The Allyship Test: What Reading "Everybody Wants To Be An Ally Until It's Time To Do Real Ally Shit" Taught me/ Reminded Me About Activism in Canada

Recently I read a zine called "Everybody Wants To Be An Ally Until It's Time To Do Real Ally Shit", written by the Indigenous activist Xhopakelxhit of Ancestral Pride, also known as Queen Sacheen, who I luckily found on Instagram.

The zine is raw, direct, and unapologetic. It doesn’t sugarcoat the reality of Indigenous resistance or the uncomfortable role settlers must confront if they truly want justice.

And it made me reflect on something I learned years ago in high school...

The Story We Were Taught

I went to the largest (at the time) French Catholic High School in all of Ontario.(That's right! I am actually French Catholic LOL) I lived all the way out in what I used to call 'bum fuck, Idaho, northern Ontario.' LOL However, I was young and dumb back then, and just looking to make it in this big old world that was opening up to me. I could not wait to get out of dodge back then LOL

What I call my hometown now is actually the home of the Anishinaabe and Mushkegowuk Cree First Nations, within the Treaty #9 area, specifically, recognized as the territory of the Mattagami First Nation, Flying Post First Nation, and Matachewan First Nation, with historically significant ties to Ojibway, Oji-Cree, Algonquin, and Métis Peoples AKA: Timmins, Ontario, AKA: The City of Gold Mines and, of course, The City with Hearts of Gold. Luckily, I was given many sides of history when I was younger and have seen the good and bad side to all those slogans....

So back to my very large French Catholic high school experience....Most of us read To Kill a Mockingbird in grade 10 English Class. And yes, I was the geek who read every book we were assigned and LOVED IT, LOL....Mr. Pitt was our teacher, and we were pretty sure he was a stoner, but we could never prove it. LOL That's right I had stoner friends in high school, LOL...It was Timmins after all LOL

Come to think of it.....Maybe we labelled him that just because he was so open-minded, and because you know the war on drugs was real back in those days, so anyone not falling into mainstream assimilation had to be on drugs, LOL...... Damn American politicians on our Canadian media all the time....

Anyway, the book To Kill A Mockingbird (which is still a favourite of many English teachers to teach) was meant to teach us about racism, justice, moral courage, and all sorts of human realities, and feelings, and conflicts.

Inevitably, we also learned about the Underground Railroad, where people risked their lives to help enslaved Black Americans escape to freedom in Canada, but where these Black Americans were also left as lost and as disjointed from their community and their traditional lives as possible. This leaves them with no choice but to assimilate into the settler way and forget everything they have ever known before the contact of settlers and slave owners...

The overall lesson was simple:

When systems, institutions, and any voice of power/authority become unjust, ordinary people who know better MUST CHOOSE WHETHER TO PROTECT THE POWER OR TO PROTECT HUMANITY.....

It needs to also be known and recognized that those who helped the Underground Railroad broke laws, hid people, and risked punishment. History now remembers them as heroes. We need heroes in 2000s+ too!

In case it wasn't clear, I NEVER CHOSE THE POWER AND I NEVER WILL! HUMANITY COMES FIRST ALWAYS! WE ARE HUMANS AFTER ALL!

The Story We Were Not Taught

Fast forward to today.

In Canada, we often like to think of ourselves as the “good guys” in history. We celebrate the Underground Railroad. We celebrate all these fun holidays and cultures from around the world! We talk about human rights and fight for them in our policies and laws. We say we support Truth and Reconciliation....

But the reality is harder.

Across Turtle Island (the Indigenous name many nations use for North America, so the actual name of Canada....ya I didn't know that either until 2013!!!), Indigenous communities are still fighting for land, water, culture, and basic human dignity. LITERALLY BEFORE OUR VERY NOSES!

Meanwhile, too many Canadian immigrants and residents still know very little about this ongoing struggle. Many Canadians immigrants and residents barely know they exist! Many Canadians are so indoctrinated with institutional racism that they don't even see how we are the cause of our own demise in this 'Canadian-colonized' country....

And that’s where the work of Xhopakelxhit Queen Sacheen becomes important, particularly for me and all allies who are ready, willing and able to see the TRUTH and TAKE ACTION!

Who Is Xhopakelxhit Queen Sacheen?

Xhopakelxhit is a Coast Salish, Nuu-chah-nulth, and Snuneymuxw matriarch, water protector, and longtime activist. She has spent decades organizing for Indigenous sovereignty, protecting land and water, and challenging colonial institutions.

She has also co-founded grassroots movements such as the Coast Salish Native Youth Movement and has been involved in direct actions defending Indigenous territories and waterways.

Her Ancestral Pride zines are not meant to be academic texts. They are guides for resistance and allyship. They are accessible and understandable to/for everyone who comes to the table in good faith and with a growth mindset.

These sometimes harsh but true zines ask settlers to stop performing solidarity and start doing the difficult work of supporting Indigenous struggles without centring themselves.

In other words:

Everyone calls themselves an ally… until it’s time to actually be one.

The Allyship Reality Check

One of the biggest takeaways from the Ancestral Pride zines is that allyship is not a label. Everyone calls themselves an ally until its time to do the work is how Indigenous People feel and that is so incredibly understandable. Let's be real, the majority of Canadians don't even know their own history....they know more about Trump and American presidents than they do of the people with whom they share this land. (That is a huge huge complex and global issue, but this zine focuses right here at home.)

It’s a responsibility, a civic duty, a human duty!

The zine challenges settlers to ask themselves uncomfortable questions:

• Are you listening to Indigenous voices, or speaking over them?

• Are you showing up when it matters?

• Are you using your privilege to protect those who have less protection from the state?

• Are you using your privilege to benefit anyone but yourself and your own?

• Are you using your privilege to share knowledge and information to change the conquering colonizing nature of Canada and 'Canadian' settlers?

• Are you aware of how you can actually help Indigenous People?

• Do you actually want to help or do you just want to perform?

  
  

Because, as the Queen points out, the truth is that settlers often have more legal protection and social power when confronting authorities. That privilege can, and should, be used in support of Indigenous movements. Sadly we need to start using our white power for good and not just bad....especially at the provincial levels and municipal levels in 'Canada'....

Coming Home to Canada

After living abroad for ten years, I recently returned to Canada, under the impression we were finally moving forward with Truth and Reconciliation, like legitimately...which we are but you know....politics...LOL

I was over in China believing we were confronting our history, getting so excited to come home to a new non-lying leadership in our provinces!

But what I saw instead was something familiar:

Divisive politics. Distraction. Media outrage cycles.

Meanwhile, the deeper work, repairing relationships with the Indigenous nations who have lived here for thousands of years, still struggles to gain the attention it deserves especially by the UCP and CONS parties...WHY?! (Probs, because they are guilty as sin like trumparoonies; let's be real, shall we?)

And yet MOST people I talk to do want change....whether they are Indigenous, Immigrants, Settlers.....

Most people ACTUALLY WANT:

• clean water

• a livable planet that will feed and nourish the humans on it

• justice for Indigenous communities an ways of living

• an end to violence against the people, the land, and all species

  
  

From what I can tell.....

The problem isn’t that people don’t care.

The problem is that many people don’t know where to start.

Social Media Is Where to Start.

We actually have access to those we have been segragated from for so long....we can and are working together, but we need ALL CANADIANS TO BE ON BOARD!!!! WE NEED TO ALL ADMIT WE ARE SETTLERS AND THAT CANADIANS CAN DO BETTER!

So I want to encourage you to start by listening to Indigenous voices directly. Here is one I list to and who wrote the zine that inspired this blog.

Follow this beauty online:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xhopakelxhit/

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@xhopakelxhit

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/xhopakelxhit

Be sure to read her Ancestral Pride zines. I have shared a few of my favourite quotes to give you a sneak peak of this woman's brain but you should definitely help share the love too ;)

Only 10$, anyone can afford that if they buy a couple bags of chips less this month LOL (that's how I justified it in the budget ;)

Remember: Grassroots activists are often doing this work with almost no resources, while confronting powerful institutions and industries that are working against them with deep pockets and rich lawyers.

Buying a zine, sharing a post, or donating to support land defenders may seem small, but collective action always starts with small steps.

The Test Question I Want You To Ask YOURSELF

When we learn about the Underground Railroad on Turtle Island, most of us like to believe we would have been the helpers.

The good ones. The brave ones. The people doing the right thing.

But history isn’t some dusty story in a textbook or a novel...It’s happening right now, all around us.

So the real question isn’t what we would have done back then.

The real question is:

Now that we actually know better… what are we going to do about it?

Please follow her on the socials posted above and follow me on mine and let's amplify and share and help as much as we can...it's time to start being aware of our actual surroundings in this country and get everyone on the same page with information and knowledge and TRUE HISTORY. Find me on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook. Threads, Youtube and on my website, of course :)

@lavenderlibrarypress