On the 12th of October capitalists and their Nation-State governments celebrate the beginning of the European invasion of the Americas 515 years ago. This year Indigenous peoples of the Americas gathered in Yaqui territory, Sonora, Mexico from the 11th to 14th of October, responding to a call out made by the National Indigenous Congress (CNI) and the Sixth Commission of the EZLN during the Other Campaign’s journey around Mexico in 2006. During the four days of the gathering indigenous peoples told their stories of history and struggle and shared some rituals and ceremonial dances. The demands agreed upon in the preparatory meetings in Nurio (Michoacan), Atlapulco (Estado de Mexico), Oaxaca (Oaxaca) and Magdalena de Kino (Sonora); four corners of Mexico were made public on the final days.

 

 

Peoples from the following indigenous nations from all over the Americas participated in the gathering and its preparatory meetings: Achmawi, Anishnawbe, Lakota Omaha, Dine, Cherokee, Apache, Dakota, Onondaga, Tothono O’odham, Chiricahua, Gitxsan, Ojibway, Salish de la Costa, Scwepemc, Cree, Cree Salteaux, Ojibaway, Salish de la costa, Secwepemc, Cree, Cree Salteaux, Cree Carrier, Tsimshian, Kwakwaka Wakw, Ktnuxa, Mik Maq, Stollo, Dene, Kahnawake, Wakw (Mohawk nation), Akwesasne (Mohawk nation), Tus T’ina Nak’azdli Carrier, Nthlagmex, Cayuga, Mame, Wayuu, Kekchi, Mam, Lenka, Kichwa, Miskito, Wixarika, Raramuri, Yaqui, Nahua, Purehpecha, Ezar, (Chichimeca), Triqui, Hñahñu o Ñuhu, Mepha (Tlapaneco), Maya, Chontal, Tzeltal, Tzotzil, Zoque, Mayo, Coca, Kicapu, Amuzgo, Pima, Mazahua, Guarijio, Quilihua, Cucapa, Cuicateco, Caxan, Mazcovo

While the invitation was extended to peoples all over the Americas, given the economic situation and distance from the southern cone countries, the largest representation of indigenous peoples was from indigenous nations from the north and from Mexico. This meant that one of the greatest outcomes of the gathering was that for many it was the first encounter in recent times between indigenous peoples from Mexico and the countries further north, which reaffirmed that indigenous peoples exist in the USA and Canada and are still resisting, defending their way of life and have a radical critique of capitalism, our common enemy.

 

 

 

The systematic oppression faced by American indigenous peoples shows the same ugly face as in Australia: poverty and displacement caused by so-called welfare and other false government support programs including policing, benefits and state education, resource extraction, privatisation and cultural commercialisation… the list is unending. Also taking into consideration that while invasion and genocide have been central to both English to Spanish colonization and post-colonization processes, there are some notable differences between conditions in which indigenous peoples now live and struggle in the Americas that may point to the differences between these oppressive processes more than to indigenous peoples cultural or organizational differences. Perhaps as a start, one could look to the forms of land organization, reservations in the US as opposed to autonomous territories and ejidal organization in Mexico, the intense infiltration of State and international legal structures, bureaucratic process and a blind faith in international organizations such as the UN, as opposed to pure indifference or simple denial of indigenous peoples existence as the zapatistas highlighted to the world in 1995. There are certainly important general differences between indigenous peoples the world over and perhaps it is precisely constant reference to these different circumstances that is a stumbling block for coordination and organization. What one finds most inspiring in the words of indigenous peoples are the commonalities in the demands and commitment to autonomy as an alternative social organisation. The indigenous peoples that were present in Vicam have realised the importance and necessity of a united struggle against capitalism. Some highlighted the role of the EZLN who has been able to articulate the sentiment of so many indigenous peoples or in the case of Mexico; many have already found their organising space to be in the National Indigenous Congress, (Congreso Nacional Indigena) formed in 1997.

 

 

In the closing of the gathering, in the name of all the indigenous peoples present, the objectives declared were to defend indigenous territory against the onslaught of global corporations and militarisation, to “strengthen indigenous cultures, languages, traditions, organizations and autonomous governments”, to create independent indigenous “education institutions which reject the imposition of the State´s education models which aim to exterminate … cultures”, to create community run independent media which will “consolidate … struggles and alliances with … sister peoples all over the world”.

The gathering was a crucial step towards developing new strategies and mechanisms to be able to effectively support and defend each other in the face of repression. One call out made at the gathering was for peaceful mobilizations against the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics to be held on sacred lands that belong to indigenous communities that form part of the Mohawk nation. The Olympics will require huge development of ski-resorts and other tourist infrastructure, which will pollute and destroy the lands rightfully owned and protected by indigenous peoples. In Sonora, the Yaqui people also denounced the mega tourism project, Cortez Sea Plan or “escalera nautica” which will displace its communities and destroy the land and eco-system.

 

In the lead up to the gathering Yaqui peoples also faced both subtle infiltration by federal and state agents in the form of promises of new community developments in Yaqui communities, regular visits from local government officials and buying certain individuals to spread lies about the Continental Gathering. They additionally faced direct physical repression from federal forces; the Federal Investigation Agency (AFI) conducted a series of raids in the days before the event in the local community provoking a climate of fear and intimidation. The Yaqui community Vicam is home to half of the entire Yaqui population, which from the era of the Spanish invasion to the Mexican Revolution a hundred years ago has a strong history of resistance. As the tribe’s autonomous government explained to us, they are proud of their roots and will not be intimidated into forgetting who they are and protecting what is rightfully theirs.