SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Indigenous Peoples marched from the U.S. Interior Department to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. Friday morning. (Photo: Samantha Eldridge/Twitter)
'If the Water Is Rising, Then So Must We': Indigenous Peoples March in Washington Against Global Injustice
"It's a collective cry for help because we're in a time of crisis," said one organizer. "Indigenous people from around the world are suffering from the same colonization."
Jan 17, 2019
In an event described as "breathtaking, heartbreaking, strong, and beautiful," representatives from native communities around the world came together in Washington, D.C. on Friday for the first-ever Indigenous Peoples March.
Organized as a rebuke to the violence and injustices that Indigenous Peoples often face--from the murder of native girls and women to police brutality to having unceded tribal lands torn away by colonizing governments and fossil fuel corporations--the march kicked off Friday morning outside the U.S. Interior Department.
"I think it's a collective cry for help because we're in a time of crisis that we have not seen in a very long time," Nathalie Farfan, an Ecuadorian Indigenous woman and march organizer, told Remezcla earlier this week. "When I say crisis, I mean collective crisis. A lot of Indigenous people from around the world are suffering from the same colonization."
"This is the time to bring awareness to these injustices that have divided us all," Farfan added. "That's why we are saying unity is power, and we need all Indigenous people to come."
With a nod to human-caused global warming, which also inspired Indigenous groups to plan the march, one participant declared from the streets on Friday, "If the water is rising, then so must we." Supporters and marchers posted updates to social media with the hashtags #IndigenousPeoplesMarch, #IPMDC19, #WhyIMarch, and #WaterIsLife:
The march moved from the Interior Department to the Lincoln Memorial, where organizers planned an all-day rally, followed by an evening fundraising concert at the Songbyrd Music House. Indigenous leaders addressed the crowd at the memorial.
Acknowledging that she feels a responsibility to educate federal lawmakers on Indigenous issues, as one of the first Native American women in Congress, Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.), who was scheduled to speak at the rally Friday afternoon, said in a statement, "For too long Native communities have been left out of the national/global conversation, and our men, women, and children suffer because of it."
The main message of the march seemed to be captured by one speaker who said: "Today we stand in solidarity and truth. Today we are visible."
There were also multiple solidarity marches organized across North America. Several groups supporting women's rights, reproductive justice, gun control, and environmental conservation expressed support for and even joined the marches, highlighting how each of those causes are especially important for Indigenous communities:
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
In an event described as "breathtaking, heartbreaking, strong, and beautiful," representatives from native communities around the world came together in Washington, D.C. on Friday for the first-ever Indigenous Peoples March.
Organized as a rebuke to the violence and injustices that Indigenous Peoples often face--from the murder of native girls and women to police brutality to having unceded tribal lands torn away by colonizing governments and fossil fuel corporations--the march kicked off Friday morning outside the U.S. Interior Department.
"I think it's a collective cry for help because we're in a time of crisis that we have not seen in a very long time," Nathalie Farfan, an Ecuadorian Indigenous woman and march organizer, told Remezcla earlier this week. "When I say crisis, I mean collective crisis. A lot of Indigenous people from around the world are suffering from the same colonization."
"This is the time to bring awareness to these injustices that have divided us all," Farfan added. "That's why we are saying unity is power, and we need all Indigenous people to come."
With a nod to human-caused global warming, which also inspired Indigenous groups to plan the march, one participant declared from the streets on Friday, "If the water is rising, then so must we." Supporters and marchers posted updates to social media with the hashtags #IndigenousPeoplesMarch, #IPMDC19, #WhyIMarch, and #WaterIsLife:
The march moved from the Interior Department to the Lincoln Memorial, where organizers planned an all-day rally, followed by an evening fundraising concert at the Songbyrd Music House. Indigenous leaders addressed the crowd at the memorial.
Acknowledging that she feels a responsibility to educate federal lawmakers on Indigenous issues, as one of the first Native American women in Congress, Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.), who was scheduled to speak at the rally Friday afternoon, said in a statement, "For too long Native communities have been left out of the national/global conversation, and our men, women, and children suffer because of it."
The main message of the march seemed to be captured by one speaker who said: "Today we stand in solidarity and truth. Today we are visible."
There were also multiple solidarity marches organized across North America. Several groups supporting women's rights, reproductive justice, gun control, and environmental conservation expressed support for and even joined the marches, highlighting how each of those causes are especially important for Indigenous communities:
From Your Site Articles
In an event described as "breathtaking, heartbreaking, strong, and beautiful," representatives from native communities around the world came together in Washington, D.C. on Friday for the first-ever Indigenous Peoples March.
Organized as a rebuke to the violence and injustices that Indigenous Peoples often face--from the murder of native girls and women to police brutality to having unceded tribal lands torn away by colonizing governments and fossil fuel corporations--the march kicked off Friday morning outside the U.S. Interior Department.
"I think it's a collective cry for help because we're in a time of crisis that we have not seen in a very long time," Nathalie Farfan, an Ecuadorian Indigenous woman and march organizer, told Remezcla earlier this week. "When I say crisis, I mean collective crisis. A lot of Indigenous people from around the world are suffering from the same colonization."
"This is the time to bring awareness to these injustices that have divided us all," Farfan added. "That's why we are saying unity is power, and we need all Indigenous people to come."
With a nod to human-caused global warming, which also inspired Indigenous groups to plan the march, one participant declared from the streets on Friday, "If the water is rising, then so must we." Supporters and marchers posted updates to social media with the hashtags #IndigenousPeoplesMarch, #IPMDC19, #WhyIMarch, and #WaterIsLife:
The march moved from the Interior Department to the Lincoln Memorial, where organizers planned an all-day rally, followed by an evening fundraising concert at the Songbyrd Music House. Indigenous leaders addressed the crowd at the memorial.
Acknowledging that she feels a responsibility to educate federal lawmakers on Indigenous issues, as one of the first Native American women in Congress, Rep. Deb Haaland (D-N.M.), who was scheduled to speak at the rally Friday afternoon, said in a statement, "For too long Native communities have been left out of the national/global conversation, and our men, women, and children suffer because of it."
The main message of the march seemed to be captured by one speaker who said: "Today we stand in solidarity and truth. Today we are visible."
There were also multiple solidarity marches organized across North America. Several groups supporting women's rights, reproductive justice, gun control, and environmental conservation expressed support for and even joined the marches, highlighting how each of those causes are especially important for Indigenous communities:
From Your Site Articles
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy