Native Lives Matter

Native Lives Matter
Name	Native Lives Matter
Formation	2010s
Region	North America
Type	Social movement

Native Lives Matter is a contemporary social movement advocating for the rights, safety, and recognition of Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island, including nations such as the Navajo Nation, Lakota people, Cherokee Nation, Ojibwe, and Métis. The movement addresses issues highlighted by incidents like the Standing Rock protests and draws attention to disparities noted in reports by institutions including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian Health Service, and the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Activists affiliated with the movement have engaged with bodies such as the National Congress of American Indians, Assembly of First Nations, and grassroots organizations modeled after the American Indian Movement and Idle No More.

Overview

Native Lives Matter organizes around public safety, legal recognition, cultural preservation, and health equity for Indigenous communities including the Pueblo peoples, Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Diné communities, and urban Indigenous populations in cities like Albuquerque, New Mexico, Minneapolis, Winnipeg, and Vancouver. The movement employs tactics seen in campaigns by Black Lives Matter, Greenpeace, and Amnesty International such as protests, litigation, policy advocacy, and media outreach to institutions including the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and the United States Congress. Prominent allied figures have included leaders from the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center, the Native American Rights Fund, and tribal leaders from the Yakama Nation.

Historical Context and Origins

Roots trace to earlier Indigenous activism exemplified by the Trail of Broken Treaties caravan, the occupation of Alcatraz Island, and the founding of the American Indian Movement in Minneapolis. The modern formation was catalyzed by high-profile crises such as the Dakota Access Pipeline protests at Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and long-standing issues documented since the Indian Removal Act era and rulings like Worcester v. Georgia. Influences include legal victories from the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act and international frameworks like the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Goals, Principles, and Activities

Core goals include addressing the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls crisis spotlighted by commissions in Canada and states such as Alaska, improving outcomes in health systems like the Indian Health Service and provincial health ministries, reforming policing practices connected to municipal departments in Seattle and Tulsa, and securing treaty rights affirmed by courts such as the Supreme Court of the United States in decisions involving the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and other tribes. Activities include rallies coordinated with groups like Women of All Red Nations, legal challenges supported by the Native American Rights Fund, cultural revitalization projects in collaboration with institutions like the Smithsonian Institution and tribal colleges such as Diné College.

Key Campaigns and Events

Notable campaigns include solidarity actions during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, vigils remembering victims catalogued by the National Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Advisory Committee, and policy pushes during sessions of the United States Congress and the Parliament of Canada. Events have paralleled the media strategies of movements around the Sandy Hook and Charleston church shooting responses, and coordinated with legal campaigns like those led by the Native American Rights Fund in Indian Country litigation such as land-rights disputes in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.

Controversies and Criticism

Critics draw parallels to tensions that affected groups like the American Indian Movement—including debates over leadership, tactics, and alliances with external organizations such as some chapters of Black Lives Matter and environmental NGOs like Sierra Club. Some tribal governments, for example from the Cherokee Nation and the Crow Nation, have questioned protest methods and federal engagement strategies, while commentators in outlets associated with institutions like the National Review and the Globe and Mail have raised concerns about messaging and policy priorities. Legal controversies have involved clashes with energy companies such as Energy Transfer Partners and law enforcement agencies including county sheriffs in states like North Dakota.

Impact and Reception

The movement has influenced policy discussions in legislative bodies such as state legislatures in Montana and New Mexico, contributed to inquiries by bodies like the Canadian National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, and shifted public awareness through partnerships with cultural institutions including the National Museum of the American Indian. Reception varies: supportive tribal councils and Indigenous organizations have praised awareness gains, while some municipal officials and commercial stakeholders have criticized disruptions to infrastructure projects like pipelines and extractive operations in regions such as Saskatchewan and the Gulf of Mexico coastal areas.

Related Movements and Partnerships

Native Lives Matter collaborates with allied movements including Black Lives Matter, Idle No More, environmental campaigns opposing projects like the Keystone XL pipeline, and human-rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Partnerships extend to educational institutions such as University of Arizona Native programs, tribal colleges like Salish Kootenai College, and advocacy groups including the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center and the Native American Rights Fund.

Category:Indigenous rights movements