How to Become an Ally to Indigenous Peoples

Presented at
Keeping the Homefires Burning Gathering
Yavapai Nation, Fort McDowell, Arizona
November 8th, 2017
Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of
Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous Peoples have many answers to that question. Over many campaigns, many generations, for more than 500 years they have tried to tell, to teach, to model cooperative relations in their work and in their agreements and relations with settlers.

This White Paper is an effort by three white settlers, friends of the organization, to answer that question based on what Indigenous Peoples have been saying and doing in the past and in the present. Effective allies support Indigenous Peoples work to care for their land and to have the freedom to solve their own problems and shape their futures. It is the responsibility of allies to teach other settlers the relevance and urgency of recognizing, understanding and actively supporting Indigenous Peoples. We hope to uplift the benefits of learning Indigenous perspectives and from working together and living in harmony with one another. It is an opportunity to support beautiful, unique and diverse cultures that were here before us and may yet outlast us. We can learn from Indigenous models how to care for the earth, so all the life on it flourishes.