Treaty Land Sharing Network’s Post

Join our second dialogue in our ongoing Land Rights Dialogue series. We invite you to join the session focusing on Indigenous-led efforts to reclaim ancestral lands. This session is an opportunity to delve into the multifaceted landscape of Indigenous struggles for justice, encompassing not just physical land reclamation but also the reclaiming of cultural identity, sovereignty, and self-determination. We will explore the legal and procedural frameworks that underpin Indigenous-led land reclamation initiatives. From navigating treaty rights and land claims to challenging government policies and corporate interests, Indigenous communities encounter numerous obstacles on their path to justice. Register for the session here: https://bit.ly/3Pz3QQ8 #Indigenous #land #justice

📜 This #TreatiesRecognitionWeek, let's recognize that treaties are vital agreements for protecting lands, waters, and the rights of Indigenous people. These are not just historical documents but living commitments to steward and respect the land we all call home. Explore the Yellowhead Institute’s Treaty Map to learn about treaties in your area and how we can support the guardianship of nature together: https://lnkd.in/ga4WJmuA

Inherit Territory, not Treaty Territory. The Haudenosaunee's connection to this land predates any colonial agreements. The Haudenosaunee were here far before the existence of treaties, and the idea of protecting sovereignty & culture and colonial governance systems.  The Haudenosaunee were here long before European contact. The treaties serve to protect our inherit rights and acknowledge our long-standing alliance with the Crown. These documents don't grant us rights; they recognize what has always been ours. Our jurisdiction, property rights, and responsibilities to the land were bestowed by the Creator, not by colonial powers. Though European settlement trampled our sovereignty, it was never extinguished. Treaties provide a framework for our relationship with settlers, but our true authority stems from our ancestral, unbroken bond with this territory. Therefore say Inherit Territory not Treaty Territory.

What is a Treaty? Treaties are binding agreements that set out the rights, responsibilities and relationships between Indigenous Nations and governments. Although many treaties were signed more than a century ago, treaty commitments are just as valid today as they were then. Everyone living in Canada is a treaty person whether they are Indigenous or non-Indigenous. Treaty relationships define mutual responsibilities to uphold Indigenous rights and to advance reconciliation. https://lnkd.in/dyX2JNs #TreatyON #TreatiesRecognitionWeek

Thanks Charles Pakana for posting this important conversation with Professor Cheryl Saunders, and for Thomas Mayo for reposting, enabling me to read it. In a broad sense: ◾the term 'treaty' is used to describe 'a binding formal agreement, contract, or other written instrument that establishes obligations between two or more subjects of international law (primarily states and international organizations)' (Brittanica) ◾treaties have also 'formed an important part of European colonization ... such as New Zealand with the Māori and Canada with its First Nations people, treaties allowed native peoples to maintain a minimum amount of autonomy. Such treaties between colonizers and indigenous peoples are an important part of political discourse in the late 20th and early 21st century, the treaties being discussed have international standing as has been stated in a treaty study by the UN' (Wikipedia). With this background, I am intrigued by the at times ferocity of the #conversations when 'treaty' is used in the context of 'a process of agreement-making between governments and First Nations and truth-telling about our history' (Uluru Statement from the Heart, being an invitation from First Nations Australians 'to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future'). ⁉ What if we just saw a 'treaty' as a ❗solemn agreement❗ and here I quote Professor Cheryl Saunders: ⏸ I consider a treaty to be a solemn agreement between two or more parties. Of course, there’s a lot of use of the term in the international arena, and that reflects the fact that we’re in an age of globalization. So it is used in that context as well, but it doesn’t need to be. If you think of the word treaty, there’s a verb, to treat with each other, to yet negotiate with each other and it is an agreement. Now, I like to add the adjective solemn to that because I think it’s an important agreement.⏸ Bearing this in mind, and with Charles Pakana, do you see 'the incredible potential a Treaty carries for Victoria', with First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria as the voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on the journey to that Treaty? ... and the incredible potential a Treaty carries for other parts of Australia?

Wise words from Sir Ian Taylor: “…That being the case, one might reasonably argue that the referendum Seymour is seeking has already been held and that the Māori language version of Te Tiriti, signed by 500 Māori chiefs, including 13 wahine rangatira, would take precedence over the English language version signed by just 39. And, with such a majority, does it really make sense that Māori would have willingly surrendered their sovereignty? Wouldn’t the more logical explanation be that Māori were giving Queen Victoria sovereignty over the European settlers, while the indigenous people of the land retained their tino rangatiratanga. These are the sort of questions that could have been asked of Seymour at Question Time. They could have been placed in the context of a legal principle called the Doctrine of Original Intent which says: “In contract law, courts often seek to interpret agreements based on the intention of the parties at the time the contract was formed. This includes examining the language used, the surrounding circumstances, and any relevant context.” Under this principle there is a powerful argument that this would involve interpreting the Māori text of the Treaty as it was understood by the Māori signatories, who made up the majority of those who signed.”

Sept 15 | Treaty 4 “Today there are misconceptions that only First Nations peoples are part of the Treaties, but that’s not the case. As the phrase “we are all Treaty people,” implies, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in Saskatchewan are part of the Treaty. Treaty rights existed before 1982 (the year the Constitution Act was passed), and those that came afterward, are recognized and affirmed within Canada’s Constitution.” -File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council More treaty resources here: https://lnkd.in/gtCR5kxG #TreatyRights #Treaty4 #TruthAndReconciliation #DoSomething #ReconciliACTION

Explore the figures who shaped federal Indian policy and land cessions in North America and delve into the Treaty Signers Project by the Indian Land Tenure Foundation, revealing the individuals behind historical treaties. 🗺️📌 Discover how the Treaty Signers Database, developed by the Native Lands Advocacy Project, challenges colonial narratives and underscores the impact of these pivotal agreements. Join us in reexamining the stories of these early Native American-European interactions. #NativeAmericanHistory #TreatySigners #LandRights #IndigenousAdvocacy

Learn more about Treaty 5, covering the northwest corner of Ontario and parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. November 3 – 9 is Treaties Recognition Week in Ontario. Join us each day this week to learn about the significance of treaty rights, treaty relationships, and their relevance today. Learn more about treaties at downiewenjack.ca/treaties #TreatiesRecognitionWeek #Treaties #TreatyON #DoSomething #reconciliation #reconciliACTION

Indigenous peoples have long advocated that all federal laws be interpreted to uphold Aboriginal and treaty rights, as recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution. Read more about the Act that passed today: https://lnkd.in/giNtpp_C Bill S-13 amends the federal Interpretation Act to add a non-derogation clause (NDC). The NDC directs people who interpret federal laws to uphold, and not diminish, the section 35 Constitional rights of Indigenous peoples. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gy-wJ-gT #IndigenousRights