The Anarchist Pedagogies Network stands in solidarity with the Indigenous First Nations in so-called Canada. For years, they have used their voices to speak out against the terrible abuse, neglect, violence, and oppression suffered by their communities. Today, as they continue conducting searches near former residential schools and find more and more unmarked graves, we stand in resistance with all the survivors and their communities.
These recent findings of the unmarked graves of hundreds of Indigenous children that have been found through the work of Indigenous peoples on the very same sites as residential schools in many parts of so-called Canada serve as evidence on how white supremacist systems, in combination with Catholic and Christian institutions, have been used as brutal colonising tools against Indigenous peoples. All of whom have suffered under the yoke of settler colonialism and capitalism.
We recognise the history of residential schools as supporting the genocide of Indigenous peoples. We support all of the resistance movements that work to dismantle capitalism on a daily basis. We condemn the continued violent assimilation of and oppression against Indigenous peoples.
This requires to not only keep unearthing this important history but looking towards Indigenous peoples throughout the world. We must help them heal from their losses by supporting their sovereignty and giving them their lands back. Further work is required of us, as anarchist educators, to dismantle colonialism wherever it appears, including the education systems which have always promoted settler colonial values. We must come to terms with the ways in which we may also contribute to the anti-colonial project and be aware of our own roles within it, actively working against them.
The Anarchist Pedagogies Network is committed to standing in support of Indigenous peoples in so-called Canada, across so-called North America, and throughout the world to co-create educational spaces of hope, solidarity, and resistance in order to dismantle settler colonialism everywhere.
For more information, go to
itsgoingdown.org/canadian-tire-fire-a-n…/
itsgoingdown.org/ctf-2-statues-fall/
itsgoingdown.org/canadian-tire-fire-3-a…/
itsgoingdown.org/canadian-tire-fire-4-c…/
iaf-fai.org/2021/05/24/autonomously-and…/