Last week our northern neighbors of the sovereign Unis’tot’en Clan, located in modern day British Columbia, answered our call for solidarity actions. For years now they have been actively resisting natural gas and tar sands pipelines on their sovereign and unceded territory.
On November 20th hereditary chief Toghestiy intercepted Pacific Trails Pipeline (PTP) surveyors on their territory and turned them away by issuing them an eagle feather, a traditional warming of trespass. Read their full account in their open letter to industry and government. Shortly after this incident they put out the call for others to join them in a Global Day of Action to say #NoPipelines. Check out all the photos from today’s actions.
Real solidarity is about taking action. The Unis’tot’en Clan answered our call for solidarity actions last week and today we reciprocated. Here is the photo from our solidarity action at Apache corporate headquarters in Houston:
Below are some excerpts from the Tar Sands Blockade solidarity letter they posted on their website:
The Unis’tot’en Camp stands in solidarity with the Tar Sands Blockade. We commend the courage and dedication of the dauntless eco-warriors of Texas. May our actions be in conjunction with yours.
We are issuing this statement from our home deep in the Boreal forest by the banks of pristine Wedzin Kwa, colonially known as the Morice River. We drink straight from the river that gives life and vitality, feeding the plants and animals of the territory. The forest stands timeless and regal, wild and free.
Similar to the Keystone XL blockades of Texas, the Unis’tot’en camp resistance also embraces ecological accountability to Mother Earth. Every parent and grandparent has the responsibility to ensure a healthy planet for future generations….We must defend the water, the air, and the land against the ravages of industry. Let us act with bravery and take action, and let us take freedom into our own hands.
We must defend the traditional territories of the ancestors to those Indigenous People who fight for their lands today.