When symbolism isn't enough

As I write this, people and pieces of the story are moving and the situation will inevitably change again by the time I publish this post.

The story I refer to is the Idle No More movement, and more specifically, the meeting in Ottawa scheduled today (Friday, Jan. 11, 2013) between some First Nations chiefs and high-ranking politicians, including Prime Minister Steven Harper and the British Crown's man in Canada, Governor General David Johnston.

I've been watching this story with great interest and hope because the time is well past due for Indigenous peoples to rise up collectively and force the government's hand to deal with them as sovereign nations. Although this is a Canadian region indigenous movement, I also think about the U.S. government, and hope that the tribal nations here will follow suit. Western governments dealing unfairly and downright dishonestly with Native peoples is not new - at least not to anyone who has read about these historical and contemporary issues. According to this writer, I am one of those "mushy progressive-types," as well as a "dogmatic" Indigenous studies academic (curse my existence!) who won't give up on this movement or Attawapisket Chief Theresa Spence.

For those of you who may not know, Chief Spence went on a hunger strike on Dec. 11, 2012 to force the government's hand. Her demands were fairly straightforward: A meeting between herself, Prime Minister Harper, and Gov. Gen. Johnston to discuss aboriginal treaty rights. That has since grown to include many other First Nations chiefs. At first, Harper and Johnston refused to meet. And then Harper agreed to meet. Spence refused to attend until Johnston attended. He finally relented a couple of days ago.

But Chief Spence still refuses to attend the meeting, and now this potential grand symbolic moment that has much of the world's attention may fall apart.

Part of me wishes she would agree to attend so as not to lose public support of the greater cause. Being a leader sometimes means compromising - and her basic demands have been met. However, as some critics have charged, the purpose and foundation of this meeting seems to be changing - a shifting sand. It is difficult as an outsider to know what exactly was demanded initially, how those demands have changed, and how all of the players are truly responding - because all of this news is filtered through a biased media lens.

Indian Country Today Media Network presents a fairly balanced perspective, but is the Indigenous perspective, so is naturally sympathetic.

All other news outlets seem to be mildly to extremely negative and intent on making this entire story just go away. And it seems, there is a growing portion of the Canadian general populace that agrees. Consider these comments to this story in the Calgary Herald:

A "Top Commenter," Keith Carter, writes, "Missing Million$, and now a demand that the Queen's Representative attend or she won't? Enough of this showboating fraud. Cancel the meeting, the Indian Act and the Reserves. Time to join the rest of us in making an honest living." This comment received 21 likes at last count and one of his respondents, another "Top Commenter," Mildred Johnson, agreed, "Time for us to demand that the gov't stop giving money to these thieves, thus throwing our tax dollars after bad and giving it to the criminals on the reserves."

The public relations and media coverage of the Idle No More movement and Chief Theresa Spence's hunger strike has been generally positive until about a week ago when she first refused to attend the meeting. Many writers have pointed out that she is now losing support from non-Native allies and Native peoples alike. Yesterday, I said to a colleague that she really ought to attend this meeting, especially now that the Governor General has agreed to attend, because sometimes leaders must lead even in imperfect situations. The attention this issue has received is incredible and continues to grow. We live in an ADHD world now with all of us more susceptible to being like Doug in UP, turning at the slightest distraction away from important issues at hand. My colleague observed that Spence is the shiny object and we're all watching her...what happens if she loses our attention? Will the Idle No More Movement lose momentum? If this meeting today falls apart, doesn't that just benefit the Canadian government?

I may be a mushy, liberal, "progressive-type," pro-Indigenous rights academic, but I also live in a world of compromise (academia has taught me this lesson well). I understand Spence's position that symbolism and "ceremonial meetings" aren't enough...but it is a start. And I do hope that she attends and continues being a strong and vital leader for her Attawapisket people and all Indigenous peoples.