Indigenous Land Defenders blocking the road to Mount Rushmore on Friday, July 3, 2020. Photo: Willi White.
By Ekaterina Cabylis – Aug 17, 2023
“All human beings are descendants of tribal people who were spiritually alive, intimately in love with the natural world, children of Mother Earth. When we were tribal people, we knew who we were, we knew where we were, and we knew our purpose.”- John Trudell
Land Back involves a collaborative global multipolar process that centers on returning ancestral lands to Indigenous communities and restoring their sovereignty. Climate doomers, often perpetuated by the media, present an exaggerated sense of hopelessness regarding the climate crisis. This narrative can paralyze action by making individuals feel powerless and detached from solutions. Embracing revolutionary optimism is essential to counter this myth, as it empowers people to engage in meaningful action, create change, and work collectively toward mitigating the climate crisis.
The capitalist system which was deliberately created to exploit the Earth’s resources for economic gain, is incapable of providing salvation for our planet. Within the framework of capitalism, we prioritize short-term gains over long-term sustainability. While incremental policy changes may offer temporary solutions, they ultimately fall short of addressing the root causes of environmental degradation. According to climate experts, we have until the year 2030 to stop the continuous global warming of our planet. If we fail to achieve this, they warn of the “irreversible effects” of climate change. A transformation is needed—one that restores the bond between humanity and the Earth, acknowledging the worth of our environment beyond its utilitarian function.
A handful of corporations shoulder the weight of 70% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions since 1988. This groundbreaking study is known as the Carbon Majors Report. Despite being less than 5 percent of the global population, Indigenous Peoples safeguard a remarkable 80 percent of the Earth’s biodiversity. Most of the land in Canada is owned by the government and referred to as Crown lands. These lands account for around 89% of Canada’s total land area, which is about 8.9 million square kilometers. Crown lands can be categorized as either federal (41%) or provincial (48%), with only the remaining 11% being privately owned.
White supremacy has served as a foundation, upholding capitalist systems and enabling exploitation, all while severing our connection to both culture and the Earth. Rooted in colonization, this toxic ideology has been used to justify the domination of Indigenous lands and the extraction of resources for profit. It has created a hierarchical structure that benefits a privileged few at the expense of marginalized communities. “Tribal warfare” is commonly cited as a justification for colonialism, but historically and factually, this claim is inaccurate and perpetuated by Western academia. Recorded history points to two major colonialism waves. The first wave commenced during Europe’s Age of Discovery in the 15th century. European powers such as Britain, Spain, France, and Portugal engaged in the colonization of North and South American lands.
This separation from culture is deliberate, as it weakens collective resistance and allows the preservation of a system that prioritizes economic gain above all else. The Earth has suffered as a result of this disconnect, with ecosystems degraded and resources plundered without regard for long-term consequences. Challenging white supremacy means dismantling its relationship with capitalism, reestablishing cultural bonds, and fostering a deep respect for the planet that sustains us all.
The declaration that “humans are a virus” has its roots in a dangerous ideology known as eco-fascism, which oversimplifies the relationship between humanity and the environment. Rather than viewing humans as an external, destructive force, it is crucial to recognize that we are an inherent part of the Earth’s intricate ecosystems. Vilifying humanity as a virus overlooks the real issue at hand: the unsustainable practices driven by certain systems, such as capitalism, that prioritize profit over ecological harmony. It is not humanity itself that is solely responsible for environmental degradation, but unchecked exploitation.
While colonial powers approached nature as a possession to exploit and resources to commodify, Indigenous Peoples held fundamentally different views. Their understanding revolves around inherent rights with responsibilities toward the natural world. The cornerstone of Indigenous laws is rooted in relationships and reciprocity.
US Socialists Must Back Existing Socialism and Support Land Back
In the book “Prison of Grass: Canada from a Native Point of View”(1975) authored by Howard Adams (1921-2001), a Métis revolutionary activist, Adams argues that Indigenous people must engage in a national liberation movement to challenge the system of settler-colonialism. Adams mentions the potential co-optation of the anti-colonial movement by conservative leaders. He warns that these leaders might attempt to steer the struggle towards depoliticized and reformist paths.
“Before the Europeans arrived, Indian society was governed without police, without kings and governors, without judges, and without a ruling class…There were no poor and needy by comparison with other members, and likewise no wealthy and privileged; as a result, on the prairies there were no classes and no class antagonisms among the people… Indian communal society was transformed into an economic class of labourers by European fur trading companies, particularly the Hudsons Bay Company. …Businessmen of Europe realized that they would need a large supply of labor to obtain resources from the new continents. Natives furnished this large supply of cheap labor. Since labor was an important item of cost in the production of goods, European businessmen wanted to get the greatest amount of labor for the least possible pay, and the purpose of racism was to reduce native people to a subhuman level where they could be freely exploited. Racism therefore arose from economic factors inherent in capitalism.” – Howard Adams
Neo-colonialism weakens people’s connection to their own culture by promoting Western ideals as symbols of progress. Consumerism can lead individuals to view traditional practices as outdated, favoring Western lifestyles. Education systems may prioritize Western colonial knowledge, undermining Indigenous teachings. Economic pressures push people toward capitalism leaving them with little choice. Disrupting intergenerational practices. A detachment from Indigenous roots occurs, eroding cultural identity over time.
Treaties were originally intended to bring mutual benefits, they have, in practice, been exploited by the Crown to further resource extraction on land previously under Indigenous governance. Canada’s execution of the treaties has, in every case, fallen short of upholding that agreement. Conservatives, both from social and political spheres, often depict communists, as extreme authoritarians, driven by an insatiable hunger for power. They associate communism and decolonization with oppressive state leaders, labor camp overseers, and suppressors of opposing voices. These myths against communism are intent on undermining practices present within Indigenous movements striving to decolonize the planet.
(Substack)
Ekaterina Cabylis
Ekaterina Cabylis is a Canadian author, graphic designer, advocate for decolonial education, and collaborator with the Rise Up Initiative. With a profound commitment to critical thinking grounded in Marxism, Ekaterina supports decolonial sovereignty through creative endeavors. Ekaterina is also a self-published author and illustrator of "Community," children's literature addressing class struggle. They have contributed articles to MR Online and Orinoco Tribune, actively promoting social change and equity.
