Locals join ‘Idle No More’ movement
Melea Burke
Polson High School English teacher Linda Pete and PHS student Chrystal Woods display colorful posters during an Idle No More rally Friday in Pablo. The purpose of the rally and similar ones nationwide, is to draw attention to Native American land rights issues. Local demonstrators marched from Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal headquarters over the pedestrian bridge to Salish Kootenai College, ending with drumming, singing and a round dance in the Joe McDonald Health and Fitness Center parking lot.
Melea Burke
Ryan Upham and Antoine Paul drum and sing during a round dance after the Idle No More march as SKC professor Frank Tyro films the event from atop a vehicle.
Melea Burke
Participants at an Idle No More rally held Friday in Pablo file across the pedestrian bridge in Pablo, displaying signs and posters for traffic below.
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
Melea Burke
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PABLO — Nearly 100 Flathead Reservation residents joined a movement sweeping North America last week, marching, singing and dancing in a peaceful demonstration — becoming “idle no more” like tens of thousands more across the continent.
The Idle No More movement began in Saskatchewan, Canada, as a response to the Canadian Parliament bill C-45, the Jobs and Growth Act, which includes amendments to Canada’s Indian Act that would modify voting and approval procedures for proposed land designations. Idle No More’s official website calls C-45 “a legislative attack on First Nation people and the lands and waters across the country,” and Native peoples throughout North America have taken up the call to action, holding Idle No More rallies on and off Indian reservations to draw attention to Native American rights.
The movement is about peace and community, emphasized Salish Kootenai College librarian Natalie Malaterre, who organized Friday’s rally along with SKC instructor Lori Lambert.
“What we wanted to do is just make (people) more aware of world events,” Malaterre explained. “(It’s about) becoming more aware of what’s going on globally, not just locally.”
Two recent Idle No More rallies in Missoula drew about 150-200 people each, with passers-by who didn’t know anything about the movement cheerfully joining in a march downtown, which brought a smile to the face of University of Montana freshman Aspen Many Hides, a 2012 Polson High School graduate.
“I think Native people as a whole have become stronger (through Idle No More) … it’s powerful for us and it’s a way for us to fight for what our ancestors fought for,” Many Hides explained. “Even if people don’t know what C-45 is, the important thing is that we (Native peoples) have unity.”
As Malaterre pointed out, although Canada is just next door to the Flathead Nation, many people have no idea that Canadian Indians stand to lose much of the hard-won rights secured by their forefathers.
“After the C-45 bill, (Canadian Indians) literally would have nothing,” she said.
For Malaterre, the situation in Canada is too close for comfort, and she believes Native Americans need to pay attention lest a similar undermining of rights come knocking at their doors.
“(We want people) to just remember to support your brothers and sisters, no matter your race, your creed, your gender or tribal affiliation,” Malaterre added.
Another Idle No More rally is planned for 3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 28, at Caras Park in Missoula, and Malaterre said she hopes to organize a forum on the movement at SKC.
