenous fishers are the bigger problem: Between 2015 and 2019, DFO laid 2,252 charges and said all but “a small fraction” were related to non-Indigenous crews.- Toronto Star: ‘The RCMP just stood there’: Attack on Mi'kmaq fishery sparks tense standoff, condemnation by Steve McKinley Halifax Bureau, Alex McKeen Vancouver Bureau
- Nova Scotia Advocate: Staying with the trouble – Some thoughts on white supremacy, entanglement and the Mi’kmaq right to fish by Sadie Beaton
- The Canadian Press: Nova Scotia lobster pound owner fined, sanctioned for buying Mi'kmaq ceremonial catch by Michael Tutton (refers to a 2017 incident, court process just concluded)
The Eskasoni and Bear River First Nations have formally launched their own fisheries as well.
- Telile Community TV: TELILE 24/7 Indigenous Fisheries Special (November 9, 2020)—hour-long public access television program
A related event at the turn of the century was the Burnt Church Crisis of 1999–2002 in New Brunswick, depicted in Alanis Obomsawin's 2002 documentary Is the Crown at War with Us?—full film on YouTube.
Maw-lukutijik Saqmaq / Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaw Chiefs: Moderate Livelihood Fishery Update fact sheet, August 2020.
Mi'kmaq districts of Nopa Sko'sia include Epegoitnag / Epekwitk / Epegwitg, Esgigeoag / Eskikewaꞌkik / Eskíkewaq / Esgeꞌgewaꞌgi, Gespopoitnag / Kespukwitk / Kespékewaq / Gespugwitg, Sigenigteoag / Siknikt / Sikniktewaq / Signigtewaꞌgi, Segepenegatig / Sipekniꞌkatik / Sipekneꞌkatik / Sipeknékatik / Sugapuneꞌgati / Shubencadie, and Onamag / Unamaꞌkik / Unamákik / Unamaꞌgi. Mi'kmaq communities of Nopa Sko'sia include Waqmɨtkuk / Wagmatcook, We'kopekwitk / Truro, Piktuk / Pictou, Potlotek / Port Toulouse, Kluskap / Glooscap, Sɨpekne'katik, and L’sɨtkuk.
From the beginning, the Miꞌkmaq people resisted the incursions of French, English, and British imperial forces. By the 1670s, long experience with European contact led them to take the part of the Wampanoag in Metacom's War, successfully holding the English and allied Indigenous military at bay in the Acadian theatre. However, as with other opponents of the settlers (and, in fact, some allies of the settlers), in chevauchée-style raids, “state banditry”, and quasi-military activities that would prefigure war crimes and crimes against humanity in coming centuries, combatant and non-combatant men, women, and children were kidnapped and sold into slavery, often transported to Caribbean destinations.
In the mid-eighteenth century British encroachment on Nopa Sko'sia increased. The Mi'kmaq were allied with the Kingdom of France, but in a pivotal disaster, the crew manning a French shipment of matériel spread multiple simultaneous epidemics. This would prove to be a cusp in Mi'kmaq ascendancy, marking the beginning of a decline in independence and military power.
- The Open University: series of short videos on Mi'kmaq culture and identity (transcripts)
- CBC: Hear Trevor Sanipass tell the story of the hero Glooscap— “He's my Thor!” (~7½ min audio)
- BOOKS: (first three available to borrow at the Internet Archive after registering for a free account but please remember to press “Return” when you are finished, as only a limited number of people can read at once.)
- We Were Not the Savages: a Mi'kmaq Perspective on the Collision Between European and Native American Civilizations (2000) by Daniel N. Paul
- Aboriginal History: A Reader (2012) edited by Kristin Burnett and Geoff Read
- Micmac texts (1990) by Albert D. DeBlois
- Souvenir d'un IIIe Centenaire en Pays Micmac / Sist Gasgemtelnaganipongegeoei Migoitetemagani Oigatigen / Souvenir of the Micmac Tercentenary Celebration. 1610-1910. (1910)—text is repeated in three different languages but illustrations differ in each version
Brava on this comprehensive post, XMLicious! Lots to dig into here.
posted by suelac at 1:23 PM on December 17, 2020 [6 favorites]
posted by suelac at 1:23 PM on December 17, 2020 [6 favorites]
The RCMP and Canada's governments are such blatantly racist organizations. Their militarized response to peaceful FN protests vs standing aside when violent white mobs descend on native fishers makes this all too obvious.
For all the white fishers and their supporters who are claiming their actions aren't racist, but instead trying to protect depleted fishing stocks: Seafood giant Clearwater was convicted of 'gross violation' in the lobster fishery - doing more impact to the lobster stock than all of the off-season fishing done by native fishers. But we don't see the same white fishers protesting Clearwater, do we?
That part of the story has taken an interesting twist as a group of Mi'kmaq First Nations are buying Clearwater. The same people fighting for their right to fish to provide a moderate livelihood will now own the largest seafood firm in Atlantic Canada.
posted by thecjm at 1:40 PM on December 17, 2020 [22 favorites]
For all the white fishers and their supporters who are claiming their actions aren't racist, but instead trying to protect depleted fishing stocks: Seafood giant Clearwater was convicted of 'gross violation' in the lobster fishery - doing more impact to the lobster stock than all of the off-season fishing done by native fishers. But we don't see the same white fishers protesting Clearwater, do we?
That part of the story has taken an interesting twist as a group of Mi'kmaq First Nations are buying Clearwater. The same people fighting for their right to fish to provide a moderate livelihood will now own the largest seafood firm in Atlantic Canada.
posted by thecjm at 1:40 PM on December 17, 2020 [22 favorites]
A great post and great additional links. Sorry this is happening but thank you for the rich information sources.
posted by Bella Donna at 3:26 PM on December 17, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Bella Donna at 3:26 PM on December 17, 2020 [2 favorites]
This is an amazing post, thank you
posted by warriorqueen at 3:42 PM on December 17, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by warriorqueen at 3:42 PM on December 17, 2020 [2 favorites]
This post is fantastic. Thank you. There's a lot to dig through here.
Pam Palmater just put out an episode of her Warrior Life Podcast today that's an interview with Sipekne'katik Chief Mike Sack.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 9:08 AM on December 18, 2020 [2 favorites]
Pam Palmater just put out an episode of her Warrior Life Podcast today that's an interview with Sipekne'katik Chief Mike Sack.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 9:08 AM on December 18, 2020 [2 favorites]
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The FPP title is from about 86 minutes in—a bit of artistic license on my part to juxtapose it with the 2020 events.
posted by XMLicious at 11:21 AM on December 17, 2020 [3 favorites]