On July 14, 1923, the Hereditary Chief of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Deskaheh Levi General (Cayuga), traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, to speak before the League of Nations. He sought to obtain international recognition of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (historically known as the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, composed of the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora Nations) as a sovereign Indigenous Nation governed by a hereditary council of chiefs.
Many Indigenous children were once cared for by their families and communities according to their cultural practices, laws, and traditions. It was the parents' responsibility to raise the children since children were seen as gifts from the creator. Families were closely involved in raising the child. Colonization, forced boarding schools, and State welfare systems have disrupted these important relationships. In this podcast, we hear from 20-year-old Dysin Spence (Peguis First Nation), who has spent a significant portion of his life in the welfare system in Canada.
Indigenous solidarity has coalesced into a powerful movement thanks to the activism and perseverance of Indigenous leaders from communities around the world. Indigenous leaders that are defending land, language, culture, and the environment face acute persecution, both from governments directly and from extrajudicial actors.
Kaimana Barcarse interviews Doreen Demas of the Dakota Peoples in Canada about the focus, message, and goals of the Disability Caucus at the UNPFII. She discusses the growing impact and voice of the Indigenous with Disabilities activist community. Recorded at the 2015 UNPFII.
UN Special Rapporteur Vicky Tauli Corpuz discusses the international trade deal known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership which is being negotiated by Canada,The United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Singapore, Brunei, Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand. She confirms that Indigenous Peoples must be consulted before these deals are negotiated.
UN Special Rapporteur Vicky Tauli Corpuz discusses the international trade deal known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership which is being negotiated by Canada,The United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Singapore, Brunei, Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand. She discusses why governments are pushing for it, and its implications for Indigenous Peoples.
Chief Bellegarde speaks at UNFPII to bring to light the gap between Canada and its Indigenous Peoples in regard to the United Nations Human Development Index and the rights of indigenous peoples in Canada. Belgard works to close the gap between the wealth of Canada as a nation and Canada's indigenous peoples. He calls on Canada to respect the rights of Indigenous Peoples.