What is it?
Represents: Pan-American independent nation sovereignty, unity, and decolonizing.
The uniting the eagle and the condor movement is grounded in the prophecy of the eagle and the condor. There are different tellings of it across the americas, but in general the eagle and condor are meant to represent Indigenous people from different directions of the world, divided for some 500 years with an era of unity being possible from around the year 2000 forward. Some interpretations, like that from elders at the Onjisay Aki summit, take the prophecy to indicate a potential for unity of the Indigenous nations across South America (represented by the condor) and North America (represented by the eagle) to move forwards into a future of understanding, collaboration, and prosperity. It can has been interpreted as healing divisions caused by which foreign European language Indigenous people of the north and south were forced to speak (e.g Spanish, English, Portuguese, French), new borders cutting through Indigenous nations/traditional territories, and even divisions caused by things like the imposition of blood quantum and mestizaje onto Indigenous people. Despite these things made to cause division between each other and the land, the prophecy speaks of the potential for the people of the Eagle and the Condor, North and South America, to unite for a better future.
Other interpretations take the prophecy to mean uniting people from all directions of the world, from all continents, for the same reason. While the original prophecy is interpreted in different ways by different Indigenous peoples, the message is ultimately about healing, unity, and bright futures for Indigenous people of the Americas & the entire world.
A great overview as explained by Indigenous knowledge keepers:
http://onjisay-aki.org/prophecy-eagle-and-condor
What is the history behind the movement?
1. The first of such prophecies came from the Quechua people of what is known as modern day Peru in South America, however similar ones have come from Indigenous nations across the Abya Yala/Turtle Island (synonymous with South America and North America, or the Americas, respectively).
2. Movements to unify Indigenous nations to be in solidarity with one another does not have one set date of origin.
3. The goal of uniting the eagle and the condor has led to various connection and solidarity efforts/initiatives from Indigenous nations and individuals on both sides of the current US-Mexico border.
Goals of the movement:
1. Bring people together: Building respectful relationships both between settlers/settler descendants and Indigenous people, and between Indigenous nations on Indigenous lands.
2. Build international relationships with peoples from around the world.
3. Recognition of independent, sovereign Indigenous nations, starting by recognizing one another and working to understand and support one another.
4. Recognition of the impact settler establishments have on both local and international Indigenous peoples of the Americas. Learning about and understanding the different experiences each Indigenous nation has with different settler establishments.
Pan-American Anti-Indigeneity by Canada
Anti-Indigenous practices by Canada heavily impact Canadian First Nations, Metis, and Inuit. In addition to this, Canada also abuses and extracts from unceded Indigenous lands across South America and southern North America, making it difficult for Indigenous nations to exist, let alone prosper and connect with each other.
1. Canadian Pan-American extraction projects: Canadian mining companies rely on easy access to native lands, and consistently fight Indigenous people of the latinized parts of the Americas in court in order to avoid having to abide by the same human rights standards that they have to follow in Canada.
2. Genocide: Over 40% of assassinations of environmental activists are of Indigenous people, despite Indigenous people making up less then 5% of the worlds population. In 2020, of all the assassinations of environmental activists worldwide, more than 2/3 occurred in Latin America. A considerable amount of these deaths, as well as many abuses and disappearances, are linked to the activities of Canadian-owned companies operating in Latin America, with an estimated 40-70% of all mining in Latin America being done by Canadian companies. This is in addition to the illegal treaty-breaking Canada inflicts on Indigenous nations in Canada for the purpose of extraction projects synch as the Line 3 pipeline.
- https://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/canada-brand-violence-and-canadian-mining-companies-latin-america
- Excerpt: “Mining around the world often intrudes on Indigenous lands, and has since times of colonization. JCAP’s report identified 28 Canadian companies involved in these issues, and reported on at least 10 detailed conflicts in which Indigenous people were victims of violence and criminalization stemming from a mining corporation. From the 14 countries that were analyzed, there were 44 deaths overall, 30 of which were labeled as “targeted.” There were also 403 injuries, occurring in events such as protests and confrontations related to the mining, 709 cases of criminalization, and a widespread geographical distribution of documented violence in all countries. Deaths, injuries, warrants, and arrests specific to Indigenous People in relation to Canadian mines occurred in 8 of the 12 countries and 73% of the women who were recorded as being sexually assaulted as a result of the Canadian mining corporations were Indigenous. Data shows however, that the Canadian companies from this study reported only 24.2% of the total deaths and 12.3% of the injuries that were documented in the report.”
3. Displacement and forced migration leading to Indigenous erasure & border violence: Canadian extraction projects across the Americas can contribute to the eviction and displacement of Indigenous individuals and/or entire communities, contributing to the mass migration of Indigenous people of Abya Yala/Turtle Island to the northern parts of Turtle Island. Many Indigenous people from within the current bounds of Latin America do not speak European languages (such as Spanish), but rather maintain and Indigenous language. Because they are often labeled by USA and Canada as solely linguistically hispanicized and/or culturally latinized, there is little regard for the needs that these Indigenous migrants have when they seek refuge in the North. This opens up opportunities for violence to be inflicted upon them in the North, as they cannot speak in Spanish, let alone English, to defend themselves. There are rarely translators that speak their Indigenous languages. This can result in everything from communication difficulties, to purposeful anti-indigenous discrimination, to complete violations of Indigenous rights. While most of this violence takes place in the USA, it is often catalyzed by Canadian mining companies that evict Indigenous communities from their lands.
4. Forced migration, Indigenous labor, stolen land fueling Canadian Agriculture: Many of the workers tending to the foods we eat in Ontario and across Canada are Indigenous people from South America, Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean. They are often paid unlivable wages and kept in unsafe working conditions, which have led to death as recently as 2020.
5. Illegal trespassing for oil: In Canada, Indigenous people are fighting against the Enbridge line 3 pipeline that cuts through Anishinaabe treaty territory, and organized the Stop Line 3 movement to do so. They delayed the pipeline's construction by years, and brought attention to the hundreds of waterways, habitats, and lives that stand to be negatively affected or lost by effect of the pipeline.
6. Threatening Indigenous food sovereignty rights in Canada: 2020 saw the media
coverage of what has been labeled a “dispute” between Mi’kmaq and settler lobster fishers in Nova Scotia. Mi’kmaq fishers who were exercising their treaty rights were violently attacked by settler fishermen, who burned Mi’kmaq buildings and lobster catches out of racism, anti-indigenous sentiment and anger that Mi’kmaq treaty rights allow Mi’kmaq to earn livelihoods through lobster fishing off-season. Settler fisherpeople also vandalized Mi’kmaq fishing equipment and stole catches. The settlers were angry at Mi’kmaq for exercising their treaty rights to fish and prosper on their own lands.
How does this come back to BVA/Varsity athletes
1. There is a lack of both Canadian Indigenous and, secondarily, pan-American Indigenous representation and voices in Varsity sport.
2. There are zero Varsity Blues or overall U of T scholarship opportunities available for Indigenous people in general, despite Indigenous people and people racialized as “Amerindian” being the most underrepresented ethnic and racialized population at this university.
- Canadian Indigenous people are 100% entitled to their own dedicated spaces and opportunities. Separate, new opportunities should be created for Indigenous people of the Americas. Simply, there should be effort for diversity & inclusion for Indigenous peoples regardless of what their local settler state is, just like other minority racialized groups existing on Canadian Indigenous First Nations, Metis, and Inuit lands.
3. Varsity travel: When traveling for competition or training, know whose land you’re being hosted on and try to support Indigenous businesses while you are there.
How can U of T students get involved and take the next step?
1. Learn about the Indigenous nation(s) whose land you are on (whether studying, traveling, etc) and how you can build a relationship with them.
- https://native-land.ca/ may serve as a starting point. Whether your home is there or you are traveling (e.g reading week vacation in Tulum), make a point to find out.
2. Educate yourself on Canada's theft of, and encroachment on Indigenous territories both within and outside of the modern borders of Canada
3. Spread awareness about land theft and support movements about land reclamation across the Americas (Land Back).
4. Learn about Canada’s use of Indigenous labor and how we benefit from it.
- I.e seasonal Indigenous South American, Central American, and Mexican farm workers in Canada, the rights they have and don’t have while they are here, and the reason why they leave their homelands and travel all the way to Canada to work.
5. Support Indigenous business, culture, and existence through your summer and reading week travels.
- When planning trips both within Canada and in the Americas outside of Canada, know whose land you’re on and plan your trip in a way that puts dollars into the communities of the lands you are visiting. In 2022, many Indigenous communities in Latin America are still being forcibly removed from their homes for the construction of private resorts, which many U of T students visit during reading week. Indigenous communities have taken it upon themselves to create ethical and sustainable tourism opportunities that share culture with tourists. On your next reading week trip to Latin America, the Caribbean, USA, and Canada, look at Indigenous-owned businesses to guide your travel experience in order to support the communities whose resources you are enjoying.
6. Support and amplify the voices of Indigenous activists, businesses, story-tellers, influencers, musicians, people. (see list below)
Other links & Resources
Eagle & Condor prophecy
i.
http://onjisay-aki.org/prophecy-eagle-and-condor
ii.
https://landback.org/u/
iii.
https://ndncollective.org/
iv.
https://thecondorandtheeagle.com/the-story/
v.
https://realpeoples.media/the-inca-prophecy-of-the-eagle-and-the-condor/
Indigenous experiences relating to displacement by & presence of Canada
i.
https://apnews.com/article/north-america-caribbean-ap-top-news-venezuela-honduras-2ded14659982426c9b2552827734be83
ii.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/dec/19/central-america-migrants-us-foreign-policy
iii.
https://cepr.net/how-us-guns-destabilize-latin-america-and-fuel-the-refugee-crisis/
iv.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/indigenous-woman-home-guatemala-7-years-mexico-jail-no-trial-rcna30063
v.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/dozens-migrants-found-dead-san-antonio-texas-gov-abbott-says-rcna35627
vi.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/22/ice-gynecologist-hysterectomies-georgia
vii.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/09/us/el-paso-shooting-friday
Instagram: Indigenous creators from across Abya Yala and Turtle Island to follow!
@ndncollective
@Indigena
@indigenousclimateaction
@Idlenomore
@txaisurui
@dearblackndngirl
@Illuminative
@dineaesthetics
@indigenousrising
@landback.art
@guajajarasonia
@sam_sateremawe
@quannah.rose
@melaninmvskoke
@tukuma_pataxo
@xiuhtezcatl
@ko_ndnbxr
@autumn.peltier
@chappaquiddickwampanoag
@mingaindigenaorg
