"Every Native struggle, from Aamjiwnaang’s pollution battle, to protecting the manoomin (wild rice), to the Black Hills battle, affects every one of us. And it is our very duty as the grandchildren of our peoples to continue to fight for this beautiful Mother Earth as our Ancestors did. They fought to the death for all of our relations.

We, the grandchildren of these heroes, are in a unique situation because now we have scientists, lawyers and politicians. Physical battle is no longer an option. Now the fight goes to the halls of the governments and we have relatives educated in these dominant society ways, educated in their laws and lines of thinking. But, once again, the governments have the upper hand because of the old wartime policy: “divide and conquer”!

Look on the maps. Even today, Native “reserves/reservations,” are separate and far apart, and there are military installations placed close by (remember 1995′s Ipperwash crisis?) But we have the Internet and cell phones; we can communicate with one another in solidarity!"

Get the Story:
Don George: Unification of the People (Indian Country Today 11/30)