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Illuminating the First Nations struggles against the Canadian state, It’sAll about the Land exposes how racism underpins and shapes Indigenous-settler relationships. Renowned Kahnawà:ke Mohawk activist and scholar Taiaiake Alfred explains how the Canadian government’s reconciliation agenda is a new form of colonization that is guaranteed to fail.
Bringing together Alfred’s speeches and interviews from over the past two decades, the book shows that Indigenous peoples across the world face a stark choice: reconnect with their authentic cultures and values or continue following a slow road to annihilation.
Rooted in ancestral spirit, knowledge, and law, It’s All about the Land presents a passionate argument for Indigenous Resurgence as the pathway toward justice for Indigenous peoples.
Rooted in ancestral spirit, knowledge, and law, It’sAll about the Land presents a passionate argument for Indigenous Resurgence as the pathway toward justice for Indigenous peoples.
- Imprint: Aevo UTP
- Published: August 2023
- Pages: 344
Taiaiake Alfred is a Kahnawà:ke Mohawk philosopher and political strategist with more than three decades of experience in First Nations governance, political activism, and cultural restoration. After twenty-five years as a university professor, he now works directly with Indigenous nations to help breathe life into their visions of self-determination. He has been awarded a Canada Research Chair, a National Aboriginal Achievement/Indspire Award, and the Native American Journalists Association award for best column writing. He is the author of three highly acclaimed books: Heeding the Voices of Our Ancestors: Kahnawake Mohawk Politics and the Rise of Native Nationalism; Peace, Power, Righteousness: An Indigenous Manifesto; and Wasáse: Indigenous Pathways of Action and Freedom.
Ann Rogers is a fourth-generation settler on Stz'uminus territory and the author of Secrecy and Power in the British State: A History of the Official Secrets Act.
Pamela Palmater is a Mi’kmaw professor of Indigenous governance at Toronto Metropolitan University and an Indigenous rights activist.
“It’s All about the Land serves as a powerful voice in the discourse surrounding Indigenous rights and identity. The book champions the concept of Indigenous resurgence – a pathway toward justice that emphasizes reconnecting with authentic cultures and values. Alfred’s message is a rallying cry for Indigenous Peoples to reclaim their ancestral spirit, knowledge, and governance.”
Karine Alhakim, University of Toronto Mississauga
The Medium
"As a strong Kanien’keháka (Mohawk) activist, Taiaiake has moved through and influenced Indigenous movements all over the world, but the concept of Indigenous Resurgence is rooted in the culture, laws, and resistance of our people. The essays and speeches in this book prove it, proudly. In reflecting fearlessly on his own journey and the lessons he has learned as a leader, educator, and scholar, he shows the way for anyone who is committed to decolonizing themselves and becoming a stronger force for positive change for our people. It’s All about the Land is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the injustices Native people live under and what we should be doing about it."
Grand Chief Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke
"Taiaiake Alfred is a thought shifter who builds fires with his words. Anyone who cares about Indigenous issues and craves to be jolted into action should read this book – a real counternarrative to the status quo."
Chelsey Luger, Lakota and Anishinaabe, author of The Seven Circles: Indigenous Teachings for Living Well
"I nodded repeatedly as I read this book. I know its hard central truth, that ‘it’s all about the land’ and the Indigenous collectivism it enables. Land is where we anchor and sustain as Peoples. Taiaiake Alfred tells us that learning in/with our homelands will strengthen our will to defend those lands. He also provides a hard truth for Canada: ‘Reconciliation’ is a totally non-Indigenous affair. It is non-Indigenous people who must learn and accept Indigenous governance. I suspect increasing numbers of non-Indigenous people are ready to hear Taiaiake Alfred’s message."
Kim TallBear, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, Professor of Native Studies and Canada Research Chair (CRC) Tier 1 in Indigenous Peoples, Technoscience, and Society, University of Alberta
"Taiaiake Alfred is unafraid to question the status quo, but he is also fearless about putting his own beliefs to the test. This new book reflects his personal, political, and philosophical journey, and the evolution of his thinking along the way. It is powerful and important reading for anyone committed to nation building – both Canada’s and the First Nations’ whose lands we call home."
Catherine Clark, President, Catherine Clark Communications and Co-Founder, The Honest Talk
"It’s All about the Land takes mainstream (often, good faith) assumptions and beliefs about reconciliation as seen and processed through a colonial filter and turns them on their head. Insightful, informative, and deeply thoughtful, this collection of essays will have you thinking differently about decolonization and what reconciliation – as currently advocated by the government – really stands for, within the limiting framework of contemporary colonialism. Ultimately, it asks all of us to do and be more."
Toula Drimonis, writer, columnist, and author of We, the Others: Allophones, Immigrants, and Belonging in Canada
"This book is a heartfelt testament to the evolution of Indigenous Resurgence, a concept that Taiaiake Alfred has dedicated himself to for three decades. With humility and gratitude, he acknowledges his past shortcomings and embraces the importance of inclusivity and unity. This courageous introspection reflects the transformative power of decolonization and the ongoing journey towards Indigenous liberation. It's All about the Land stands as a powerful testament to the strength and wisdom of Indigenous peoples."
Nicholas Galanin, Tlingit and Unangax̂, multi-disciplinary artist
"Taiaiake Alfred’s series of reflections, essays, and interviews is as complex and rich as the Kanien’kéha meaning behind his name. Some may be surprised, given my position and our respective philosophical world views, that I count Taiaiake as a friend, but his work forces me to scrutinize and constantly question my actions and those of my government so as not to reproduce the horrific social experiment that has devastated Indigenous peoples. This is healthy for anyone in a position of authority. This book, however, is not limited to political or philosophical reflections: it shows both the personal and philosophical evolution of a man in two worlds evolving out of an image of himself he fought so hard to create."
The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration
"In It’s All about the Land Taiaiake Alfred speaks powerfully, and at times discomfortingly, to the challenges Indigenous people face across the globe. The charting of Alfred’s developing thought and how he has changed perspectives over time is one of this work’s most liberating contributions, showing that none of us is ever ‘locked in’ to the way we thought about things. This is a book for our time and an enormous contribution to the Indigenous struggle, both challenging and energizing in its core commitment to what we call ‘country’ as the life source of all that we do and all that we are."
Craig Ritchie, Dunghutti, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
"Outstanding! Taiaiake Alfred provides critical elements of decolonization visioning in It’s All about the Land, directly confronting the hegemonic power of the Canadian colonial paradigm. He frames this from an Indigenous perspective as the ‘colonial problem,’ resulting in a radical shift in developing the authentic Indigenous strategic goals of reclaiming identity, cultural resurgence, and nation building – and at the center of all of that is land recovery."
Sakej Ward, survival expert and Mi’kmaw warrior
"Taiaiake Alfred is synonymous with Indigenous sovereignty. This timeless book must be read by the young people to jolt their hearts into action and to remind the older, complacent leaders that the fight is not yet finished. The controversial Taiaiake doesn’t speak with forked tongue, he speaks truth to power. His words make some uncomfortable and that is good and that is powerful. In order to stop feeling discomfort, one must act. This book tells us what we need to do to be part of the Indigenous Resurgence. It’s all about the land. For us women leaders, it has always been about our most important resources: our children and our land. Long after Taiaiake has passed into the Spirit World, his voice will echo through time. He will be an Ancestor that those Indian Warriors not yet born will speak of."
Mary Teegee (Maaxw Gibuu), MBA, Gitxsan Carrier, Takla Nation; Executive Director of Child and Family Services at Carrier Sekani Family Services; Chair of the BC Indigenous Child and Family Services Directors Forum