Indigenous Sovereignty For Black Liberation

Archiving. Original blog post from Bvlbancha Collective, June 5, 2020.

Now is the time to stand in solidarity with our Black relatives. As Indigenous peoples, we have so many things to say about the intertwined struggles of Black & Native communities.

We hope that in the days, weeks, and months of coalition-building and truth-bearing to come, we can contribute to generative dialogue around Afro-Native history, presence, resistance, and futures. But now it is time to amplify Black voices in our community, and to materially commit to mutual aid and support of these global uprisings against anti-black racism, police brutality, and white supremacy. The Bvlbancha Collective will continue in our mission of providing 75% of our plant medicines for free to BIPOC individuals and communities, locally and across Turtle Island. We will also provide links to local Black-led organizations that you can support.

We would like to draw attention to the phrase "Bulbancha Imoktabli," Chahta for "Defend Bulbancha," utilized in the artwork of one of our collective members. The word "Bulbancha” or “Bvlbancha" is the Chahta place name for where we live. It means "Many languages spoken there," reflecting a pre-colonial diversity that continues to this day. Black people are integral to this diversity. To take the phrase "Bulbancha Imoktabli" seriously, we must defend Black life here and everywhere. We know that Indigenous Sovereignty and Black Liberation are mutually interdependent struggles. No justice on Stolen Land! Let's get free together.

#BlackLivesMatter #IndigenousSolidarity #IndigenousSolidarityForBlackLiberation #NativesForBlackLives #UniteRiseDecolonize #BvlbanchaImoktabli

BLM artwork by Christi Belcourt

“Bulbancha Imoktabli patch artwork by Bvlbancha Collective member, Ozone504”