A University of Saskatchewan professor says the Idle No More movement has provided an opportunity for all marginalized people to participate – including Indigenous women.
Alex Wilson, who is the director of the Aboriginal Education Research Centre, was one of the featured speakers Tuesday at a university discussion on Idle No More and Indigenous feminism.
She says the grassroots, cultural and non-violent aspects of the movement have made it a comfortable place for all people to participate.
“For First Nations people, women, queer people and people of colour – this is an opportunity where they can say can say I can have a voice in the movement too,” she says. “And so it’s that energy of inclusion rather than that energy of I am going to wear a mask and hold a gun that pushes people away rather than a round dance which pulls people in.”
U of S Professor Priscilla Settee was also in attendance at the discussion and she says she is encouraged by the large numbers of Aboriginal women taking leadership roles in both the Idle No More movement and at the university overall.
“I also see in my classroom at the university that it is predominantly native women who are getting trained, who are holding up the home with children, keeping a home front together,” she says. “To me that is really emblematic or symbolic of the kind of leadership for future nations that Indigenous women are providing in our community.”
Tuesday’s lecture was the second in a series on Idle No More being featured at the university over the next few weeks.
Four women from Saskatchewan started the Idle No More movement.