Indigenous Rights

KAIROS solidarity and support for the 1492 Land Back Lane Defenders

August 14, 2020

KAIROS joins others in expressing grave concern about the recent attacks against Haudenosaunee land defenders by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) on August 5, 2020. Whether in the Philippines or here on Turtle Island, we denounce violence against land defenders who are asserting inherent rights to self-determination and to free, prior and informed consent.  We call on the…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

#Ravensmessengersofchange FREE activity e-Book

June 29, 2020

If you’re looking to further your understanding on Indigenous rights, history and issues, consider downloading this FREE resource: Ravens: Messengers of Change e-bookDownload KAIROS and Legacy of Hope Foundation encourage schools, families, organizations, government officials and companies to participate in the resource’s…

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One year later, the wait continues

June 15, 2020

It comes as little surprise to Chrystal that one year later, the federal government has no action plan in place in response to the inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women. Little was done in the lead up to the…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

Prayer of a white settler on National Indigenous Peoples Day 2020

June 15, 2020

by Shannon Neufeldt Photo by KS KYUNG on Unsplash   Creator God,  I come to you with a humble heart,   So grateful for Your creation,   this place I am in.    The land is full of Your glory this solstice day.  Sunlight sparkles on fresh…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Spirited Reflections

KAIROS honours Women Land Defenders for Indigenous Women’s Month

June 14, 2020

June is Indigenous Women’s Month at KAIROS. As part of the month’s activities, KAIROS will launch on June 21st the Canadian phase of Mother Earth and Resource Extraction: Women Defending Land and Water (MERE Hub, for short). MERE is a living digital hub developed for and…

Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights

Centering Black, Indigenous, women of colour in a post-pandemic recovery

June 12, 2020

It was a year ago, on June 3, when Canada received the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, which delivered 231 individual calls for justice to governments, institutions and Canadians, based on…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Op Eds

June 16: virtual book launch for “Who Killed Berta Cáceres? Dams, Death Squads, and an Indigenous Defender’s Battle for the Planet”

June 10, 2020

[español sigue]  Join KAIROS’ MERE Hub on June 16th at 6:00pm EDT for Who Killed Berta Cáceres? Dams, Death Squads, and an Indigenous Defender’s Battle for the Planet—book launch. This virtual book launch will feature author and journalist Nina Lakhani as well as members of the Latin American Network of Women…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights, Latin America

KAIROS Year of Prayer: Holding Close to our Hearts

June 10, 2020

Beginning on March 11, 2020, the KAIROS Steering Committee began a Year of Prayer for the persons, families and communities connected to The Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and the National…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

Stories of residential school impacts experienced by Indigenous Women

June 3, 2020

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada was formed 12 years ago, the Calls for Justice for  Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was released a year ago, and this Indigenous Women’s Month at KAIROS we join our voices…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Spirited Reflections

This June is Indigenous Women’s Month at KAIROS

June 1, 2020

Throughout June, KAIROS will highlight and celebrate Indigenous women working to make change in Canada and the Global South. Through profiles, spotlights and by sharing inspiration, KAIROS aims to raise up those working to live in a good way, and to improve society…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights

Post-pandemic Canada should centre the needs of Indigenous women

June 1, 2020

The month of June barrels towards us with an important reconciliation anniversary, a recent lack of action in support of the approaching one year anniversary for the #MMIWG calls for justice, and a worldwide pandemic raining down on what would…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights, Op Eds

It’s time that the Government of Canada empower the CORE and enact mHRDD legislation

May 26, 2020

Allegations of human rights violations and environmental damage accompany the Canadian extractive sector. KAIROS partners substantiate. Forced labor, torture, rape, and the contamination of water sources are just some of the claims made against Canadian companies around the globe by…

Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights

Two poems offered on the National Day of Awareness for #MMIWG

May 5, 2020

The Colour Red  She opened her eyes.  Felt the chill that traveled from toes to chest. She was empty and hollow. To feel, there needed to be awareness, awareness she could not find in a disassociated moment. If red had a feeling…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

Large-scale resource extraction exacerbates the threat of COVID-19 across the American hemisphere, especially for Indigenous peoples

May 4, 2020

Across Abya Yala and Turtle Island, territories otherwise known as America, governmental and corporate responses to and amid the spread of the novel coronavirus have put into sharp focus the crisis of the status quo. This is especially true of large-scale resource extraction. The grave threat…

Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights, Op Eds

Spirited Reflection: National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

April 30, 2020

There are specific days that I remember, which forever changed my understanding and perspectives about being a First Nations woman in Canada. Like so many in this country, I grew up with the cliched ideas of Canadian society-polite people surrounded by clean cities and…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights, Spirited Reflections

Spirited Reflection: Holding close to our hearts

March 31, 2020

In this time of isolation, staying behind doors and apart from one another, questions on the meaning and power of prayer may arise.  How can I offer support to those far away? Is there a way to close the gap? …

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Spirited Reflections

Changing the world one KAIROS Blanket Exercise story at a time

March 30, 2020

Words cannot express the gratitude for every time we are called upon to offer the KAIROS Blanket Exercise (KBE). It is an honour to meet with participants who, for the most part, are on a journey of learning.   We have been asked to go where people have little or no…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Spirited Reflections

To better understand the present, they walk through Alaska’s past

March 20, 2020

“Truthful, undeniable and powerful.”“Very eye-opening.”“Incredibly powerful and healing.”“I felt like everyone I knew needed to go through it.” Those are just a few of the responses from Alaskans who have experienced the Alaska Blanket Exercise, an interactive learning tool launched…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

‘Walk with me’ – a lesson plan towards reconciliation

March 2, 2020

Education is key to reconciliation and the key to good education is a lesson plan that sticks. The Blanket Exercise is one such lesson plan. Developed by KAIROS, the Blanket Exercise is based on a method that uses participatory education to weave storytelling and land-based learning…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

Wet’suwet’en: des leaders chrétiens réclament un règlement pacifique

February 21, 2020

Le conflit qui oppose les chefs héréditaires de la Première Nation des Wet’suwet’en au projet de gazoduc Coastal GasLink peut et doit se régler de manière pacifique, estime Erik Oland, le supérieur provincial des Jésuites du Canada. Dans une lettre…

Post filed in: En français, Indigenous Rights

Indigenous rights are lived responsibilities

February 20, 2020

Pipelines, mines, and projects that extract resources while compromising the earth and water are not the only solutions to escape poverty. Anyone who offers these as the only possibilities are either not thinking or lying. There are other options. Indigenous…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

We stand with the Wet’suwet’en Peoples and hold our government accountable for its actions

February 14, 2020

A path that respects the human rights of Indigenous peoples does not include armed police officers, violent acts, arrests and check points that prevent Indigenous peoples from accessing their lands. A path that respects the human rights of Indigenous peoples…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

The National Council of Churches in the Philippines has issued a statement condemning the attack against the Lumad Indigenous people

February 5, 2020

The National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), a KAIROS partner,  has issued a statement condemning the attack, harassment and intimidation against the Lumad Indigenous people seeking refuge in the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) –…

Post filed in: Asia-Pacific, Indigenous Rights

KAIROS wish list for 2020

February 5, 2020

In 2020, KAIROS Canada wishes the following….  

Post filed in: Calls To Action, Indigenous Rights

Canadian ecumenical response to attacks on the Lumad evacuees in Mindanao

February 3, 2020

KAIROS joins churches in Canada in signing the following ecumenical statement condemning the attacks against Indigenous Lumad evacuees at the United Church of Christ in the Philippines-Haran (UCCP-Haran) evacuation centre in Davao, Mindanao.   In September 2019 KAIROS staff visited the…

Post filed in: Asia-Pacific, Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights

Learning history through participation – The KAIROS Blanket Exercise

January 31, 2020

The KAIROS Blanket Exercise program was held in Weyburn on Wednesday, January 29th, brought here by South East District in partnership with Weyburn Arts Council, Southeast Regional Library, PLURA Churches, and Canadian Mental Health Association, Weyburn Branch. While I’ve read and heard…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

Sharing an Indigenous point of view at KAIROS Blanket Exercise

January 28, 2020

Seeing, hearing for yourself, and experiencing the relationship between Indigenous and non-indigenous people in Canada is something that a group of people in Strathmore practiced last night at the KAIROS Blanket Exercise. The free public education session was held at…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights